Basics of Japanese flower arranging
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Ikebana (Japanese flower arranging) is a beautiful, meditative and relaxing art form - and completely different to the way we use flowers in Europe and North America!
I'm offering a 30+30 minute introduction to the basic principles of the art of Japanese flower arranging over Skype.
The reason for 30+30 is that in the first session of 30 minutes, we'll talk a bit about why you want to learn this art and how you want to use it, so that I can make sure I'm giving you the kind of introduction that's right for you. Then, I'll describe how you should choose the stems for your arrangement, as well as the equipment you'll need (and I'll suggest some substitutes if you dont have access to the standard tools).
Then, we'll do the second 30 minute session after you have bought the stems. I'll make sure I have my own stems to demonstrate with, and I'll take you through the basics of how to treat them, the significance of each stem, and the principles of the arrangement. Then, we'll both arrange. Warning - this session is likely to run far over 30 minutes if you discover that you really enjoy this! But that's ok by me :)
Training & Qualifications
I've studied ikebana (the art of Japanese flower arranging) for a few years, so although I'm not a qualified teacher, I'm familiar with the basics, and I love it. I'd love the chance to share my basic knowledge with others who are interested. Doing Japanese flower arranging can be a very expensive hobby - this is a chance to find out if it's right for you before any money exchanges hands!
And while I'll try to give you enough basic knowledge that you can continue to enjoy doing simple arrangements on your own, I'm also happy to offer follow-up sessions if you'd like, using different flowers, forms and containers.
I've studied with teachers from the ohara and koryu schools. If you've a preference between these two styles, let me know.
Availability & Preferences
GMT1700-2000 is best, but I'm pretty flexible, especially on weekends