2023 04 • April Ikebana Workshop

On April 16, 2023, Tina Sensei from the Ikenobo San Gabriel Valley CA Chapter gave a workshop on Ikenobo Free Style arrangement at the USC Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena. At the beginning of the seminar, Tina Sensei pointed out that to adapt to the need of the modern environment, Ikenobo Headquarters has introduced a new freestyle arrangement. It provides students with clear guidance on the approach to arranging it. She also explained the characteristic of the freestyle, which is unrestrained and has no traditional rules. Additionally, it comes from one's mood. There are two types of freestyle design: free expression and non-free expression. However, the vase is the central part of the arrangement.

Tina Sensei further divided flower materials into 1) point, 2) line, 3) surface, and 4) mass because of their appearance. The workshop's theme is to show the expression of the Line with free expression. She broke down Line into three forms:

1) Vertical form- Form that suggests upward and downward movement

2) Slanting form- Form that suggests both upward and downward but in an incline angle

3) Horizontal form- Form that suggests movement to the left and right direction

These three forms are not to be considered rules or set patterns like those found in Shoka or Rikka. Instead, they are primary forms to help bring out the characteristic of plant materials when creating an arrangement.

During the workshop, Tina Sensei demonstrated the above three forms of freestyle arrangement. Everyone agreed they had learned much and appreciated Tina Sensei's explicit instructions for the freestyle arrangement.

Read a profile about Tina here >> https://bit.ly/3no7wK0