Sun Cities Chapter #167 of Ikebana International celebrates its 50th anniversary by inviting the public to its annual Ikebana exhibit 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, March 25, at American Lutheran Church, …
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Ikebana
Free flower show coming to West Valley
Posted
Sun Cities Chapter #167 of Ikebana International celebrates its 50th anniversary by inviting the public to its annual Ikebana exhibit 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, March 25, at American Lutheran Church, 17200 N. Del Webb Blvd.
Members of the chapter will create more than 50 fresh floral arrangements for visitors to enjoy. Free demonstrations by master teachers Ping Wei and Lauren Toth will be at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and visitors will have the opportunity to win one of their creations. Club members will be on hand to answer questions.
Ikebana began in Japan about the sixth century, an import from China, where temple priests arranged flowers and plant material as offerings to their gods. Strict rules governed the style of these arrangements. They were to symbolize the harmony of nature, with elements representing heaven, earth, and man. Certain flowers came to represent specific attributes, such as daffodils for respect, white chrysanthemums for truth and pine for long life.
Later, members of the nobility took up flower arranging as a social grace, much like the art of the tea ceremony. Many different schools of Ikebana arose, with disciples studying under a Sensei, or master teacher. Today there are more than 3,000 schools of Ikebana, from the strictly formal to the modern.
Ikebana was brought to the United States in the 1950s by the wives of military men stationed in Japan. These women took this new art form back to their homes so that today there are Ikebana chapters in almost every state.
Visitors to the exhibit will not see any ribbons or trophies, as Ikebana is not a competitive activity. Viewers are encouraged to see each arrangement as Nature in miniature, a serene and ordered glimpse of the universe seen through the eyes of the creator. Such an exhibit provides an oasis of peace in a stressful world as visitors learn about Japanese culture and the language of flowers.
Chapter #167 meets at American Lutheran Church on the third Wednesday of the month, October through May. A social time at 9:30 a.m. is followed by a meeting at 10 a.m., usually featuring a demonstration or a workshop. Guests are welcome and classes are available to beginners.
Contact Sue Schmidt at 623 396-1074 or suegull56@gmail.com.
