BANKSIA ERICIFOLIA

This week I travelled to Brisbane to present two days of workshops to members of the Queensland Branch of the Sogetsu School. One of the workshop themes was to learn how to use ‘dowels” to secure woody branches to make either small or large sculptural elements in ikebana. For larger pieces of wood, dowels may not be quite as strong as metal screws but they are not visible when carefully  done.

In this simple example that I made recently, I used two little wooden sculptural pieces constructed from small cylindrical sections of Birch wood. The upper one, hanging from the vase opening, has eight sections and the lower one, on the table, has five sections. They are aligned so that they form an interrupted curving line across the face of the vase. The fresh material is a single variegated leaf from the narrow leafed Cordyline "Pink passion". These mini sculptures can be seen at close range, so it is important that the joining technique is not visible.

At the workshop, Belinda made this sculpture which could be displayed as a tabletop sculpture or used in conjunction with fresh material in an ikebana work.

This larger, freestanding sculptural ikebana was made by Ann and Helen. In the process of making the sculpture they used pre-cut 10mm diameter dowels. They also made some dowels using kitchen bamboo skewers for some of the finer branches.

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In the garden recently I noticed with pleasure that the Banksia ericifolia had come into bloom. 

These large flower heads are made of many small flowers and have strikingly hooked styles. I wanted to use one of these flowers in a vase that I had bought when I was in New Zealand recently. Because of the nature of the growth of this particular bush I imagined that a single branch could hang beautifully down the side of the vase. However, the branch was too long and would have touched the table surface. Another instance of the material creating constraints on what was possible. What a surprise when the branch sat beautifully in a horizontal position. 

Not a naturalistic arrangement but much more revealing of the character of both material and the vase. I was delighted with the line and the spaces it created, which I emphasised with some judicious trimming.

Here is the ikebana set in the living room niche showing the reverse side of the vase.

The maker is the New Zealand ceramicist Elena Renka. The vase has lovely twisting planes which make the base lift in two opposite corners. In this photo the lifting corner is in the centre .

Greetings from Christopher

11th June 2023