With the further easing of Covid-19 restrictions we have recently been able to catch up with friends at home.
I made this welcoming ikebana for one of Laurie's former work colleagues, and her husband, whom we had not seen for some time. The sculptural structure is made from disposable hashi (chopsticks) that have been wired together. I used two Dietes leaves to create the ovoid line and added some stems of Forest Bell Bush, Mackaya bella, as a focal accent.
In the garden recently...
.. we were delighted to see a male Gang Gang Cockatoo in the Grevillea robusta. They seem to be less 'nervous' than other cockatoos, but are quite uncommon in our garden. When I first heard its call it was in the large red flowering Melaleuca viminalis, (formerly Callistemon viminalis) and was well-camouflaged because of its colouring. The bird seemed quite interested in what I was doing as I got out my phone to take this quick snap.
Elsewhere in the garden the Albertine Rose, that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, has lifted some branches above the Pandorea Pandana vine and is now flowering well.
I particularly like the contrast between the darker outer surface, and the pale inner surface, of the petals as well as the delicate fragrance of the flowers. I chose these flowers as the main subject of an ikebana that I demonstrated to my Torquay students this week.
The exercise was to make an ikebana in a suiban, without the use of a kenzan and to be viewed from above. This is useful when you want to set the ikebana on a dining, or other low table. The technique I demonstrated was the using of materials braced across the suiban in such a way as to be able to support the floral materials. When this method is used it is important that the supporting materials become an integral part of the overall design.
Here is the ikebana on the dining room table the day after it was originally made. I was pleased to see that one of the buds had opened overnight, increasing the size of the flower mass. However, the water surface still makes up about one-third of the ikebana giving it a light fresh feel.
Greetings from Christopher
21st November 2021
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