Ikebana and us

 Saturday 16th November 2024 It is a rainy week in Chennai as the North-East monsoon brings us rain spells and storms. 10 of us assembled at the ABK hall for our November demonstration and workshop.  Sensei Chitra T chose the theme of unconventional matierla for her demonstration. She was well prepared and organised, and quickly began after a ew customary announcements.. Chitra T's first composition - Beautiful black glass vase with curves, was complemented with the white wire which was stapled.  Canna lily leaves created bold movement and mass, and was complimented with the wine coloured Chrysanthemums. She explained the structure of her second composition.  A self made iron stand around which she twined a plastic hose pipe.  A small plastic bottle with water was wired behind, to hold fresh material.  Her first variation with this unconventional material used gladioli, carnations, fox tail and dieffenbachia leaves. After the demonstration, after conversati...

 September 21st 2024 Our September meeting was held as usual at the ABK Hall on Saturday, September 21, 2024. Sensei Molly Cherian gave a demonstration on line, surface and mass and colour. Sensei Molly wowed us with her fabulous demonstration. Sensei Molly was assisted in her demonstration by Susan Sudhir. For her first arrangement Sensei Molly used Caladium leaves for surface, Dracaena branches for straight lines, metal wire for curved lines, and Hydrangea flowers for mass in a Sogetsu ceramic container.                       Next she used a red biscuit tin as an improvised container. Dry umbrella palm branches painted in black was arranged as surface, yellow Heliconia as lines and curled Pandana leaves used as mass.               For the third arrangement Sensei Molly used a rust coloured metal pot as the container to achieve ...

 In the October month workshop, attended by 14 members, Mrs Malathi Pandurang, Director of Sogetsu Branch Chennai demonstrated 4 lessons from Sogetsu Textbook 1 She used just a few materials from her garden to show different styles and their variations. Watching her demonstrate and explain how to achieve balance and coherence between the main lines and jushis, we were able appreciate the right position and proportion in placement of jushis to bring out the asymmetrical nature and the three dimensional aspect of ikebana arrangements. Her demonstration also emphasised the appropriate choice of materials for main lines and jushis to compliment them. She worked with the same material, across the arrangements, in order to explain the fundamental positions of the lines, and the arrangements should be viewed as lessons. Basic Upright Style Moribana and Variation 1 Upright Style Moribana - Materials used Birds Nest Fern, green button chrysanthemums in a plastic round trays.  While dem...

20th November 2021 For our November workshop, our Chairperson Sensei Malathi, chose an interesting theme of "Texture".  There was a discussion as to whether we could do it face to face, or should we do it via online. Finally, while participation was online, our sensei Pushkala braved the heights of the Chennai monsoon to use the ABK AOTS Dosokai venue and Zoom link to demonstrate on this theme. As usual, she was well planned for her demonstration and also meticulous in her execution.   She began with a wooden vase, for which she used the cane swirls to highlight the texture of the vase. The mirroring of the vase design as well was skilful, and the single anthurium - brought a focal point.   For her second composition, Sensei Pushkala brought out an interesting steel grill painted black - a structure that she created  and painted herself!   Her dark coloured saree prevented us from seeing it well, so we requested her to display the vase, and here is a screenshot ...

 17th December 2020 The Study Group, now very familiar with our online meetings and workshops, gathered via Google Meet to attend an online demonstration by Sensei Dalley Verghese, followed by our workshop from our homes. 21 members were able to attend, and we were in for a treat. Sensei Dalley began her demonstration with a colour focus of rust/orange, which also matched beautifully with the sari she was wearing!  The moribana container supported two beautiful bamboo lines with the chrysanthemum masses to balance. Sensei Dalley titled her piece as "Togetherness".  Bamboo tendrils and imperial chrysanthemums in a moribana ceramic vase The second piece was quite different.  Sensei Dalley placed a blue ceramic compote in a flat blue tray, and aimed to create a blue colour focus.  She created blue Masses with daisies, to complement the vase and the tall white agapanthus was used as contrast, in this naturalistic style composition. "Happy Family" by Sensei Dalley Ve...

 Saturday 21st November 2020 The Chennai Sogetsu Study Group continued with our online monthly meetings.  We used Google Meet as always, to get together at 11 am on the 21st, for an online demonstration by our sensei Divya, who chose to work with baskets - natural woven ones. 24 members tuned in including our new members Suneela, Susan, Sumi,  Niloufer and Rupa, who were introduced by their respective teachers.  The Study Group is delighted to have new additions and we all hope to meet in person soon!   Sensei Divya connected from her home and brought us three lovely, elegant arrangements.  In her trademark quiet, smiling and confident manner, sensei Divya explained about the materials and the baskets. For her first composition she used a deep basket and placed another container within to hold water and help keep the materials in place.  Emphasizing and incorporating the basket weave into the arrangement, the materials were used low and along the rim, ...

 12th September 2020   As the COVID pandemic rages on, we continue our online workshops.  It has been an interesting journey of discovery as to the amount that we can do in the "virtual" world. We obviously all miss the ease of face to face meetings - and we do not seem to be able to go beyond hello and how are you in our social intereactions on a video meet, but the fact that we are able to stay in touch, and keep our Ikebana practice going has been therapeutic and energising. This month sensei Trishala volunteered  to do a demonstration on no-kenzan arrangements.  It was a challenge for her, to deal with the technology of the demonstration, more than the Ikebana challenge, I am sure!!  But she was game and up to it, as we did a mock call to ensure that the camera angles are fine and that we can hear and see her. On the 12th, we had 17 members in attendance for the workshop. And thankfully the internet "Gods" were with us, and we all had good reception and...