Ikebana and us

On a chilly monsoon morning, 13 members braved the rainy weather forecast to assemble at ABK Dosokai for another revision session. This time it was Sensei Grade 2 Sanyo and Jonin Sanyo Dalley Varghese who effortlessly demonstrated the intricacies of Basic Variation 4 and Variation 5 supported by her daughter Susan. The demonstration was highlighted  by expert comments from Riji Mrs Malathi Pandurang.  The first demonstration was basic Variation 4 or the missing style without Soe in  Nageire style using  an elongated ceramic black vase with a wide rim on a circular rustic wooden tray.  The plant materials were deftly assembled by Ms Varghese who showed the beautiful curve of a lemon branch as Shin in the drooping style complemented by delicate cream colored roses tinged with pink as Hikae and Jushis. The second demonstration a basic Variation 5 on  white fiber glass moribana vase using branches of African princess shrub, some lovely chilli hibiscus stems wit...

 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...

Our September meeting was held at ABK on the 24th. Sensei Mrs. Molly Cherian and Mrs. Luna Bose gave us a wonderful demonstration on  Abstract arrangements. For her first arrangement,  Sensei Molly aesthetically placed a bark of a tree on a pin holder and t hen arranged strips of cane, heliconia flower and asparagus fern and used a steel net as unconventional material in the arrangement. For her second arrangement.  Sensei Molly placed a ceramic vase on a wooden board.  A silicone cup cake mould and steel wool were the unconventional materials used to create  A beautiful arrangement with dried umbrella palm branches which were made into many geometrical designs  and  heather and chrysanthemum flowers to complete it. For her third arrangement Sensei Molly used a nagiere metal container with a cross bar and . A wooden bark was propped against the container.  Philodendron leaves and a sunflower were arranged beautifully with stalks of wild rose berri...

 August 13th 2022 Our August meeting at ABK had 14 members participating. Senior sensei Meenakshi Sarin demonstrated on “Structures” and Mrs.  Bhuvana Shivasankaran demonstrated in glass containers. For her first arrangement Sensei Meenakshi Sarin started by arranging beautiful pieces of drift wood and used ceramic container behind them to arrange Indian almond tree leaves and  colorful Lagastromia flowers, Halyconia and gypsophila.  It was a beautiful creation. For her second arrangement Sensei Meenakshi used a combination of black and white fibre glass containers and a structure made with straws with  black and white pattern commemorating the chess tournament which was recently held in the city. The neat straw structure was made by  Mrs. Shylaja and Mrs Bhuvana. Indian almond tree branches were used beautifully in both the arrangements made by Sensei Meenakshi. For her first arrangement Mrs. Bhuvana used a beautifully woven palm leaf inserted in a gla...

16 July 2022 Sogetsu Chennai members' face-to-face meeting was convened at ABK DOSAKAI after a COVID break of 2 years.  After meeting online, 16 members attended the first face to face meeting in several years!  The meeting began on a sombre note, as we paid respects to the memory of  two inspiring individuals;  Shri Pandurang spouse of our dear mentor Mrs Malathi Pandurang and former Japanese PM Mr Shinzo Abe. We began with a 2-minute silent introspection in their memory. Mrs Malathi Pandurang then welcomed Mr Kenji Miyata, Deputy Consul of Japan in Chennai. His wife Christi is also an Ikebana artist.  Mr Shankar Ramamurthy and Mr Kannan specializing in traditional floral artistry,  invited by Dalley Varghese to do a demonstration  on “Man and Plant materials of Tamilnadu”  were received warmly by Mrs Pandurang and the members.    Mrs Pandurang invited Chelvi Gopinath and Bhuvana Shivshankaran to read out  accounts and activitie...