WORKING with METAL

A few weeks ago I noticed this beautiful old Eucalyptus tree in a nearby paddock. I am impressed by the story of survival that it tells. A large portion of the trunk on the left side died sometime ago. However, the part on the right survived and continues to flourish. There is great beauty revealed by the tree's resilience. Sometimes ikebana can reflect this kind of beauty.

At class I set my Torquay students the exercise of making an ikebana incorporating fruit or vegetables.

Róża arranged Kale leaves showing the upper and underside surfaces. She then added a thin Capsicum for its curving form and bright red contrast.

Lyn arranged branches of Kaffir Lime with fruit of various sizes. She also placed a very small Cabbage head Brassica oleracea, at the base of the large branch on the left.

Kerryn arranged some Passionfruit Passiflora edula, vine and fruit around and within a large open clear glass vessel. She was particularly attracted to the fine tendrils of the plant. A large Eggplant Solanum melongena, was added in front of the vessel. 

In my Geelong class Maureen and Ellie did the same exercise.

Maureen used a ceramic bottle-shaped vessel in which she arranged an Agapanthus, seed head, some Spider grass Liriope spicata, and three Bitter gourds Momordica charantia on the side of the bottle..

Ellie arranged a Broccoli, some red-veined Silverbeet Beta vulgaris, leaves and Bananas Musa, in a Japanese stemmed ceramic vase. 

In an earlier class...

...Christine arranged straight and curving stems as well as florets of Aeonium arboreum in a suiban.

On that occasion, Ellie arranged two contrasting types of Crassula leaves as a small sculptural work using a dried piece of driftwood.

Last Monday the Victorian Branch of the Sogetsu School held its AGM. It was followed by a workshop that was led by my colleague, Emily Karanikolopoulos on the theme of "Working with Metal".

This is my sculptural ikebana from the workshop. I have used two disks covered with aluminium foil, and shiny aluminium mesh which creates a Moiré pattern where it overlaps. The resin vessel is slightly translucent and a deep red. I have set a partially-hidden Crucifix orchid Epidendrum radicans, flowerhead high in the ikebana.

Greeting from Christopher
22nd March 2026