Filtering by Category: ikebana

Easter Ikebana

Added on April 17, 2016 by the ikebana shop.

I am very thankful for the opportunity to prepare an ikebana arrangement to accompany the recent Easter Liturgy celebration at our children's school.

I used white palm leaf as a backdrop, a symbol for the sun, dancing for joy! Fresh flowers--chyrsanthemums, alstroemeria, and, ornithogalum.

Perhaps a bit more difficult to notice in the photo are the maple branches behind the white palm. These branches actually have buds on them. Inside are the young leaves getting ready to spring forth!

After the Liturgy, the arrangement was displayed in the school chapel.

I hope you like it. -- Miyako

My Ikebana: Golden Pine Needles

Added on April 12, 2016 by the ikebana shop.

I thought I'd play with some old pine branches this time. They have been cut quite a while back and the needles have lost their luster. So, I added colour by painting them in gold!

...and some pink lilies to enliven the arrangement!

I hope you like it. --Miyako

My Ikebana: Intertwining Palm

Added on March 30, 2016 by the ikebana shop.

Each leaf was peeled off the palm buds and then intertwined to create this "sculptural" arrangement. The idea is to integrate the shape of the braided palm leaves with the the container.

The centre is formed with solidaster and dianthus green trick.

Here is the whole arrangement.

I hope you like it. -- MIyako

My Ikebana: Tiny Buds Of Spring

Added on March 15, 2016 by the ikebana shop.

After a recent storm, I was fortunate to find a fallen branch. This branch had many buds on it, telling us that spring is finally coming!

The little twigs together become strong and provides good balancing contrast to the blooming mums and lilies.

Here is the whole arrangement.

I hope you like it. -- Miyako

My Ikebana: Pussy Willow In Straight Lines

Added on February 23, 2016 by the ikebana shop.

I love using pussy willow branches. They are so versatile that every time I use them, I tend to bend and curl them to create beautiful curves.

This time, I challenged myself to use pussy willow branches in straight lines only.

I also chose a container with many corners to show mass and lines. Here is the whole arrangement.

*Pussy Willow, Oregonia, Green Hypericum & Baby's Breath*

I hope you like it. --Miyako

My Ikebana: Driftwood and Mass

Added on February 3, 2016 by the ikebana shop.

Chyrsanthemums, carnations, and pom-pom mums to create mass....

...and a big block of driftwood!

There is a sense of flow coming from the driftwood. The mass of blooms extend this flow.

I hope you like it. --Miyako

Graceful As Maiko

Added on January 26, 2016 by the ikebana shop.

Our friend from Chile, Ana Luisa, shared with us her ikebana inspired by a recent trip to Kyoto where she met maiko. Thank you, Ana Luisa!

Two Japanese artistic expressions: Ikebana and Maiko.
Elegance, finesse and serenity...
Beauty in both.

Ikebana: Dutch lilium, aspidistra leaves, & dried Canelo* branch.

The container looks to us like a celadon incense burner. Ana Luisa purchased
it at a flea market in Kyoto. What a wonderful treasure to find!

＊ The Canelo is a tree native to Chile and is considered sacred by the ethnic Mapuche people.

It has very curly branches.

* All photos courtesy of Ana Luisa Quiñones.

My Ikebana: Wrapping Paper & Daisy Mums

Added on January 11, 2016 by the ikebana shop.

Sometimes, it is interesting to create ikebana with unconventional materials. Such material could draw out the charm of flowers in a different manner compared to those using only plant material. It is precisely because the material is unconventional that we are able to come up with a unique expression.

I set my sights on the wrapping paper that we use at the shop. This paper is used to protect fragile, ceramic items like teacups, bowls, etc.

The paper, when stretched, produces a lattice-like pattern with a rough but soft texture.

I used the paper together with daisy mums and some dried branches.

Here is the whole arrangement.

I hope you like it. --Miyako

Ikebana At Toyota Lexus Halifax

Added on December 6, 2015 by the ikebana shop.

If you are out shopping for a car, visit the Toyota Lexus showroom in Halifax!

We put up an ikebana installation there. Way up there above the showcase shelving! See it?

Toyota and Lexus being Japanese brands, we hope to show a little bit more of the Japanese aesthetic in the showroom. We express through flowers elements of the automobile design: elegance, boldness, power.

Sometimes, it is good to work outside the studio and create something BIG...a very different experience from the usual table-top arrangement. The project is a collaborative effort by Miyako and her advanced students : Val S., Susan R., Jean H. and Patti V.

Toyota Lexus had asked for something that could stay in place through the Christmas season. So, dried materials were used. Apart from the bleached palm, all other plant materials were those that can be found in Nova Scotia.

Gold maple leaves and Canada holly (ilex) among others.

We searched far and wide to get the right material! :-)

Planning, designing, creating the mock-up took an effort. But we enjoyed doing it! With everyone working together, there was an excellent exchange of ideas.

Since the arrangement was to be placed atop a 2-metre high shelf, we had to imagine it being viewed from the below.

The other challenge, of course, was bringing the work to the showroom...and the actual installation. Many thanks to Val's engineering & carpentry skills for coming up with a great "scaffold"!

Here are more views of the installation.

The installation will be there throughout December, 2015. Please visit when you have the chance!

We are very grateful to Toyota Lexus Halifax for generously allowing us to use their showroom. It is never easy to find big spaces for big arrangements!

Thank you to Val, Susan, Jean and Val! We hope you enjoyed the project. We are proud of your work. As well, thanks to Susan and Patti for sharing your photos with us!