Ikebana and us

October 9th 2015 The October workshop was held in the beginning of the month, as the festive season of Navaratri starts next week, and all the ladies will be busy with dolls, dancing and desserts! It was a Freestyle workshop, and our two "new" senseis , Prerana and Trishala, demonstrated their freestyle work, before all those present participated.  Their demonstration was highly appreciated by the members present, and we wish them all success and fulfilment with Ikebana teaching! Prerana sensei  remarked, " my copper vases depict age, the bamboo strength, the dry branch is age and weakness and flowers add colour to life. Strength and weakness are two sides of a coin." Trishala sensei used angles to complement her vase, and bring delicacy via the flowers and their colour. Seethalakshmi experimented with space between her fresh flowers and the dry lines. Dalley sensei created a moribana with a tropical look and feel...

September 26th 2015 The Study Group met at ABK AOT Dosokai for their monthly meeting. The theme for the workshop and meeting was "Ikebana and wabi sabi philisophy".  There were introductory remarks by sensei Malathi and a slideshow by Ambika.  As we were running short of time, she did her planned demonstration pieces as part of the workshop. Eight members were present. Ambika began with the caveat that most Japanese do not discuss the concept of wabi sabi, they just recognise it when they see it, so deeply ingrained is it in their consciousness.  Leonard Koren.   American artist and aesthetics expert says  “….it is the most conspicuous and characteristic feature of what we think of as traditional Japanese beauty…” “Wabi-sabi is an intuitive appreciation of a transient beauty in the physical world that reflects the irreversible flow of life in the spiritual world. It is an understated beauty that exists in the modest, ru...

August 22nd, 2015 It is Madras Day here in Chennai as our city celebrates its founding. Our Chairperson, Malathi Sensei   requested members to honour this meeting as part of the celebrations. She reminisced how Madras was during 1968 to '73 and how it was between 1976 till today. Young girls were in ' half sarees' and salwar kameez was not in fashion! Madras  and  a single  5 Star hotel called Connemara, and there were no florist shops other than garland sellers. In such a situation she started ikebana lessons,where cut flowers were available only at 'Rosedale' situated in Connemara and an outlet in Dhun Buildings. Only few  varieties of flowers were available then -  Gladiolus, Arum lily, Rose, Asters and Tube rose in season.  To keep the interest alive among the students was the greatest challenge, with these same materials on and on, and handling ' Lines ' as per the curriculum. Today the city boasts of florist shops in every neighb...

As part of the year long activities ABK – AOTS DOSOKAI, Tamilnadu Center organizing the Exhibition & Demonstration of Ikebana (Japanese Flower Arrangement) by Ms. Yukari Yumire on 29 th  & 30 August 2015 at ABK – AOTS DOSOKAI, Tamilnadu Centre 3 rd  Floor Chateau D Ampa, # 37 (110) Nelson Manickam Road, Aminjikarai, Ch – 29 Tel. 91-44-2374 3575 / 2374 0318. The exhibition is open to public on 29 & 30 August 2015 between  10 .00  a m and  07 .00pm Demonstration at 11.00am on 29 th  August 2015 at the above venue. The participants are first come first serve basic. Kindly register your names before 27 th  August 2015.

Malathi sensei selected by the Consul-General of Japan in Chennai for a "Certificate of Commendation" in recognition of her distinguished service in contributing to the deepening of mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and India. The presentation ceremony of the "Certificate of Commendation" was hosted by the Consul-General, Mr Seiji Baba on Thursday 6th August 2015 at 12:00 noon at their residence  at Chennai.  Consul General reads out the citation. The presentation ceremony The commendations - in English and Japanese. Mr and Mrs Baba with the three awardees. Besides Malathi sensei , the other two awardees were from the ABK AOTS chapters in Kochi and Hyderabad. Consul General urged the awardees to carry on the good work.  Malathi sensei remembered her teachers Uma Rao and Veena Dass on the occasion and thanked the Consulate and the Consul General for the award and their generous words of appreciation.

July 16th 2015 The Chennai Study Group re-assembled after a two month summer break, and members looked refreshed after family vacations and travels! We started off with a whole bunch of announcements by our Chairperson sensei Malathi who updated us on Iemoto Akane's impending visit to Delhi and the Taiwan Regional conference. There were congratulations all around for our two new teachers - Prerana and Trishala - who received their certificates amidst cheers. Fourteen of us gathered for the demonstration by  sensei  Meenu who worked with "Unusual Containers" as her theme. For her first arrangement, she used a moribana container, reversed as a base, and created a structure with wires. Using anthuriums, gypsophila and berries, she created a lovely light composition. Sensei  Meenu's first arrangement - a cheerful, airy, modern look For her second composition, she began with two painted stools. She upturned the larger one, and placed in it a hand ...