CROSSING LINES


My apologies to subscribers, for not noticing that I had inadvertently published the photos a few hours ago, before I had started to write the text. 

As I stepped out of the back door last Monday a pair of King Parrots suddenly flew toward me, settling on a curving pole and a line. 


They were quite unafraid and seemed interested in me. Probably hoping to be fed. I went back indoors and fetched my camera taking the photo above through the glass door. The adult male, on the left in the photo, has a red head and breast. I am fairly sure the mostly green bird on the right is a juvenile male. It was also behaving like a juvenile, hanging upside down and swinging on the line while looking at me. 


When I stepped outside again I managed to take this photo of the adult who was clearly curious about what I was doing, or not doing, (feeding them). Their behaviour really surprised me, because they usually seem to be a bit timid.


A couple of days later we were delighted to see a Kookaburra while we were walking along the track along the rim of Iron Bark Basin


This view is of an area above the Basin that was burnt in the Ash Wednesday Bushfires on 16th February 1983. All of the Grass Trees Xanthorrhoea are the same height, having grown from seed after the fire. The grey-trunked trees are Messmate stringybark Eucalyptus obliqua. I have a vivid memory of visiting the adjacent Jarosite mine valley in the weeks after the fires. All of the standing tree trunks were black and the ground was covered in very fine light grey ash. In the following Spring all of the Xanthorrhoea flowered at once.

To Ikebana:


This week I returned to the creek to gather some more stems of Crocosmia aurea as they were still flowering prolifically. The bright orange of the flowers being hard to resist. I had used these flowers two weeks ago, on 19th January. This time, I arranged four stems in a 'mid-century' Japanese Ikebana vessel. I began by choosing the tallest stem for the principal line, then cut the three other stems progressively shorter. Probably half of the leaves have been removed to emphasise the crossing lines.

Greetings from Christopher
1st February 2025

 

UMBRELLA GRASS: CYPERUS ALTERNIFOLIUS

Last week I noticed that a number of stems of the umbrella grass Cyperus alternifolius in the conservatory were yellowing. I think from insufficient water. I have them growing in a small plastic pond which is filled with potting mix. In the recent warm days more evaporation had occurred than I had realised. I remedied the situation, adding extra water, and removed the dying stems. 

This resulted in a fair number of stems that I could not allow to go into the compost without first serving sometime as an ikebana subject. I went to the vase shelves and realised that a pair of recently acquired tall narrow resin vases would provide a sufficient height. Being a pair meant that I could set them apart and use the space between the vases.


I secured a number of stems to a vertical fixture, then bent them to create narrow scalene triangular forms. These have been bunched together so that the long tapering points are directed toward the other vase. Four bright red geranium flower heads provide focal points in each vase.


Greetings from Christopher
26th January 2025

A SLANTING ARRANGEMENT of CROCOSMIA

At the beginning of the week, as I was preparing for bed, I noticed this small lizard, a Marbled Gecko, on the outside glass of the living room window. The grey lines behind the lizard are external louvers. This is a great spot for the little creature to catch insects that are drawn to the light inside the house. Many small flying insects land on the window and just stop there. It would seem that they cannot fly away from the bright light.



Today, s
everal days later, the weather was warm with a strong easterly wind.


This was the view today from the west end of the 
Torquay Surf Beach looking toward Point Danger at the eastern end.


Looking west from the same place is Jan Juc Beach, which was closed because of the very strong cross-currents caused by the easterly winds. In the distance is Sunny Side Beach, with Point Addis beyond and very faint in the photo.

When we later went for a walk along the creek I noticed the brilliant orange of a flowering mass of Crocosmia aureaan African grassland plant which is in the iris family.


It is 
 a garden escapee that is doing rather too well in the moist environment of the creek. The colour is striking, and I did not have to wrestle with my conscience about gathering some of this weed for this week's ikebana.


I have arranged three stems, with their leaves attached. Because of the forward curve of the tip of the inflorescence, I set them at an angle to better show the fully opened flowers. The shorter second and third stems are on opposite sides of the main, Shin line. The angle of the stems also gives the ikebana a more dramatic look in the Japanese ikebana vase. Three leaves at the front are set in the traditional style for arranging irises; that is, each leaf is of a different length and the central leaf is shorter than the two on each side. This configuration is not apparent in the photograph.

Greetings from Christopher,
19th January 2025
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MELALEUCA LANCEOLATA and VALERIANA RUBER


On Thursday afternoon last week... 


...
Laurie and I were surprised that we did not notice this Echidna until we were only about three metres away. It was very preoccupied fossicking for ants in the gravel mulch of the nearby garden. We were down-wind and stood quite still for a few minutes watching this wonderful example of Australian wildlife going quietly about its business.
 

The warm summer weather has brought on the flowering of the Moonah Melaleuca lanceolata trees and shrubs. Those in the photo above are by a beach carpark and exposed to prevailing winds. As a result they are only a couple of metres tall. In sheltered areas by the creek even newly-planted ones reach four metres and more. I had been watching these blossoms and thinking to use them as an ikebana subject.


A couple of days ago I made this vertical ikebana in a suiban. I was very interested in the tallest stem that has a lovely S-bend curving line. When I put that branch in place it reminded me of the traditional Seika ikebana form. It is so interesting to realise that traditional naturalistic ikebana reveals forms that occur naturally. I remember my first teacher pointing out that the ikebana masters of the past were great observers of nature.

To make it clear that I was making a Sogetu School ikebana I added a single supporting line to the right of the first line; thus creating a space between the two lines that more or less follows the curves. In this instance, once I had placed the main stems, I did additional trimming to emphasise the lines and the space. Then, to create a contrasting focal point, I added a single stem of Red Valerian Valeriana ruber. If I have an opportunity to re-photograph this material I will use a black backdrop to emphasise the white of the Moonah flowers.


Greetings from Christopher,
who has been busy this weekend entertaining his cousin from Darwin. My cousin travelled 3,124 kilometres to attend a family celebration.
12th January 2025

RED CORYMBIA FICIFOLIA


The corymbia in the garden has started to bloom again this summer. This particular one has bright red flowers. Others have pink, white or orange flowers.


I climbed the fence to photograph the top of the tree. It is not very tall yet! This is a section of the top which shows the small pink buds before opening on the left side, a fully open inflorescence on the top right, and some seedpods (gumnuts) at the bottom.


Here is a small group of open flowers in close-up. There were quite a number of bees gathering nectar from these flowers. I am surprised that none are visible in the photograph. 

Ever since it started flowering a number of weeks ago I had been thinking of using this lovely blossom as an ikebana subject.  


A couple of days ago I arranged two clusters of blossom in a dark Bizen vase, adding the tall curving lines of a bare Apricot branch. The side branch on the lower right, curves forward almost embracing the flower mass, unfortunately lost with the flattening effect of the photograph. The other branches seem to open up the space above the flowers.

Today being in the mid-thirties Celsius, I was certainly going to be spending most of my time indoors. In the relative cool of the early morning I had picked some flowers lest they wilt. Later, I decided to make another ikebana. Having started without a particular plan, the ikebana developed a summer look. In my mind the beach was being invoked because the principal element was a dried piece of Moonah Melaleuca lanceolata driftwood.


I chose a curving, square-section, rectangular vessel and found a way to secure it within the embrace of the driftwood. This position gave height to the ikebana and helped to support two upright flower stems of Dietes Grandiflora. On the left side I set several flowering stems of Crassula arborescens at an angle. The curving bottom of the vessel kept the ikebana stable even though the right side was elevated.

The maker of the vessel is the Victorian ceramicist Paul Davis. The photo below shows the curved shape of the vessel.


Greetings and best wishes 
for the New Year from,
Christopher.
5th January 2025

MAKING SOMETHING OLD, NEW AND FRESH


The theme set by one of the students for the second-last Geelong class, was to make "a table arrangement without using flowers"; an interesting and slightly counter-intuitive theme given the lead up to Christmas time.


Maureen's arrangement included red Eucalyptus stems that were stripped of their leaves to show the colour and the small clusters of green flower buds. The other materials are Smoke bush Cotinus and Nandina berries.


Helen arranged Lime Citrus fruit in small wine glasses with bunches of Rosemary Salvia rosemarinum. She had wired the Rosemary together with copper giving a subtle sparkle to the green masses.
 

Christine used red=painted dry New Zealand Flax  Phormium leaves with fresh leaves and a mass of blue-painted fine vine-like stems. 


Helen also arranged a single stem of Grape vine Vitis that floated horizontally above the table surface. A bunch of red grapes sits among the leaves and two Plums Prunus subg. Prunus sit on the table.


Using a unique moulded-glass vessel, Ellie arranged coloured Dracaena leaves, shredded Aspidistra and some branches with small maroon leaves.

Maree's exercise was to make an ikebana "in a suiban without using a kenzan". She used three Manchurian pear Pyrus ussuriensis branches and an unidentified branch with green leaves. A single large pink Hydrangea sat low within the suiban.

At the beginning of December I attended a Sogetsu meeting where the presenter set the theme with the following instruction: Find something old and make it fresh with your ikebana. Where to start? After thinking of many possibilities I remembered that in the bottom of the sideboard was a silver epergne. It is an art nouveau table-centre designed to hold flowers, that was a wedding present of my father's parents who were married in 1910. 

In my childhood it occasionally held Geraniums. I remember them looking like a series of posies. Thanks to my ikebana lessons I now know that there are other possibilities. Ikebana has given me the knowledge that I do not have be limited by the vessel.


This is the ikebana I made at the workshop. I found it quite exciting that I could make a more expansive arrangement. I have used three stems of Umbrella grass and some Queen Anne's Lace Daucus carota flowers. The Umbrella grass Cyperus alternifolius stems both extend and unify the arrangement. 


Three weeks later I re-created the ikebana on the dining table at home as my Christmas table centre.

This link will take you to other photos from the last workshop for 2024

Wishing you a happy and safe New Year for 2025.
Greetings from Christopher
29th December 2024


STRELITZIA NICOLAI


The structure that I created for the first week of the Sogetsu Victoria Branch Annual Exhibition in November (see below) has now been "re-purposed".

It is now serving as a Christmas decoration. 

That is, as the supporting structure for displaying Christmas cards. It has become this year's substitute for a Christmas tree. Having been so busy over recent months with the preparations for the 60th anniversary of the Victorian Branch of the Sogetsu School, many things are behind schedule. However, Laurie and I are looking forward to a more relaxing time over the summer months.

A couple of weeks ago, my student Christine, told me an inflorescence on her Strelitzia nicolai had started to open. As she was about to go away for the Christmas holidays she offered me the flowerhead. An offer which I happily accepted. The S. Nicolai in our garden is yet to flower and may still take some years. 

The inflorescence has large blue-grey bracts, long white sepals and a bluish-purple "tongue". It grows on a short stem in among the very large leaves and is very heavy. I have only once before been able to use one of these flowerheads as an ikebana subject. That was back in 2003, when I attended a workshop presented by Master Instructor Tetsunori Kawana on the Queensland Gold Coast. My friend who lived there had the nerve to ask a nurseryman for one leaf and flower from a plant that I coveted, growing in the nursery.

This is the ikebana that I made at that workshop. The large leaf, which had autumn tones, curled and draped beautifully in front of the inflorescence.

This is my ikebana after critique by Mr Kawana. His comment was that with such a large and spectacular flower nothing else is necessary. Just careful placement in an appropriate vessel.

I now realise also that the leaf not so much competed with, but hid the beauty of the inflorescence. A very useful lesson. 


When I took the inflorescence out of the box in which I carried it home, this above, was the first view I had.  And it took my breath away. I was amazed at the geometry of the plant and the mass of white sepals at the centre of the three strong lines. I took this photo after I had removed some of the sepals as they were discolouring with age.

I then took a series of photos of the flower placed in various positions in a heavy ceramic vessel. I finally settled on two images.

This shows the inflorescence from above. The mass of white sepals and the geometry are revealed.

This view shows the basic structure of the inflorescence. The largest of the bracts reaches upward to the right. A second bract points toward the left rear. A third bract is less obvious in the photo. It is reaching forward to the right front. Between the three is the mass of white sepals and blue tongues. The visual mass of the inflorescence balances with the mass of the vessel.

The vessel is by the Victorian ceramicist Graeme Wilkie.

Best wishes for the festive season,
Christopher

22nd December 2024

 

SHOWING LINES AT THE BASE: USING TWO VESSELS


During the final term for this year of my Geelong class, I asked the senior students to choose the subject for each week's exercise. At the class on 28th of November the chosen theme was an Ikebana "Showing the lines at the base" and "Using two vessels". 

"Showing Lines at the Base" is one of the Sogetsu curriculum exercises. This particular exercise has always made me think about the traditional rikka and seika styles which employ this characteristic. In those styles all the materials arise together from one point before spreading out. The Sogetsu exercise does not have the requirement that all the materials are grouped together. However, it does cause the ikebanist to focus on creating clean strong lines. Usually, it also leads to the creation of a high focal point in the Ikebana.

Helen placed her vessels one behind the other. The main lines are flower stems of New Zealand flax Phormium. The fine mass is one of the Corokia species, with small oval leaves. Helen has added a yellowing New Zealand flax leaf as a colour highlight in the middle of the mass.

Maureen used three flowering stems of Strelitzia reginae that curve toward each other creating an enclosed space. The fine leaves of a single Nandina stem creates a mass that surrounds the flowers. The right-hand stems are set in a black trough that sits on top of the suiban and runs toward the back; but it is very hard to see the trough against the dark background.

Christine stacked two suibans. The lower one is circular and the upper one almost circular with a small concave section on the right side. Her botanical materials are stems of Agapanthus in various stages from bud to opening flower.

Ellie used Grass tree Xanthorrhoea leaves, bundled tightly to create a single line at the base. She added Gerbera flowers as a focal contrast. The two vessels harmonise through their warm-coloured matte surfaces.


Last week I noticed that one of the leaves of the Tree Philodendron Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum was turning yellow as it began to die. The curious thing was that one half of the leaf had gone quite yellow while the other was mostly still green.


This looked like making a good ikebana subject. It took a couple of circuits of the garden before I noticed some Honeysuckle Lonicera, with a pale yellow flower. I chose it because it would harmonise rather than compete with the yellow of the leaf. It required some fixing technique to set the leaf at an angle while still showing its face to the viewer. The interesting faceted and sloping vase is by the Canberra-based ceramicist Therese Rasanen.

Greetings from Christopher
15th December 2024