Sarasota Chapter #115 USA

Nov. 25, 2024
Demonstration　 Workshop　
Monday, November 25, 2024 was our first official meeting at the Sarasota Garden Club following the havoc and destruction by two hurricanes in October. Twenty-five members and five guests attended this special program, Hana Tsutsumi, Japanese Flower Wrapping. It has long been traditional to give flowers to friends, guests, special acquaintances wrapped in special paper. With the directions from the book by Mitsuko Kawata, who created a ‘kifune’ style container for ikebana flowers, it was especially timely to create a beautiful container as a centerpiece as our American Thanksgiving was four days later.
Polly Curran and Kimiko Ikeda lead the workshop explaining the tradition and demonstrating examples using special handmade art paper created in various countries in Asia such as Nepal, India, and Thailand. 20 Members & guests participated in creating the design with the help of folding and shaping. Each used their own flowers and branch material to create a special ‘one of a kind’ container that can be used multiple times (as long as the paper remains in good condition).Everyone had a wonderful time, creating and collaborating. This workshop again focused on ‘Tips for photographing ikebana arrangements’ with special backdrops to practice this art as well.In addition, our member, Doris Botshon, received her Sogetsu teaching certificate from her Sensei Pat Bonarek.

January 27, 2025
Demonstration　 Workshop　 Chapter Meeting　 Open to the Public
George Schofield of Sogetsu Ikebana is a sensei and holds the rank of Somu. He has been a student of ikebana since 1985. He has had the good fortune of attending national and multinational conferences, doing demonstrations and arrangements at both Disney World and the Morikami Museum for several years along with his Sarasota Chapter colleagues, and meeting & talking with Ms. Akane Teshigahara, Iemoto of the Sogetsu School of Ikebana, at the Honolulu Conference. He encourages his own students to get uncomfortable and take some chances because learning isn’t about getting an A. “ It’s about growing ourselves and our art beyond our comfort zone and familiar containers.
George created two VERY tall nagire arrangements, mostly using the palm fronds damaged by the recent hurricane Milton, and other material which is dramatic yet easy to create, explaining to many of our newer members that they too can be as creative as the right materials.