Boston Chapter #17　USA

September 20-21, 2025
Exhibition　 Open to the Public
Ikenobo, Ohara, Sogetsu
On September 20-21, 2025, I.I. Boston Chapter #17 displayed eight indoor exhibits at the New England Fall Flower Show, which started in 1886, making it the oldest flower show in the United States. The show was held at Massachusetts Horticultural Society Elm Bank in Wellesley, MA. USA.

The individual arrangements from Ikenobo, Ohara, and Sogetsu Schools elegantly illustrated the ikebana principles with striking and energetic colors, lines, and intriguing materials, to the delight of the 3,600 visitors that weekend.
Outdoors, in the gardens of Elm Bank, I.I. members of the Sogetsu School along with Sogetsu MA Branch members created seven outdoor group installations. The large installations of birch and bamboo allowed all visitors the opportunity to appreciate the colorful artistry of Sogetsu ikebana in a natural garden setting.

October 7, 2025
Demonstration　 Chapter Meeting
Ohara, Sogetsu
Attendees enjoyed seeing members’ demonstrations of Renka. A theme where artists link their arrangements with a common thread such as floral material, color, movement, etc. Each arranger takes inspiration from the impression made by the previous arrangement. This was a collaborative experience featuring two teams of four representatives from the Ohara and Sogetsu schools. At the end of the demonstrations the individual arrangements were discussed with each arranger revealing the feature incorporated into their work from the previous arrangement. In addition to the demonstrations we also enjoyed the viewing table arrangements made by our members.

November 13, 2025
Demonstration　 Chapter Meeting
Ikenobo, Ohara, Sogetsu
Attendees enjoyed seeing members’ demonstrations of “Iron Chef Lite”. For this theme one demonstrator from each of the three schools represented in our chapter, Mimi Santini-Ritt the Ikenobo School, Russell Bowers, the Ohara School, and Emiko Kaplan, the Sogetsu School “faced off” against one another using a “secret ingredient” to create an arrangement. Although free to use whatever other materials and techniques they chose, the end result had to highlight the “secret ingredient”. The secret ingredient revealed to our demonstrators was Japanese White Pine. At the end of the demonstrations the demonstrators discussed their arrangements with each arranger explaining how they featured the secret ingredient. The attendees enjoyed a fun and entertaining event. In addition to the demonstrations we also enjoyed the viewing table arrangements made by our members.