Ikebana, Japanese Flower Arrangement Workshop

October 26, 2024, 10:00 – 11:30 am

Beyond Asana, an Enrichment Experience, brings you Ikebana Workshop (Japanese Flower Arrangement) taught by Mitsuko Okada

To Register: Japanese Flower Arrangement Workshop (Punchpass) $55 per person

Description

Our guest instructor, Mitsuko Okada, public relations chair of Ikebana International, has been practicing Ikebana for over 50 years and has participated in many Ikebana international exhibitions, and flower & garden shows. Mitsuko will explain the history of Ikebana and its cultural importance. She will show photos and do a demonstration. Mitsuko will teach you how to create your own unique arrangements based on the ancient art of Japanese flower arrangement. Tables and chairs will be set up in the studio. No experience necessary.

“My workshops offer moments of relaxation for the participants. You can relax and enjoy the messages flowers convey to us. I want workshop participants to realize that any materials collected from their garden or yard can became a dramatic artistic transformation with Ikebana.” -Mitsuko Okada

Ikebana is the traditional Japanese art form of flower arrangement that has been around for centuries. The word ikebana comes from the Japanese words ikeru (to arrange, be living, or have life) and hana (flower). The practice of Ikebana is making use of branches, stems, leaves, and blossoms to create the living art that shows the unique beauty of the outdoor natural world. Sogetsu Ikebana is a three dimensional artistic expression composed of flower and plant material arranged in a container or vase. Sogetsu Ikebana arrangements are intended to bring beauty and discovery into the lives of those who create them, and into the lives of those who view them as well.

Please bring:

  • We ask participants to bring a pair of garden scissors or pruning sheers.
  • Please bring a vase with you. (Instructor will provide and lend you a “flat” vase to use during this workshop, but you will want to take your creation home with you, using your own vase.
  • Optional is to purchase or bring kenzan: Mitsuko will provide the floral materials, the flat bases and metal flower frogs (kenzan) to hold stems in place for your floral arrangement. They are, however, to be returned to her at the end of this workshop. Therefore, you may want to purchase a flower “frog” or kenzan as it is called in Japanese. Click on the following link to see what the “frogs” or kenzan look like: https://www.amazon.com/ikebana-flower-frog/s?k=ikebana+flower+frog (Note from Fran: I’ll purchase mine after the workshop so I have a better idea of which shape/s I’d like.)  If you purchase a kenzan, you can then take your floral arrangement home completely intact.

Location

Yoga by Fran Gallo stduo, 6869 Woodlawn Ave, NE, Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98115

[Photo: Ikebana by Mitsuko Okada using mountain ash]
Mitsuko Okada, of the Sogetsu school of Seattle, placed mountain ash, nice and tall, in a uniquely shaped vase. You can see a lot of berries along the branches. Ready for harvest, they are edible. Mountain ash is a very hardy plant.
Ikebana by Mitsuko Okada using mountain ash.