Our sensei today is not only a world traveler and orchid expert/judge, but also an experienced Ikenobo teacher. She even has her own greenhouse to showcase her orchids. We were pleased to welcome Bev Tall for our isshuike shoka workshop using aspidistra.
An arrangement using only one material sounds fairly easy, but not when it is aspidistra. One must pay attention to the front and back of each leaf and its wide and narrow sides. Bev had spent hours of her own time selecting just the right leaves for either a hongatte or a gyakugatte arrangement for each participant. She gave us a 12-step instruction sheet and checked every participant’s arrangement after the placement of each one of the seven stems.
It was a challenge for both our sensei and the attendees, but I believe everyone went home having learned a great deal about an aspidistra isshuike arrangement. The next challenge will be to try to put together another aspidistra isshuike arrangement at home…without Bev’s help.
Thank you, Bev.
Bev Tall
Cathy Johnson
Daira Legzdina
Krystal Leyvas
Linnea Storm
Margaret Michel
Naomi Matusow
Sophia Martinez
Wanda LaLoggia
