The Road to the 100 Years of Sogetsu Ikebana
with Ms. Misei Ishikawa, Sogetsu Headquarter Master Instructor(10/4 & 5/2025)
Celebrating Artistry and Community in Chicago
The Sogetsu Illinois Study Group recently marked a spectacular creative milestone as a prelude to the upcoming "Soryu-Sai", 100th anniversary of Sogetsu Ikebana scheduled in Tokyo in 2027. On October 4th and 5th, our community gathered to host a landmark weekend of floral sculpture, creative recreation, and cross-cultural friendship.
A Masterful Gathering of Minds and Materials
We were deeply honored to welcome Misei Ishikawa sensei, a Master Instructor from Sogetsu Headquarter in Tokyo, to lead our special program. Over two vibrant days, Ishikawa sensei captivated a diverse audience of 216 attendees with her breathtaking sense of beauty, dynamic design techniques, and welcoming personality.
Enthusiastic members and flower lovers traveled from across the United States to Chicago to join in this unique artistic celebration. The gathering blossomed into a wonderful social reunion, welcoming not only dedicated Sogetsu practitioners but also friends from various alternative schools of floral art.
October 2 and 3 (Thursday and Friday): Pre-work Great art requires immense physical dedication. Even though October had just begun, Chicago greeted us with unseasonably warm weather. Undeterred by the heat, our study group members and Ishikawa sensei worked closely side-by-side, covered in sweat as we cut, split, and prepared the massive raw bamboo poles as well as floral or non-floral materials for the upcoming master installation. This intense pre-work highlighted the wonderful team spirit and shared joy that bonds our hobbyist circle together.
October 4 (Saturdy): Workshop 1 & 2 at Lakeview Center Interactive Workshops: Sculpting Movement and New Dimensions The true heart of our celebratory weekend came alive during the hands-on workshops. Feature Design for Workshop1: Leaves and A Single Flower. for Workshop 2: Washi Paper & Fresh Flowers These sessions offered our members a vibrant, recreational space to practice advanced Sogetsu techniques under master guidance.
October 5(Sunday): Demonstration 1, 2, 3 and Workshop 3 at Michigan Shore Club The energy shifted to the spectacular stage of the Michigan Shore Club for a live master demonstration and the final workshop. Feature Design for Demonstration1: Sculpting Without a Kenzan For the first demonstration, Ishikawa sensei crafted a striking, standard-size avant-garde arrangement completely without the use of a kenzan. Feature Design for Demonstration 2: Medium-Scale Masterpiece in a Large Tsubo. Ishikawa sensei utilized a magnificent, large tsubo (deep ceramic urn) to anchor a dynamic, texturally complex arrangement. Feature Design for The Grand Climax(Demonstration 3): Large-Scale Bamboo Installation The Spatial Narrative: Under the elegant, precise direction of Ishikawa sensei—who conducted the stage wearing a traditional kimono—our shihan group meticulously layered the winding vectors of the various materials and branches into a pre-assembled bamboo framework. The Engineering Balance: Early that morning, a structural framework comprised of towering bamboo poles, half-assembled short bamboos, and pre-bundled waridakes (split bamboo) was anchored directly on the stage. The Structural Palette: Following Ishikawa sensei’s brilliant direction, our shihan group stepped onto the stage to meticulously weave the lush tropical foliage, vibrant blooms, and textured washi paper accents directly into the open geometric matrix. The Synthesis: Towering green bamboo pillars formed a rigid geometric grid, through which cascading lines of vibrant tropical florals and clouds of white baby's breath exploded like celestial foam. The result was a flawless synthesis of architectural physics and tropical fluid dynamics. Feature Design for Workshop 3: Mastering the Vertical Composition The weekend concluded with an intensive study of vertical design geometry. Members challenged themselves to manipulate linear materials—maximizing the dramatic upward pull of branches and tall stalks while keeping the arrangement strictly anchored within a narrow, towering spatial plane. The resulting works beautifully showcased how constraints can push creative boundaries.
