AUTUMN IN A BASKET

The theme of the workshop at the Chapter meeting on 10th of May was 'Autumn in a Basket'. Thea Sartori lead the workshop demonstrating with an arrangement in a beautiful basket that had been given to her some years ago by another Chapter member, Aiko Nakada, of the Ohara school. 

Above is Thea's completed arrangement.

Thea, like most members present on the day used materials gathered from her own garden. A number of the members spoke of the difficulty they had faced because the city had been hit by ferocious wind storms on the previous day and many cherished autumn branches and flowers were damaged or completely blown away.

However, as you would expect the enthusiastic members rose to the challenge and the 18 beautiful autumn arrangements below were created

GARDEN TOUR and a WORKSHOP

This month the Chapter held two activities. First, on 12th April, 20 members were given a guided tour of the Cloudhill Garden at Olinda in the Dandenong Ranges by the owner Jeremy Francis. We learnt that the garden which has evolved from an old nursery is designed in the 'Arts and Crafts' style, like Sissinghurst in Kent in the U.K. The tour was inspiring and participants felt enriched by Mr Francis wealth of botanical, historical and design knowledge that he generously shared.

The garden has several views along terraces that transverse the sloping site.

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Our second activity, a Saturday morning workshop was attended by 15 enthusiastic members. It was included in out program particularly to provide an activity for our members who work, or have other regular commitments on our usual meeting day, Mondays.

The theme was a playful, exploratory activity, in which members brought a vessel and plant materials that they then exchanged with each other. Members were asked to choose materials and vessels that were unfamiliar, therefore having to improvise their arrangement on the spot. Christopher James lead the workshop and admitted to being provocative when he created the 'abstract' ikebana below in a hand-made ceramic suiban, see below.

  

The next photos identify the arranger but not the person who provided the materials and vessel.

Chieko Yazaki

 Julie Ireland

 Sally Wilkinson

Marjorie Campkin-Smith

Helen Gray

Trish Ward

Lyn Wong

Olive Cheng

Eiko Roskam 

 Aiko Nakamura

Cymbie Reeves

Pat Hetrel

Beverley Webster

Marcia Lamrock

FLOWER SHOW DEMONSTRATION

Two weeks ago I posted photos of the joint exhibit of Ikebana International that won a Bronze Medal at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. On the last day of the event the five schools of Melbourne's I.I. Chapter presented an hour long demonstration in the Great Hall of the Royal Melbourne Exhibition Centre. We were honoured that event was attended by our patron, the Consul-General of Japan, Melbourne, Ms Haneda.

Above, the Consul-General of Japan and Chieko Yazaki, President of Ikebana International Melbourne. Following are photos of the demonstration in progress. Unfortunately photos of the individual arrangements were not able to be photographed against a backdrop to make them suitable of publishing.

Lorraine Langley, Ikenobo School and Maree Ong, MC for the demonstration.

Chieko Yazaki, Shogetsudokoryu School.

   

   
Marilyn Woodland, Lee Johnstone and Robyn Unglik, Sogetsu School. 

Keiko Mii, Ohara School 

Naomi Cullen, Ichyo School.

Kaye Wong, Ichyo School.

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On the same weekend Christopher James gave a demonstration at an Open Garden event for the charity, Cottage by the Sea, that the Melbourne Chapter supports.

Christopher James, Sogetsu School, with an arrangement using Australian native materials.