9th August 2022 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

On Tuesday 9th August 36 members and 3 visitors attended the AGM of the Melbourne Chapter. A new committee was elected .  The newly elected President Nobuko Kobayashi was presented with her Presidents pin by Julie Ireland, the retiring President.

As is the custom for this meeting there was no guest speaker. A demonstration by the Heads of the following schools; Ichiyo, Shogetsudo koryu, and Sogetsu was given. The Ohara and Ikenobo School demonstrations were conducted by Jo Tan and Yukako Braun respectively. 

The demonstrators all worked concurrently and after completing their ikebana, spoke about their school and the ikebana they had just created.  

The demonstrators at work:

Yukako Braun, Ikenobo School.

Completed ikebana.

Chieko Yazaki, Shogetsudo koryu.

Completed ikebana.

Naomi Cullen, Ichiyo School.

Completed ikebana.

Jo Tan, representing the Ohara School.

Completed ikebana.

Christopher James, Sogetsu School.

Completed ikebana.

Below is a selection of the ikebana made by members at the meeting.

Toula Karanikolopoulos, Sogetsu School.

Betty Karanikolopoulos, Sogetsu School.

Rie Sasaki, Ichiyo School.

Kaye Wong, Ichiyo School.

Kim Louey, Ichiyo School.

Nicole McDonald, Sogetsu School.

Karen Thode, Sogetsu School.

Julie Ireland, Sogetsu School.

Sally Wilkinson, Ohara School.

Margaret Leung, Sogetsu School.

JUNE WORKSHOP: EUCALYPTUS

The Saturday afternoon workshop on June 25th was led by senior Sogetsu School teacher, Lara Telford (https://ikebanasogetsu.com/). Lara chose the theme of using the iconic Australian native plant Eucalyptus as the principal material at the workshop. She told the members and guests that the Eucalyptus genus includes a diverse range of plants, from the worlds tallest flowering trees, to shrubs and mallees, and can be found across most of the Australian continent. Because of the very familiarity of these plants ikebanists often overlook them, instead favouring northern hemisphere exotics. Lara encouraged members to use, branches, flowers, seedpods, bark and/or  leaves of these plants in our ikebana.

Lara began the meeting presenting one completed ikebana in a vessel she had made herself. In this example Lara used three different kinds of eucalyptus, showing leaves, flowers and seed pods. She had also added Banksia Coccinea for its bright red flowers.

She also demonstrated a simple arrangement in a tall glass vase using dried seed pods of Eucalyptus macrocarpa and pendulous leaves of another Eucalyptus. The small red focal point is Nandina domestica.

Lara's other demonstrated work was a sculptural piece using two large branches. She added a bark mass, some iris leaves, Dwarf Nandina Domestica leaves and, playfully, a bright red mass by tying her jumper into knots.

The following photos are ikebana created at the workshop by the attending members. The editor regrets that ikebanists who created these works are not identified.

THE GARDENS OF IRAN

The guest speaker for the May meeting was the Melbourne Chapter member, Judy Hajdu. Judy gave a slideshow illustrated presentation about the "Gardens of Iran" based on a Gardens Tour she made in 2017. She said her fascination with history, gardening and travel all stimulated her interest to join the tour. These interests, in addition to spending some time in Japan 30 years ago, have led her to ikebana in more recent years. 

Following the illustrated presentation, Jenny Loo gave a demonstration in which she reflected some of the themes of Judy's presentation with a "Kabu Wake" (two group) ikebana.

Jenny arranged roses and tulips, traditional flowers from Iran, in a suiban emphasising their colour and fragrance. She added coloured leaves and the lines of New Zealand Flax to connect the groups.

Members at the meeting also made ikebana in response to the meeting's theme.

Greta Young

Christopher James

Judy Hajdu

Karen Thode

Wendy Sun

Chieko Yazaki

Margaret Leung

Elizabeth Angell