CHRISTCHURCH WORKSHOPS

The major last destination of our trip to New Zealand was Milford Sound.

I was particularly pleased, and surprised, with this photograph. I took it from the moving bus as we were driven back to our accommodation in Te Anau. The reason it appeals to me is that it captures the feel of some of the early 19th Century paintings of this area. The Geelong Gallery has one of these by James Peele called "A Storm Gathering, Wet Jacket Arm". This and similar paintings powerfully capture the atmosphere of this extraordinary landscape.

We had a cruise out to the entrance of Milford Sound on a catamaran... 

...and were joined by some frolicking dolphins.

We were also taken to see some dozing New Zealand fur seals Arctocephalus fosteri. The rocks were still holding some of the warmth of the sun making them a suitable place to doze

At Te Anau we came across a native Bird Sanctuary where the endangered, flightless bird species Takahe Porphyrio hochstetteri is able to be seen. The species had been thought extinct after 1898. However, a small population was discovered 75 years ago. According to Wikipedia, in 2021 the total population had risen to 440.

 

As I reported last week, while in Christchurch I conducted some workshops for the Sogetsu Branch.

 

On the day before I was taken to the Red Zone where we were able to gather materials.

It was a great opportunity to give a lesson about what to look for when gathering materials for a particular exercise. That is, as distinct from wandering around gathering just what captures one's attention without any particular idea about how it will be used.

The morning exercise was revision of basic exercises in moribana (shallow vessel) and nageire (tall vessel) techniques. 

I did not have the opportunity to take photographs and can only share these two examples of Basic Upright nageire.

This ikebana by Mary Fulton included yellow Holly berries as the focal point.  

Ruth Huwes used Camellia branches for her Basic Upright ikebana with Dahlia flowers as the focal contrast.

In the afternoon the challenge of the workshop was to use both, previously unseen materials and unseen vessels. Lyn Leslie-Cartwright provided everyone, including me, with branches of Broom Spartium junceum some Gerbera flowers and vessels from her own collection. Some participants were also blessed with a kenzan.

Because of these constraints I became a participant in the exercise. I did not provide a demonstration as it was unlikely that any or many of the participants could need to use the techniques I ended up employing.

This ikebana was made by Claire Maetzig.

I was given a ceramic boat-shaped vessel but not provided with a kenzan, so I had to devise my own fixing techniques. I wanted to give the ikebana height. Otherwise, I thought it would have to be a low-set minimal material ikebana. My solution was to brace three stems, with their side branches intact across the vessel. This then enabled me to set two branches inverted into the cross-braced material. I kept the stronger of the two branches long and stabilised them with a small double ended pin where they touched. I then added a single Gerbera as a focal point set high in the ikebana. Initially this was too dominating, until I removed about three of the outer rows of petals.

Greetings from Christopher

16th April 2023