2. Week of Ikebana + Crafts = TRUE

The focus of the second week of the exhibition ikebana + crafts = TRUE is raku ceramics by Ragnhid Winsvold. In the ikebana works two new round raku fired objects are presented together with a large yellow vase. For the demonstration I used bowls with lids.


For the first arrangement of the demonstration I had chosen an interesting low container with  distinct dark lines in the glaze with added white blossom shapes. Unfortunately the wonderful silverly inside didn't show that well since the lid had to cover most of the dish to balance. The shape inspired me to create a fan style upright ikebana, a variation of the basic upright style.


A yellow bowl with a round seed like shape was opened up so that the lid swung out to the side. This formed the base for an Apple tree branch with yellow lichen that gave shape to the arrangement. Colour and space was added with yellow Gerbera.


Raku ceramic is closely related to the Japanese tea ceremony. The earthy simplicity of the tea wabi tea tradition has also inspired the development of simplified arrangements in contemporary ikebana. For the last arrangement of the demonstration I created a very simple ikebana consisting of one single twig of Weeping willow and one stem of Lisianthus. A little piece of Thuja was added to emphasize the open space under the lid.


Photo: Svein G Josefsen