Okinawa Convention (3) - Member's Arrangements

There were so many beautiful, unique, big and small, simple and complex arrangements displayed in this World Ikebana International Convention. Here are just few of them:

Okinawa Convention (2) - My Arrangement

When I registered to attend the 11th World Ikebana International Convention, I signed up to participate in the member's exhibition, and they put me in a No #176 spot (300 in total, 1100 attendees throughout the world). Some of my colleagues said I am so brave. So, I began to worry about how I was going to arrange it on site without knowing what kind of container and materials to use. If I had my own container, I wouldn't be so worried about it. But it was so inconvenient to bring a heavy, breakable, ceramic vase over there, so I decided to make my own container. It was plastic, recycled, light and disposable! It's Sogetsu!
The result of my arrangement was a simple one.  The container was definitely a plus. A lot of viewers said that it was a clever idea.
I purchased my plant materials onsite.  They were sold by the stem. Each individual flower was much more expensive here than in my home town! It was a challenge and a new experience for me.

Each arrangement needed to fit in a 80cm W x 60cm D x 70cm H space.

Allium, monsteria leaf, peony and a purple plant (I didn't get the name of it.)

I wrapped a shiny mesh cloth around the plastic plant container then put soft wire around it.

Back from 11th World Ikebana International Convention (1)

I was sick with a respiratory infection starting on the last day of the Okinawa Ikebana International Convention (4/15) and then in Taiwan (4/16-4/20). Even though I have been back home for 2 weeks, I am still not feeling well enough to do my blog work here. But I will start to post some pictures from my camera. Here are some different Ikebana schools' head master's arrangements:

Because my photos of the stage demonstration are not very clear from the convention, please see the posts from my fellow blogger Christopher here and Emily here. I was excited to meet both of them in person. They both live in Australia, and I follow their blogs from the other side of the world.

2 Free Style Arrangemants Using Leftover Materials

I will be absent and not be able to post on my blog for two weeks from 4/9 to 4/20/2017, because I am going to Okinawa, Japan for the 11th World Ikebana International Convention and visit my relatives in Taiwan afterwards. Since I will be going away, I cleaned up my ikebana room and used the leftover plant materials to create. Here are my arrangements:

cymbidium, climbing hydrangea/ ceramic vase

Self made recycled container with leftover materials

Free Style Arrangement Using Rope Structure

In Hata Sensei's class this month, each student was asked to purchase 15 feet of twisted rope or hemp and 15 feet of #8 gauge wire, copper or other. We untwisted the rope a bit as we inserted the wire into it. Then we created a swooping movement with the rope to construct arrangements. It was a fun and creative class. 
The resulting arrangements shown below are 5 different designs of 5 students. Sensei's suggestion and correction made each arrangement look much prettier.  See below to compare the before and after.

My arrangement: rope, sunflower, mum, burning bush and magnolia leave/ ceramic vase

before

after cut the thin burning bush

Moved the calla lily down, looks more powerful

before

before

added some willow to soften

Interview by PHS "GROW" Magazine

If you are a member of  Pennsylvania Horticulture Society (PHS), you will get the seasonal magazine "GROW" four times a year. In this Spring issue, it has a lots of information about the 2017 Philadelphia flower show having the theme "Holland: Flowering the World." Beside all of the other topics is an article about Ikebana, for which I was interviewed by writer Laura Brandt.  On page 29-30, the article is called "DESIGN-Fresh Ideas for Building Beauty." It features my flower arrangement for the 2015 August Summer exhibition of Ikebana International Philadelphia Chapter #71,  held at Shofuso Japanese House and Garden in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. Laura asked me lots of questions about Ikebana, its history, my learning experience and what kinds of  hints that I could give to the readers who are interested in Ikebana.
If you would like to see the article, here is the link: GROW magazine

"Creating Movement" Using Contemporary Container

Lesson for March 20: "Creating Movement" in free style arrangement using contemporary style container.

 Lichen covered branch, forsythia and rice flower/ceramic container

classmate's arrangement

"Ah! Spring"

A design using Spring flowers such as: daffodils, tulips and flowering branches. Here are my designs for the March little show (MWGC).