> camellia

for some reason, i saw camellias in the market all year long this year.

i wanted to use only camellias but looked too simple, so i added nerines.

nerine is a long lasting flower but its stem is very week.
in a few days later when i recreated the arrangement (top photo), most of nerines stems are broken or rotten.

> Nippon Club exhibition 09

burning bush, weeping willow,
mums, dried aspidistra

This is a photo from the Sogetsu New York Exhibition "Autumn through my eyes" at Nippon Club on Oct. 28 to 31.
Over 200 guests visited our show not only from tristate area but also other part of United States. Thank you very much for coming everybody!!
i'll upload other sogetsu members works as well.

これは先日ニューヨーク日本クラブで１０月２８日から３１日まで行われた草月ニューヨーク支部の展覧会での作品です。２００名以上ものお客様が各地からショーを見に訪れてくれました。他のメンバーの作品も載せるので楽しみにしていて下さい。

> cat tail

In this arrangement, these cat tails are completely dry.
i think it's fascinating how some of the flowers and leaves change into dramatic shapes when they become dry. it's like they capture the final moment of their lives. some of them look graceful, some of them look solemn....

The leaves are making whimsical curls so i used these lines as a design point.

i've never seen this color easter lily. they are very pretty.

このアレンジに使用している蒲の穂は完全にドライです。
前にも記載しましたが、私はドライのマテリアルをアレンジに使うのが大好きです。植物によってはドライになるとドラマティックな形に変化したりして、たまらなくかっこいいー♪と思うのです。なんというか、彼らが生きた最後の瞬間を閉じ込めている様な。。。時には優美であったり、時には神聖な感じがしたりするのです。

今回の蒲の穂の葉っぱも、くるくると優しいラインを造り出していました。
それをポイントにデザインしてみました。

テッポウユリはたいてい白が主流ですが、このタイプの色のテッポウユリとは初めて出会いました。とてもかわいらしいですね。

> gift 2

a couple weeks ago, when ny weather finally got better, we were invited for a barbecue party.

i love dark red dahlia.
i love lime green flowers.

i combined them together in a clear glass vase as a small gift.

何週間か前ですが、ニューヨーク近郊の天気がやっと夏らしくなった時、お友達のバーベキューパーティーに招待されました。
これまた素晴らしいプール付きのお庭！(;ﾟдﾟ)ｽｺﾞｲ....
私はダークレッドのダリアが大好きです。
ライムグリーンのお花達も大好き。

なので一緒に組み合わせてグラスの花器に生けてプレゼントしました。

>ikebana 4

i made two types of different arrangement using same kind of materials.

top:
some kind of rice plant(?), lisianthus, aspidistra

in this pic, rice plant thing is completely dry. it was very light weighted and easy to create any shape. dried leaf is also adding an interesting texture and color.

bottom:
some kind of rice plant(?), campanula.

in this arrangement, i didn't use any kenzan.
it was hard to create a balance and made them steady in position.
i should have used bigger container to solve this problem.
i love the corn like leaves. they look beautiful.

今回は似た素材を使っての生け花２種です。
上：稲の穂の様な物、トルコキキョウ、ハラン
稲の穂の様な花材が完全にドライになっていたので、とても軽く形も造りやすかったです。
葉もドライになって表面のテクスチャーや、色がとても面白くアレンジにいかせたかなーと思います。

下：稲の穂の様なもの、カンパニューラ
こちらは剣山を使わずに生けました。高さに対して花器が小さかった為必要以上にバランスを取るのが難しく大変苦労しました。。。(;-_-;)
コーンの様な葉がとてもきれいでした。
ちなみにこのカンパニューラという花は名前からするととてもか弱いイメージですけど、とても強い花です。一週間ばっちり咲いてくれます

> heaven's gate

this reddish branch is called "heaven's gate."
i wonder when we go to a heaven, we see them growing at the gate?
that would be spectacular!

it changes its color from light green to beautiful bright red.
their stem is light weighted but very stiff.
it's not bendable at all so we have to use it the way it naturally is.

dahlia is also gorgeous.
they unexpectedly lasted 4-5 days.

この赤っぽい木は英語で「天国の門」という名がついています。
天国の入り口へ行くとこの木がたくさん生えているのかな？
だとしたらとても綺麗な景観だろうなと思います！

この木は若いグリーン色から徐々に美しい赤に変わっていきます。
枝は軽いですが、とても固いです。
まったく曲がらないので、自然のままの形を利用して生けるしかないです。

ダリアもとても綺麗です。
予想外にも４−５日持ちました。

> art & flower colaboration

art: TOMOKO ARAKI
flower: AYA WALL
cordination: YUKARI DINA

Tomoko's art are both made out of thick fabric and creating interesting textures on the surface.
She works in Tokyo but her works are available in NY thru Yukari.

友子さんの作品はとても地の厚い布でできていて、表面の面白い動きが魅力的です。
彼女のアートは東京で入手できますが、ゆかりさんを通してNYでも購入可能だそうです。

> ikebana 3

>ikebana 2

>ikebana 1

>large arrangement

> cremon

@ home i tried different arrangement using same materials.


cremon (large pink one) is a kind of chrysanthemum looks almost like a garbera.
trying to break the straight lines by using graceful flux leave lines.

> snap dragon 2

how about this??
i paid attention to how the stems shows in the water.
making them look as neat as possible ;)

> banana leaf

this banana leave was naturally curled and creating a beautiful arch line, i immediately fell in love with it!!!!!!!!!
a bunch of banana leaf stems are arranged in the left container.
very Sogetsu style.

> peoney gift

there was a party the other day in our new neighborhood.
i brought this peony arrangement for the hosted lady. She was a lovely British lady who had a variety of beautiful flowers and bushes in her garden.

> scotch bloom

add more height to balance with the size of a container.

first arrangement i did was...

> Brooklyn Sakura Matsuri 2009

i did classical style on the left and modern style on the right.
many people visited to see our exhibition despite the rainy weather.
Thank you for Allinder sensei for this wonderful opportunity to exhibit.

By Allinder sensei front
By Allinder sensei back

by Mika
by Jin
by Su
By Maye 1
by Maye 2
by Lily
By Takayo
by Kumiko
by Holly

> straight & curved line mix

yellow arrangement

> composition #2

burning bush is a beautiful autumn shrub that change their color from green to burning red.
i love them because they are easy to work with. They are bendable and light weighted.
when all the leaves fall, it reveals the interesting stem lines...

alstromeria
purple lisianthus
dried asparagus leave (?)
dried burning bush branch

> composition #1

i have so many dry materials at home it's not even funny...
taking so much space in the basement.
i will create arrangements using my nice collection of dry stuff little by little and HOPEFULLY throw some stuff away~ if i can't come up with any use of it....

beautiful amaryllis
daffodil
kiwi vine

> love carnations

people tend to dislike carnations but i love them!
So many different kinds are available in the flower market.

> trachelium

It's hard to see in this picture but the way the purple trachelium seen through the dried green grass thing was kind of sexy.

i could probably achieve different kind of expressions by playing with the angles and the density of the grass.


Alstromeria was standing out too much when I arranged them up in front or side or tall.
I hid them so that i could still see the little touch of its color.
i love the combination of these purples.