Sept. 6 & 7, 2024 - Carolyn Selldorff Memorial Workshop
Carolyn Selldorff, a long-time student of ikenobo, passed away on December 26, 2023. In celebration of her love of flowers and ikenobo, the Selldorff family generously sponsored two days of workshops for the Boston Chapter taught by Professor Mayumi Chino, an Assistant Professor at the Ikenobo Central Training Institute, Ikenobo Headquarters, Kyoto.
Professor Chino began her study of Ikenobo ikebana in 1990, and in 2005 she graduated from the Advanced Course at the Ikenobo Central Training Institute, Ikenobo Headquarters, Kyoto. She has since completed the Special Advanced Courses in Classical Rikka, Shoka and Free Style and continues taking high level advanced and technical courses.
Professor Chino has traveled the world to participate in Ikenobo events – including coming to Boston with the Headmaster in 2013. She was a Visiting Professor to the U.S. and Canada in both 2013 and 2017. The Boston Chapter is fortunate that Professor Chino agreed to return to the U.S. for this special workshop
The Program: Professor Chino taught three lessons, all modern styles of ikenobo arrangements:
Friday, Sept. 6: Rikka Shimputai (all day)
Current Ikenobo Headmaster Sen'ei Ikenobo introduced rikka shimputai in 1999 as rikka more suited to modern lifestyles and living spaces. Whereas rikka shofutai has a traditional form, rikka shimputai has no set form and is a more modern, dynamic arrangement expressing movement and feeling over structure.
Saturday, Sept. 7: Shoka Shimputai (AM)
Traditional shoka shofutai focuses on shussho, the inner character and beauty of plants. In 1977, Sen'ei Ikenobo created a new modern form of shoka, shoka shimputai, in which materials of contrasting characters, colors, shapes, and/or textures are arranged together to create harmony. This style lends itself to modern lifestyles and makes use of a greater variety of available floral materials. Whereas shofutai evokes structure, shimputai evokes feeling.
Jiyuka (Freestyle) (PM)
The word “free” in “Freestyle” means “freedom of expression”. Jiyuka puts plants at the core of the composition, allowing one to express and arrange flowers freely. Jiyuka arrangements have no set patterns, but nonetheless must embody the spirit of ikenobo.
Gallery 1: Rikka Shimputai
Gallery 2: Shoka Shimputai
Gallery 3: Special Freestyle
