Portland Chapter #47, USA

In early December, Sogetsu Portland Branch sponsored a workshop for creating miniature ikebanas. The variety of colors in both materials and containers was quite a sight! The new Japanese Consul General was our guest, and he got to see a whole roomful of happy arrangers, fingers and mouths equally busy, obviously enjoying what seemed a bit like child’s play. Members brought materials which they dissected and reduced down to a single petal, berry, or stamen to create the very tiniest of miniatures.

At March Meeting, The topic of our spring meeting was “Photography Tips,” presented by the Chapter President and the Program Director. The room was brightened by arrangements from three different schools – Ichiyo, Ohara, and Sogetsu. We learned how to place the focus of a picture by using the rule of three; the use of backgrounds in various colors; and the many editing features available on our cell phones. All members attending were sent a link to the Power Point presentation which Nana used.

At our June Annual Meeting Greeting attendees was a “Treasure Table,” offering ikebana tools and literature, as well as hard-to-find plant materials, both dried and fresh, from members’ gardens. Our program, “Using Driftwood in Ikebana,” was hosted by the Oregon Chapter of the Ohara School, whose teacher, Carolyn Alter, talked about why we use driftwood and how to evaluate, find, and select pieces which would be suitable for arranging. She showed different arrangements incorporating driftwood effectively, and she demonstrated stabilization techniques. Carolyn and her student Diane Sayrizi talked about their driftwood arrangements on exhibit, and finally, several pieces of driftwood were given away in a drawing. The meeting was followed by lively conversation over a delicious lunch of one’s choice of either sweet-potato ravioli or a giant cobb salad.