Ikebana and us

 8th Sept 2016 The Study group met at the ABK hall once more for their monthly demo, workshop and friendship.  Eleven members were present. Molly sensei began proceedings with demonstrating using the lesson 6 in Book 4.  In the December floods of 2015, she had lost all her textbooks, along with many other things, including her beautiful garden. Her composition contrasted the thick, lichen-covered branch below with the thin lines above, and the red jerberas complemented the vase, to create a beautifully balanced composition.  The composition was appreciated by all of us. We then moved on to the technique of " plaiting ", which sensei Trishala demonstrated.  She had used it in her arrangement in the last month's workshop on surface and mass. She had brought various palm leaves with her to show us different methods of plaiting. Trishala mentioned that she was taught this by her household help, and many people even today use these palm to for...

August 11th 2016                                                                   Thirteen members of the study group met at the ABK centre, for a workshop on surface and mass.   The idea was to explore the i mplication of  surface of the container, surface of leaves and surfaces made by massing of lines,   on a composition. We started off with a demonstration by the two new  sensei, Divya and Janaki.  They approached the subject in different ways and demonstrated two different effects on composition.  With confidence and freshness in their demonstration, they were widely appreciated by the group. Sensei Divya demonstrated with creating a surface by massing lines Sensei Janaki demonstrated the effect of massing of material The two senseis with their arrangemen...

19th March 2016 Sensei Molly, assisted by Chitra Rajan gave a demonstration of Sogetsu Ikebana, and here is the report by Chitra. A seminar on culture and society of Japan  was a rranged at The Raintree Hotel Anna Salai on 19 Mar 2016 by ABK-AOTS Dosokai, Tamilnadu Centre on behalf of the Japanese Consulate  to facilitate social inclusion of differently enable people through cultural exchange .  Molly Cherian gave a demonstration on behalf of the Sogestu school of Chennai. The demonstration was striking depicting the minimalist classical style of Sogestu Ikebana. Three styles were demonstrated The audience  which included Japanese Consul General Mr Seiji Baba, Japanese embassy staff, ABK staff and students and  differently enabled persons and students from corporation schools watched with rapt attention and were very appreciative Sensei Molly with her arrangements -  Upright Moribana style using yellow chr...

Our new Senseis Divya and Janaki were invited to conduct a workshop for kids.  here is the write-up below. Gurukulam Trust Children School, Kovalam, Chennai invited us to conduct an Ikebana workshop for some of the students. Participants were boys and girls from classes 5 and 7. This was a part of the International School Awards project, a British Council initiative to promote, among other things,  exposure for children to other countries and cultures, preparing them for a life in global society. We facilitated the one hour session by briefly outlining the basics of Ikebana.  Divya made an arrangement in the basic upright style, using a black oval suiban and local materials like guava branches for main lines  and temple tree flowers as jushis.  She encouraged the children to experiment with different materials found in the neighborhood. Her  idea to use clock hand positions to show the various angles of shin, soe and hikae  was very innovative...

7th July 2016 The Sogetsu Chennai Study Group reassembled after the summer break.  At first, we had the business session.  Malathi sensei handed over the Teachers Certificates to two of our new teachers - Janaki Rao and Divya Selvam.  Congratulations to them, and wishing them a rewarding career in teaching! The annual reports were also read out - Chitra read out the annual report of the Programs Committee head, and Prerana read out the Finances report.   We then moved on to the demonstration and workshop.  It was a pleasure to welcome Venkatesh from Mumbai, our Study Group member. The demonstration by Malathi sensei was on the use of line and colour. Malathi sensei spoke about her recent visit to Bangalore, where from the eighth floor of her  building, she was able to view the glorious sunrise and sunsets. The lines of the umbrella plant represented the tall skyscrapers seen in all directions, the Gypsophila were the clo...