A friend gave me mountain ash branches from a fallen tree. They were from the top of the tree, something not usually easily to get at! The container is a vase that my mother made. It is a solid and hefty piece that goes perfectly well with the strong branches.
Sunflowers herald the coming of summer! Here is the whole arrangement.
I hope you like it. --Miyako
We were quite fortunate to get holly branches from someone who was pruning her garden! The leaves were a deep green with a beautiful sheen. I wanted to use the branches even if Christmas season was already over. So I avoided reds and whites and decided to go with what we call in Japanese "vitamin colours" (ビタミンカラー). These are colours that citrus fruits normally have, like orange, yellow and green.
The branch is extended far out to the left in order to create space underneath. This space allows us a glimpse of water below.
I hope you like it. --Miyako
I am very thankful for the opportunity to prepare an ikebana arrangement to accompany the recent Easter Liturgy celebration at our children's school.
I used white palm leaf as a backdrop, a symbol for the sun, dancing for joy! Fresh flowers--chyrsanthemums, alstroemeria, and, ornithogalum.
Perhaps a bit more difficult to notice in the photo are the maple branches behind the white palm. These branches actually have buds on them. Inside are the young leaves getting ready to spring forth!
After the Liturgy, the arrangement was displayed in the school chapel.
I hope you like it. -- Miyako
I thought I'd play with some old pine branches this time. They have been cut quite a while back and the needles have lost their luster. So, I added colour by painting them in gold!
...and some pink lilies to enliven the arrangement!
I hope you like it. --Miyako
Each leaf was peeled off the palm buds and then intertwined to create this "sculptural" arrangement. The idea is to integrate the shape of the braided palm leaves with the the container.
The centre is formed with solidaster and dianthus green trick.
Here is the whole arrangement.
I hope you like it. -- MIyako
After a recent storm, I was fortunate to find a fallen branch. This branch had many buds on it, telling us that spring is finally coming!
The little twigs together become strong and provides good balancing contrast to the blooming mums and lilies.
Here is the whole arrangement.
I hope you like it. -- Miyako
I love using pussy willow branches. They are so versatile that every time I use them, I tend to bend and curl them to create beautiful curves.
This time, I challenged myself to use pussy willow branches in straight lines only.
I also chose a container with many corners to show mass and lines. Here is the whole arrangement.
Pussy Willow, Oregonia, Green Hypericum & Baby's Breath
I hope you like it. --Miyako
Chyrsanthemums, carnations, and pom-pom mums to create mass....
...and a big block of driftwood!
There is a sense of flow coming from the driftwood. The mass of blooms extend this flow.
I hope you like it. --Miyako
Our friend from Chile, Ana Luisa, shared with us her ikebana inspired by a recent trip to Kyoto where she met maiko. Thank you, Ana Luisa!
Two Japanese artistic expressions: Ikebana and Maiko.
Elegance, finesse and serenity...
Beauty in both.
Ikebana: Dutch lilium, aspidistra leaves, & dried Canelo* branch.
The container looks to us like a celadon incense burner. Ana Luisa purchased
it at a flea market in Kyoto. What a wonderful treasure to find!
＊ The Canelo is a tree native to Chile and is considered sacred by the ethnic Mapuche people.
It has very curly branches.
* All photos courtesy of Ana Luisa Quiñones.
Sometimes, it is interesting to create ikebana with unconventional materials. Such material could draw out the charm of flowers in a different manner compared to those using only plant material. It is precisely because the material is unconventional that we are able to come up with a unique expression.
I set my sights on the wrapping paper that we use at the shop. This paper is used to protect fragile, ceramic items like teacups, bowls, etc.
The paper, when stretched, produces a lattice-like pattern with a rough but soft texture.
I used the paper together with daisy mums and some dried branches.
Here is the whole arrangement.
I hope you like it. --Miyako