I was in the middle of putting together some fir branches for an arrangement about disassembling-and-assembling branch material when I realized that the vase I was using did not really fit.
I could not find another suitable container so I decided to make one...with cardboard!
In the Sogetsu textbook, there is also a theme about using unconventional materials. I decided to give that a try too! Here is the whole arrangement.
I hope you like it. --Miyako
June is the time of the year when the hydrangea (ajisai) and irises (shobu) bloom in Japan. Hydrangea can be found most everywhere!
Location: Houkokuji (報国寺）in Kamakura.
Growing wild on the roadside...
In temples and gardens...
Irises are less easier found. We went to a park in Saitama dedicated to irises. It is called the Someya Hana Shobu En (染谷花しょぶ園) and it opens only in June every year, when the irises are blooming.
We feel very lucky indeed to catch the blooms this year! After our walk around the garden, we treated ourselves to some wagashi sweets, appropriately iris-themed!
Adding an unstable element creates s a little tension in an arrangement...and makes it more intriguing.
Roses that bring a weighty feel sit in contrast with the lightness of baby's breath.
Then, gentle wavy branches.
The arrangement is intentionally put off-centre to create a sense of instability.
Here is the whole arrangement. Do you feel the slight tension?
I hope you like it. --Miyako
The large ikebana instalment that Miyako and her students created at St. Mary's University was featured in the June, 2015 edition of "Sō" (「草」) magazine, the official publication of the Sogetsu Teachers' Association.
L-R: Jean H., Patti V., Val S. and Miyako.
The arrangement was part of the Japaneseque event at SMU. Great job ladies!
We have teamed up with some friends to offer the Summer Arts Program for children ages 8-10 years old at the Shambhala Centre! It will be 5 days of fun, crafts and creativity. Parents get to see a presentation on the final day. Space is limited so please register as soon as you can!
Activities
Ikebana: the art of Japanese flower arranging,
based on 3 main elements: heaven, human & earth.
Gagaku: Ancient Japanese Court Dance and Music. We learn simple percussion on the drum, and its accompanying dance. The
movements are clear and open.
Calligraphy: disciplines of brushwork moving into open forms. We start with black ink and classical forms and move into color and free forms.
Origami: the art of Japanese paper folding. A great tool in developing spatial reasoning and geometric understanding, origami also teaches patience and concentration.
Etegami: means “picture letter.” It is a picture and a message. There are no rules Just draw and write what you feel in a moment of inspiration.
Bookmaking: each child creates a hand-made book
Teachers
Miyako Ballesteros is a qualified instructor in the Sogetsu School of ikebana. She owns the ikebana shop (6417 Quinpool Road, Halifax, NS). Miyako is passionate about sharing Japanese culture. Apart from ikebana lessons, she also conducts workshops in origami and etegami at different venues such as her shop studio, IWK, Dalhousie University, Halifax Public Libraries, etc.
Sarah Cox holds a Certificate in the Performing Arts in Dance from Naropa University. She is a long time student of Japanese Court Dance and also studies calligraphy and Japanese Tea Ceremony. She has taught children as well as adults for many years.
Jamie Pratt, Halifax representative of the Japanese Paper Place (Toronto), has long been fascinated by bookmaking arts. Through many workshops and studies she has learned various handmade book techniques and produced her own books.
For further information and registration:
Please contact Jeff Scott at the Shambhala Centre, tel 902-420-1118 ext 131.
Email: pathandculture@gmail.com
P.S. Healthy snacks will be provided but participants are asked to bring their own lunch.
Important Announcement:
We are taking a short holiday. The shop will be closed from Jun 12th (Fri) to Jun 21st (Sun). We will come back refreshed (and jet lagged!) and re-open on Jun 22nd (Mon)
Spring comes late in Halifax. I put together this arrangement early April of this year. The sakura were already blooming in Tokyo and I longed to see them. I decided then to use pink blossoms--a mix of spray carnations and alstroemeria--to remind me of pink sakura.
I took care not to let the flowers and branches sit heavily onto the vase. Rather, I made them "float" a bit from the mouth of the container. This lent an air of fragility to the arrangement.
Here is the whole arrangement.
I hope you like it. -- Miyako
The maple branches that I have been keeping have bloomed! I decided to use them for a kabu-wake arrangement.
Kabu-wake is a type of arrangement where two separate groups are made inside one container, with a special focus on the water and the space that separates the two "islands".
I chose gently curving pussy willow branches to match the maple.
Here is the whole arrangement.
I hope you like it. --Miyako
It's really finally spring time! :-)
We are planning an origami workshop on May 23rd, Saturday. In this workshop, we will make a Morning Glory wreath and a butterfly!
Date: May 23rd, Saturday
Time: 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Venue: our studio (right above the shop)
Cost: $8 plus HST per person. All materials are included.
Max 10 persons. Advanced registration is required. First come, first served!
Please call or email to book your spot.
Tel (902) 407-0487
email: shop@theikebanashop.com
Hope to see you there!
It is always a pleasure to meet another person who shares an interest in one of the things we are passionate about: ORIGAMI! Mirna is originally from Croatia. She moved to Canada with her husband and four-year old daughter in 2013. She recently visited our shop and brought with her a lot of origami energy in the form of these mini kusudama set as mini origami trees.
Kusudama is a type of origami where many identical pieces (usually conical or pyramidal) are sewn (or glued) together to form one ball of flower.
Kusudama-making images courtesy of Mirna Blažinčić Čonkaš.
Mirna's love for origami began when a cousin introduced her to the art. She was 8 years old. She was fascinated by the fact that a sheet of plain square paper could be transformed into something complex (though not necessarily so!) and beautiful. In time, she not only learned more complicated pieces but also came to appreciate the process itself.
“The process of folding a complex model is like meditation. I forget about plans for the next day. All worries and fears disappear. And when I’m finished, in addition to a beautiful flower or a mysterious unicorn, I feel relaxed, refreshed and empty-minded. In a positive way, of course.”
We are happy to have some of Mirna's work available at the shop. Every piece is unique and made with plenty of love, patience and attention to detail. All hand-made, of course!
Please also visit her facebook page to see what else she's been up to!
“Although I’ve learned many complex models since then, I’m always happy to return to the crane and try fold it as perfectly as possible.”
Image courtesy of Mirna Blažinčić Čonkaš.
