Christmas Time

 

Taxis, poinsettia, calla, vine branch, aspidistra

Color Festival of the Fall

Walking under the autumn leaves is a meditation in itself. I visit this beautiful Japanese maple in Parc Stagni of Chene Bougeries in Geneva every fall like a pilgrimage! Yet I have just realized that I don't know the sculptor's name of this cute little fox.

Morimono 2023

Morimono, Ginger, tomatoes,
cactus figs, dried branches, magnolia cones
arranged in Traditional Anatolian Sieves

Sogetsu Morimono Arrangement, 
side view

There are more morimono arrangements in this blog with different focus. In order to see them together, you can click the label "morimono" below the post.

Cotoneaster, Chardon and Carnations

Chardon, Cotoneaster horizantalis branches, and carnations,
Sogetsu two vase arrangement

Chardon, Cotoneaster horizantalis and carnations

 

Yellows, Oranges and other Beautiful Things!

 

Glass Containers and a Giant Monstera

 
Water is always being considered as an important element of Ikebana arrangements but in this particular case of glass vases, water is the shin. So we pay great attention to the branches or leaves seen through the glass container. 

The monstera leave is used to create a sculptural presence while the aliums and roses accentuates and enhances the whole composition.

In order to see similar arrangements in glass containers, you can click the "glass container" label at the bottom of this post.

Check this other posts: glass container challenge series from 2019,  June 2018, this post from May 2018 or see this post from May 2015.

For another see-through arrangement, you can check this earlier post from December 2014.

Hortensia in a Garden of Hostas

Pink Hortensia among various hosta leaves with a bunch of alliums

I couldn't resist myself to use some extra hosta leaves and alliums to make a quick arrangement in a see through vase since I love to see the water on back of hosta leaves. Check this earlier post for another version of this idea.

Garden Irises

My irises are blooming late this season yet they are so beautiful! This is a special flower arrangement for my boys. Irises are traditionally used to celebrate Boys’ Festival in Japan on the 5th day of 5th month. Well, the purple ones are for my boys and the yellow one behind surrounded by a giant monstera leave is for me.

There are several iris arrangements especially done for the Japanese Boys Festival celebrations in this blog. You can see them all by clicking the label "Japanese Boys Festival" below the post.

Irises, Monstera

Peony Season is on

Peony, Prele and Spirea

 

A simple life, a little happiness in a tiny vase

 

I bought this little vase in Morges Pottery Market recently. It is a miniature vase by the ceramicist Xavier Bienvenido Mestre. It brings me such joy everytime I use. One tiny dried salix tortuosa branch, one small red leave and voila!  And sunshine of course!

Little Red and Orange Roses

Same material (roses and new zealand flax leaves) in different vases, totally separate feelings. The ceramic vase above is so beautiful and masterfully done. Its subtle color compliments the flax leaves while the curvy details work well with the movement of the composition. 

The bright plastic shibuan below is such full of joy with same color roses and one single statement branch. Such a lovely session of Ikebana today!

Cycad and Dogwood Sculpture

 

My musings about Cycad plant and literature is in this early post from 2015.

Winter Tulips

gypsophila (baby's breath), salix tortuosa and tulips

 

Magestic

Juniper branches, dogwood and snapdragon flowers in a beautiful black and white vase by ceramist Annick Berclaz.

Ceramics Mon Amour!

I love doing Sogetsu Miniature Arrangements. I have a collection of small vases and containers, I buy one every time I have had a chance, thinking about this specific form of composition of Sogetsu School.

The ceramics used in the first arrangement are by various ceramicists, Michelle Dethurens, Isabelle Chessex, and me. 

For me, this second composition also highlights the beauty of the ceramic containers. The two bronze glazed ceramic tiles created by me bring the pieces of the whole composition together. 

Sogetsu Miniature Arrangement, front view

Sogetsu Miniature Arrangement, side view

 For an other miniature arrangement, you can check this earlier post from 2016.

Sogetsu Exhibition 2023: Glacial Winds

I am delighted to be part of Sogetsu Geneva Chapter's winter exhibition at Ferme Sarasin this year. This exhibition have planned almost two years ago and postponed many times due to covid confinement rules. At last, we are all happy to find each other again in this collective ikebana exercise.

Here I have used tree barks from a fallen tree with bare branches covered with lichen, chardon and other plant material I have collected from open fields and praires around in order to give the glacial feeling of winter winds.    

The three heavy black stoneware vases I used in this composition had been made by my late ceramist teacher, dear Michelle Dethurens.