Sculpturing with flowers

MORE than 200 people gave their hands to the Japanese art of minimalist flower arranging at the Lismore Workers Club on Monday.

MORE than 200 people gave their hands to the Japanese art of minimalist flower arranging yesterday at the Lismore Workers Club.

The Ikebana International Lismore Chapter hosted the ikebana demonstration and exhibition yesterday as part of the 50th anniversary of ikebana in the area.

Lismore was the 32nd place in the world outside Japan and the second place in Australia to open an ikebana branch.

And it has mesmerised many followers since.

“I love the simplicity of it and the beautiful things you can create with one leaf,” Ikebana International Lismore Chapter vice-president Faye Robinson said.

“It doesn’t have to be huge and it can still look very impressive.

“The best thing about it is the friendships you make. We have all travelled over the world together because of it.

“It is the friendship of flowers,” she said.

Fifteen years since joining the Ikebana International group, Faye claims she ‘is still learning’ about the ancient art form.

Ikebana is based on triangular formation that represents Man, Earth and Heaven, and the main rule of ikebana is for the arrangements to be comprised of completely organic materials.

The group’s president and founder, Dorothy Edward, explains the art of the flower arrangements that has captured the devotion of many locals.

“It is the sculpturing of flowers,” she said.

“This certain school of ikebana is from 1927 but the style has changed over the years, the changing fashions.”

Originally published as Sculpturing with flowers