Montreal Chapter #155 CANADA
February 28, 2025
Workshop Chapter Meeting Open to the Public Ohara School
It was the first monthly meeting in person in new year 2025. Mrs. Lynne Williams and Mrs. Adrienne Doedel, teachers of Ohara School, gave a workshop to members and guests. Each of the two teachers showed two different types of arrangements depending on containers (flat one and high one) by using the same material (branches of eucalyptus, roses and stems of gypsophilia). It gave the participants of the meeting an idea of creation and choice of containers. It was a wonderful, educational and stimulating workshop. Mrs. Williams explained how we could compose an arrangement of Ohara style and its points of view. Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Doedel corrected the arrangements of the participants and gave them some advice. They enjoyed this nice opportunity to practice so much. Tea service followed the workshop to exchange friendship in the relaxed atmosphere.
March 28, 2025
Workshop Chapter Meeting Open to the Public Sogetsu School
Alain Carriere, teacher of Sogetsu School, gave a mini demonstration and a nice workshop to members. Winter is still here in Montreal in the end of March without flowers nor leaves in the nature. He showed different Ikebana compositions saying “we do not have any flowers in the nature but why not create colorful flowers by ourselves with silky papers? We can find this kind of flowers anytime and anywhere regardless of the season. These structures of silky paper flowers bloom in our mind.” Sogetsu School is magic to integrate any kind of material in an Ikebana arrangement. Alain showed different compositions making different forms with colorful silky papers to put them on the branches like blooming flowers in the oblique basic form of arrangement. Some stems of chrysanthemum and a leave of aspidistra were added to this composition as supplementary material to accomplish an arrangement. It was a wonderful idea.
Members enjoyed this new experience so much. Mrs. Uchikawa, wife of Consul General of Japan (Honorary President of Montreal Chapter) participated in this activity. It was a lovely afternoon activity of Ikebana.
May 10 and 11, 2025
Demonstration Exhibition Open to the Public
The annual Exhibition of Montreal Chapter was held on May 10 and 11, 2025 at the Japanese Pavilion of Montreal Botanical Garden. The opening ceremony took
place on May 9, 2025, in the presence of Mr. Uchikawa, Consul General of Japan in Montreal and Mr. Vanasse, President of the Japanese Garden Foundation. Mrs. Uchikawa, Honorary President of Montreal Chapter accompanied her husband. We had two special guests (Ms. Astrid Shomaker, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity and Ms. Fumiko Nakao, Principal Coordination Officer, Japan Biodiversity Fund) from the Convention on Biological Diversity for this opening ceremony. They appreciated the beauty of Ikebana arrangements of the participants and the development of Japanese culture through flowers in Montreal. The diplomatic encouragement is very important to identify Ikebana as a Japanese culture.
We organized three mini demonstrations of different schools per day to show the beauty of Ikebana arrangement and the amazing composition technics. The venue for the demonstration was full of audience. They were so curious about Ikebana. This is a nice approach to the public. We had more than three thousand visitors to the exhibition for two days. Our members were busy explaining Ikebana and responding to their questions.
The participants enjoyed this event. They were so happy that they have had a successful exhibition in a friendly, peaceful and joyful atmosphere and accomplished their mission.
