FACE-TO-FACE CLASSES AGAIN

   

There was a raucous noise being made by the Sulphur Crested Cockatoos when I was in the garden this morning. This link will take you to a 56 second recording of their call made by Graeme Chapman (you will need to click on the "Listen" tab in the top right-hand corner).

When I zoomed in on this photo, which I took at the time, I was able to count 38 cockatoos. I am sure there were others that I could not see.  The Monterey Pine, Pinus radiata is in a neighbour's garden. 

Elsewhere in our garden the red Corymbia ficifolia, is flowering for only the second time. This tree has been re-classified and was previously known as Eucalyptus ficifolia. It can have either pink, red or orange flowers. The red is really intense... 

...and is attractive to bees.

When we came home during the week after a few nights away. I noticed quite a few bees flying around our compost bin. On closer inspection I discovered that they had started to establish a hive in the bin.

As I write I am waiting for a bee-keeper to come and remove them.

This week marked the return to face-to-face classes with my students. We were all pleased to catch up again after an eleven month hiatus, because of Covid 19 restrictions. I had four classes during the week and below are some photos I took of the student's ikebana.

Marisha's curriculum exercise was an arrangement in which a surface is made from the massing of lines. She has used Dietes leaves to create the surface and added other shorter leaves with a cream edge. Some fine lines of small white flowers adds a textural contrast.

I set my advanced students the task of making a "cooling summer ikebana emphasising water".

Maureen used three glass cylinders in which she arranged two types of fine vine. The darker vine is set against the white table top and the cylinder with a pale vine is placed against the dark grey background. The small red highlights are very tiny cherry tomatoes.

Helen Q arranged a whole Agapanthus flowerhead with both seeds and open flowers in the front vase. In the second vase she has placed single, opened flowers in some of the inverted test tubes that float in the vase.

Ellie has deconstructed a Hydrangea flowerhead and floated the clusters of flowers in her bowl. She said the idea for deconstructing the flowerhead was triggered by the etched lines in the bowl.

I also had some new students and was keen for others to do some 'back to basics' revision.

This was my demonstration example of the first exercise in the Sogetsu curriculum. It is a 'Basic Upright arrangement' which is composed of three principal lines. The tallest line is nearly vertical and defines this as an 'upright' arrangement. The second line of the same material leans to the left and forward toward the left shoulder. These two asymmetrically placed lines are balanced by the low placement of the flower line on the right-hand side. The flower extends forward, which is not apparent because of the foreshortening of the photograph. 

The materials are Cootamundra Wattle, Acacia Baileyana branches and Red Valerian, Centranthus ruber. The vessel is a traditional ceramic suiban with a cobalt blue glaze.

Greetings from Christopher

6th February 2021