Year End Celebrations

Various Shades of Green

Aspidistra, Carnation, Salix

Vine and Carnations

Vine Branches and Carnation,
Double vases, Free Style

Vine Branches and Carnation,
One vase detail

Vine Branches and Carnation,
One vase detail

Beautiful Cabbage

Ornamental cabbage, Cotoneaster horizantalis
Nagaire in Stoneware vase by Evrim Ozkan Yazici

Ornamental cabbage, cotoneaster
Detail

Morimono, Revisited!

In Morimono arrangements we use fruits and vegetables along with other plant materials. It is usually done as an offering. The photo couldn't reflect the interesting features of the work. The ornamental cabbage and the banana leave make a vertical statement whereas the dried leaves and drifted wood complete the work in the horizontal level. I have also used my own dark brown red vase and a ceramic art piece that I made recently at Michelle's ceramic studio.    

For my other morimono arrangements, you can check this post from 2016 and this one from november 2014.

Cabbage, Celery, Banana Leaves, Colorful Peppers,
Cauliflower, Quince

Gladiolus Fire

Gladiolus

Find the 7 differences game. Two versions of the same arrangement, above a few hours later than the first one. Flowers are living and changing.    

Celebrating 90 Years of Sogetsu

I am so proud to be part of this wonderful exhibition that Sogetsu Branche Suisse is organized to celebrate the 90th years of Sogetsu School at 6-8 October 2017. 

All the arrangements are exceptional but the big-sized works in the beautiful garden of the gallery 'La Ferme de la Chapelle' are even more impressive. The wide participation of ikebanists of Sogetsu School from all over the Switzerland  makes this exhibition even more spectacular.

Here is my own creation. For a selection of other exhibition arrangements, please check my facebook page.

Miscanthus, Palm Tree Bark, King Protea, Witch hazel, Berries
Ikebana Exhibition
Sogetsu School, 90 Years of Creation 1927-2017
Geneva, Switzerland

Happy me with Marie-Claude Noble,
one of my beloved Ikebana teachers,
in the exhibition opening

Sunny Summer Flowers

Sunflowers and Hosta Leaves
View from above

Sunflowers and Hosta Leaves
Front view

Graceful Gypsophila

Harmony of the colors and shapes of these asymmetric ceramic containers and the cascade of gypsophila with a touch of pink peonies are perfect. The whole work is almost romantic!

Gypsophila and Peonies

Spacing between the vases changes the whole effect

Side view

Single vase, detail

Double Delight: Papyrus and Horsetail

Papyrus, Horsetail, Iris

This work is an exceptional delight for me because I can combine two of my favorite sculptural fresh material together: Papyrus and Horsetail
I love using papyrus in Ikebana. With their umbrella shaped heads and long stems, you can easily achieve volume and height. It is possible to bend them and fix together with the help of a needle or a piece of iron wire. 

Papyrus, Horsetail, Iris
different view

Horsetail, Iris,
detail on single vase

Horsetail (equisetum) is also a wonderful plant materiel to play with in Ikebana arrangements. With the help of an iron wire inserted into the cavity of the grass, it can be bended and twisted into any form.

For the other arrangements with the same materials, check this post Sunflowers and Horsetail Geometry from May 2016.

You can also see my earlier Japanese Boys Festival arrangements where irises and horsetails are used together
here (5.5.2014) 
and here (5.5.2013). These two posts are in Turkish.

Sisters

Parc des Eaux-Vives, Geneva

Thuja and Roses

Thuja, Rose, Liken
Version 1, Front View

View from above
Thuja, Rose, dried branch with liken 

Thuja, roses and an impressive dried branch 
with liken in my favorite vase
Version 2

Vertigo

Chrysanthemum, gerbera, fatsia japonica, etc.

Chrysanthemum, gerbera, fatsia japonica, etc.
Second version in a different setting

Dialogue

Aspidistra, strelitzia, forsythia
Double bamboo containers 

Aspidistra, strelitzia, forsythia
Distance between the two vases effects the whole arrangement

Magnolias are blooming

 Spring is everywhere in Geneva and the magnolias are in full bloom.

Parc des Bastions, Palais Eynard, Geneva

Parc des Bastions, Palais Eynard, Geneva

Geneva countryside is ready for the new life.

Choulex, Geneva countryside

Pure Magic of Life

Spring's magic is all around,
Plums are about to bloom

Waiting for the flowering plum 

Shadows

Geneva, Left Bank of the Lake Leman
Pruned Old Plane Trees

Geneva, Left Bank of the Lake Leman
Pruned Old Plane Trees

Beautiful Narcissus

Narcissus, Plum, Willow
Nageire, Sogetsu Free Style

Narcissus, Plum, Willow
Nageire, Sogetsu free style,
view from above

Dedicated to the wonderful women of my life!

Japanese Girls Festival
Peach, anemone
Double containers

 Just look at the separate beauties of the two containers below:

Nageire with peach branches

Japanese Girls Festival
yellow beauty

For other Japanese Girls' Festival arrangements, see earlier posts here (2013) and here (2014) and here (2015) and here (2016).

Early Mimosas

I find it quite satisfying to use multiple containers in my ikebana works. The s-shaped plastic shuiban with my own yellow slipcast porcelain vases created a nice harmony with the curvy kiwi and bright yellow mimosas. It is full of light and energy that is very much needed now in the middle of winter.

Mimosa, Kiwi

Arranging Unconventional and Fresh Materials Together

Incorporating any unconventional which means anything other than fresh or dried plant based material into Ikebana work is challenging and great fun. There is no limit as long as you keep an eye on the overall balance of the arrangement. The main aim is to add value to the fresh materials, to achieve a different level of harmony and contrast within the work by adding any unconventional material.
Below are some examples from this week's session by different ikebanists:

Sogetsu School
Using Unconventional Material
arrangement by Evrim Ozkan Yazici

Sogetsu School
Using Unconventional Material
arrangement by Marie-Claude Noble

Sogetsu School
Using Unconventional and Fresh materials together

Warming The Winter

Tulips, Chaton, Dogwood

Below, I have recycled and arranged the same material in a totally different sense. The vases and the setting change everything. The black and white porcelain vase is by Annick Berclaz, ceramist artist from Geneva and the blue stoneware coupe behind is handmade by me.

Tulips and Chaton
Vases by Annick Berclaz and Evrim Ozkan Yazici

Curves

Anthurium, Dogwood, Willow
weaving and interlacing techniques

My Third (Nikyu) and the Fourth (Ikkyu) Certificates of Sogetsu School

Sogetsu School Certificates

It is wonderful to begin the new year with a well-deserved accomplishment. 

Since I have begun my ikebana learning journey in 2012, my sensei Elsbeth encourages me to study Ikebana in a double-disciplined Japanese-Swiss manner which leads to getting Sogetsu School Certificates. 

So I have got my First (Yonkyu) and the Second Certificates (Sankyu) of Sogetsu Curriculum at June 2015 which prove my learning of the first book through a method called Kakei-ho. 

Now, I am proud to say that the Third (Nikyu) and the Fourth (Ikkyu) Certificates have arrived recently from Japan. These are given when the third (Composition and Line, Color and Mass) and the fourth level of curriculum (Material and Space) have mastered.

There is still one more level for me before beginning to qualify as a teacher. Then, there are another 8 levels in the Teacher's Diploma as well. 

Yes, you have guessed correctly, Japanese takes schooling very seriously and it suits me very well :)