VALE PHILIP KEON

At the beginning of the month I attended a class with my teacher Elizabeth Angell. She had set the theme of making an arrangement using two glass vases - a really good subject for the late summer. I was interested in the idea of placing most of the materials under the water surface and controlling the space so that well defined areas would be free of the materials.

I have used two matching, narrow, rectangular glass vases with the front one overlapping about a third of the one behind. One long leaf of a tall Dracena is placed in each vase. On the right side, flower buds from an Ivy are held in a triangular space on the right hand side of the vase. On the left, I tried to hold down the materials, Ivy flower buds and Cane-stemmed begonia, flowers. As you can see, the flowers started to float once I added water to the vase.

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On Thursday last week Philip Keon, a member of the Victorian Branch of the Sogetsu School, died after a protracted illness. Philip was one of five members of the class in which I started studying Sogetsu Ikebana, with our teacher Carlyne Patterson. All five members of that class completed the basic Sogetsu curriculum. Philip had a very distinctive sculptural style and was not afraid to use 'unconventional' (man-made) materials. He was an active member of the Victorian Branch of the Sogetsu School, as well as Ikebana International Melbourne Chapter (No. 29). He represented the Sogetsu Branch at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden show and participated in annual exhibitions of both organisations. Below are two examples of his work.

 

This work was Philip's exhibit in the 2015 Ikebana International Melbourne Chapter exhibition.

This striking work was his contribution in the Sogetsu School of Ikebana Victorian Branch's most recent exhibition, which was in 2019. At the bottom of the metal and plastic 'found object' assemblage are five irregularly-placed pomegranates.

Philip also expressed his creative talents through interior design, millinery and jewellery making.

In this 2004 group photo at the Qdos Gallery in Lorne. Philip is the second from the left. The other members of our class are from the right, teacher Carlyne Patterson, me, Annette Mackintosh, Christine Theodorou and Sara Forsyth. The other two people are the ceramic artists Graeme Wilkie, owner of the gallery, and Ana Maria Hernandez y Jensen.

Vale Philip.

Christopher

20th March 2021