November 2025 - Ikenobo Freestyle

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November Workshop:  IKENOBO - Freestyle Morimono

For our November workshop, Pat Langs, our teacher from the Ikenobo School, taught a lesson on creating an autumn themed Free Style Morimono. 

Morimono is a type of ikebana that uses fruits, vegetables, roots and leaves as part of the overall arrangement.

Congratulations to I.I. Chapters Ann Arbor #183 and Detroit #85

Youmacon is a large annual anime, gaming, and Japanese pop culture convention over the Halloween weekend at the Huntington Place in Detroit, Michigan, one of the largest in the Midwest.

With a grant from the Iwaya Fund, our members held an exhibition,  presented ikebana demonstrations and a hands-on workshop, sharing the beauty and harmony of ikebana with Youmacon’s vibrant community.  

It was a great opportunity for I.I. members to share the art of Japanese flower arranging with a younger, anime-loving audience, showing how traditional Japanese culture connects with modern creativity. Isn’t that a lovely booth?

October Workshop:  SOGETSU - Horizontal Style Moribana

Leslie Rosinski, from the Sogetsu School of Ikebana, taught a workshop on how to create a horizontal moribana arrangement suitable as a decorative on a table at home.  

This form finishes the entire composition in a low profile so that people at the table can see each other easily.

September Workshop:  ICHIYO - Contrasting Form

Terre Voegeli, from the Ichiyo School of Ikebana, taught a workshop on how to create a Group Contrast Form. An interesting arrangement that combines three groups of material: 

• straight line
• curving line
• and massed flowers. 

This form does not use single stems or flowers, but combines them into groups for impact, showing how three different materials with separate characteristics and shapes can harmonize beautifully in an arrangement.

August Workshop:  ICHIYO - Summer Basket Ikebana

For our August workshop, Miwa Kameyama, an instructor in the Ichiyo School of Ikebana, taught a workshop on creating flower basket arrangements (Hanakago). These arrangements invite a freer more natural expression. They are light in both form and expression and perfect for summer displays

July Workshop:  ICHIYO - Water Ikebana

For our July chapter meeting, Liz Larwa and Terre Voegeli, both teachers in the Ichiyo School of Ikebana, led a workshop at the Burns Park Shelter in arranging in water. They demonstrated many different techniques and considerations when making arrangements in water. 

March Workshop: ICHIYO - LEAF MANIPULATION

We had a wonderful March Chapter meeting...lots going on. Liz Larwa and Terre Voegeli, both teachers in the Ichiyo School of Ikebana, led a very interesting workshop with a focus on manipulating leaves to change their character.  We celebrated Hinamatsuri, which was earlier this month, with Chris sharing her Hinadan display and Junko explaining the significance of it.  Katie brought delicious tea she brought back from Japan and served it in her beautiful collection of tea cups.  We had a local potter as well as some of our own containers for sale.