Author Archives: Joan

The main branch of the Vancouver Public Library was the venue of a special reception with his Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, the Governor General of Canada as honoured guest. I was asked to make special flower arrangements for this event, using the VPL colours (red, yellow and blue) and using pages from books to make origami flowers. Another unique challenge.

Here are some comments made by the organizer of the event:  “What a stunning job you’ve done. Congratulations. They’re exactly what I’d envisioned and hoped for:  unique, creative, fascinating and relevant. I just know people will be talking about these arrangements, and probably asking for your contact details. I’ll be happy to rave about you. I hope you’re very proud of your work and artistry. You’ve truly outdone yourself delivering on the vision. Standing ovation!”

There was a special installation of ikebana at the Contemporary Art Gallery in downtown Vancouver one Saturday in March.  I was one of the ikebana artists who collaborated with Diane Borsato of Toronto who put on this show. Incorporating found objects in the gallery, my arrangement was one of the more traditional styles.

Shortly after the event, I received a thoughtful thank you note from Diane.

Hi Kuniko, Judie, Joan, and Naomi,

I’m back in Toronto this morning, working on recovering my voice! But happy to be able to write to thank you again for your many contributions to the project at the CAG. I really enjoyed your ideas, your wonderful containers, and more – and meeting members of the wider Ikebana community in Vancouver. It was a privilege for me to get to work with all of you. I hope the cherries will bloom for you all soon, and that you might enjoy a bit of sunshine soon in Vancouver! I only wish I could attend your spring shows!

Warmest regards, and many thanks for your work and your enthusiasm,
Diane
—
Diane Borsato
Associate Professor
School of Fine Art and Music
University of Guelph

Happy New Year! This New Year’s arrangement includes the three traditional New Year’s elements: Pine, Bamboo and plum. These are the symbolic signature plants for celebratory occasions in Japanese culture. The pine symbolizes endurance, bamboo is graceful, and plum blossoms begin to flower in winter, their delicate beauty giving us optimism. This type of ikebana is called “Sho-chiku-bai”.

A member of the Vancouver Ikebana Association was approached by the Vancouver Art Gallery to have some ikebana demonstrations for the Family Fuse weekend in early December. Unfortunately, the snowy weather caused the Saturday demonstrations to be cancelled, but I was scheduled for Sunday morning, so we were a “go”. Our Sangetsu
demonstration was presented using the five guidelines of our school, using Christmassy material. One arrangement using red dogwood branches, white carnations and holly was made in a red tin container and was given away at the end of the demonstration. The audience was not large, but were very appreciative.

I had been asked to make 28 modern flower arrangements for the grand opening of the new Audi dealership in Burnaby. The challenge was to just use the colours white, black, silver and red—no green!  This is not Sangetsu style, but “the customer is always right!”  They had to have precise lines and be made in silver containers. I chose six different types of vessels all in silver, and used floral foam and a lot of spray paint. I had told the event planner to take a couple of arrangements home at the end of the party, but instead he offered Vikram Vij (the celebrity chef who was part of the catering team) to pick his favorites.

“Thanks, Joan. I know it was challenging to deliver on the vision
this time, but you certainly did so under challenging circumstances.
Perhaps the greatest compliment is that the “missing” centrepieces
were taken by none other than Vikram Vij. Thank you for making the
centrepieces Audi-inspired – kudos. Until next time, thanks again.”

-Will (event planner)