FADING HYDRANGEAS

 

In my Melbourne class recently the students each had a different exercise.

Jacqueline's exercise was to make an ikebana in a suiban without using a kenzan. This is an exercise that I really enjoy because of the way that it emphasises the element of space within and around the ikebana, especially when there is a high focal point.

Jacqueline surprised me later that evening at the Ikebana International Melbourne meeting...

...where she produced this table-top 'installation' in response to the guest speaker's presentation about Saori weaving.

Eugenia's exercise was emphasising water in the arrangement. In a glass vessel she set two variegated Aspidistra leaves. One of which she split into three. The focal material is cane-stemmed Begonia.

Marcia also completed the same exercise in a glass vessel using only New Zealand flax Phormium, leaves. In spite of the fact that these ikebana works use minimal material, they are not as effortlessly easy to achieve as the photos might suggest.

Marisha's exercise was to make an ikebana to be hung on a wall. This requires the creation of a structure that will hold its shape and stay fresh looking for as long as it is required. The fresh flowers, Anthurium in this case, require a concealed source of water.

I set the students of my Torquay class the challenge of making an ikebana using two vessels.

Coralie used Dieties grandiflora leaves to create height and  forward movement in the design. I have not remembered the name of the second material. Coralie was justifiably proud of the taller vessel which she had made herself.

 

Judy created a flowing design with flax leaves, and she used pink Geraniums to create a focal point. The glass vase at the back harmonises well with the cylinder at the front of the work.

Marta used two large gracefully-curving branches of Spruce Picea, that extend to the rear and forward. The focal points are two different pink flowers, also unidentified.

In the garden the heat of recent weeks has dried the Hydrangeas considerably. Most of them now are bleached to varying degrees depending on how much direct sun they get.

 

This bush is less exposed than its neighbour. As this photo shows the tips of the leaves have also coloured to a quite intense red because of the heat stress. I wanted to use this material before they were too faded.

Because of their strong reds and pinks, I decided to use this mid-century Japanese ceramic ikebana vessel to set them off against the turquoise glaze. The vessel has two openings which enabled me to create a distinct space in the middle of the ikebana.

After a few days, the bright pink flower-head wilted and I decided to re-set the remaining materials in a different vase.

While I was working on the ikebana I took this side-view to show the forward extension of the principal line.

Then I brought the two remaining flower heads together to make a single mass. Looking from this angle the four leaves at the end of the line were too dominant. This was especially because the line came forward, making it look much larger because of the camera's foreshortening effect. To correct the balance of the ikebana I removed almost all of the leaves on the line, preserving only the one that pointed back toward the heart of the ikebana. The vase is by the Victorian ceramic artist Barry Singleton.

Greetings from Christopher

26th February 2023