LINES AT THE BASE (Mk II)

 

Wintry weather brought some fine rain yesterday.  

I could not resist photographing this spider's web on the apricot tree. Earlier, I had gone into the garden to pick some ripening figs before the marauding possums got at them. While I was busily picking the figs I heard some fluttering around my head and was startled to find a parrot trying to send me away.

When I looked up there were six female King parrots parrots in the tree nibbling at the fruit. This photo shows four of them having retreated to the neighbour's verandah before they harassed me again. 

Their beautiful green blended well with the fig leaves (The poor quality photo was taken with a mobile phone on zoom). 

Later, as we took our daily walk, a crunching noise alerted us to this Gang Gang eating seeds from the gum nuts in a Eucalyptus over-hanging the foot path. The bright red feathers indicate that it is a male bird.

Next are some photos of 'ikebana at home' made by some of my students. The 'themes' are of their own choosing.

In a semi-circular suiban, Eugenia created an abstract design using a dried branch, two Billy Buttons, Craspedia, and some American Beauty Berry, Callicarpa americana. 

Margaret created a massed ikebana arrangement of 'green materials only', using two monstera leaves and three green chrysanthemums. 

Robyn and Helen N. jointly made this ikebana of wandering curving lines using eucalyptus bark. The vessel is bamboo bound with iron bands.

Two weeks ago I decided to make an ikebana using some spent flower stems of agapanthus. At that time there were some that had long stems and were still a lovely fresh green. This material is ideal for the Sogetsu curriculum exercise of 'emphasising lines at the base'. The idea is that the lines arising from the vessel should be 'clean' and not softened by the placement of flowers or foliage at the lip of the vessel. The focal point of the ikebana should be high and this will result in a strong appearance. 

The vessel I decided to use was this one by the Canadian ceramic artist Leta Cormier. It is 22cm tall and sufficiently robust for a tall ikebana. Although I have used two kenzans, the length of the stems required a cross-bar to stop the tallest from falling against the left-hand side of of the vessel.

In this instance I have used a bamboo skewer that I pierced through two of the stems to hold them in the desired position.

This is the finished ikebana. I have taken care that the lines arise cleanly from the vessel and none of them are touching the sides. To create a focal point high in the arrangement I have added four bright yellow-orange dried agapanthus flower heads. None of the lines have been allowed to cross another, so the spaces between the stems are emphasised.

Greetings from Christopher
24th May 2020