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All programs begin at 12:00 p.m. in the San Francisco County Fair Building
9th Ave. & Lincoln Way, Golden Gate Park
May 16, 1997 - Three Potters and Rusty Metal
Ron Brown, a vintner who also practices Ikebana, metal sculpture, and tea ceremony, will present the season's final program. Mr. Brown has long had a fascination with found items, some of which are rusted metal objects found in or near his Sonoma County winery. Using these ingeniously as Ikebana components, he has developed a style which never fails to captivate his audiences. He will also feature the work of three potters in his program.
Some examples of Ron's work can be viewed by selecting the example links below:
With this program, the 1996-97 season concludes with the election and installation of officers for 1997-98. A summer recess follows with the first program of the new season scheduled for September 19, 1997.
April 18, 1997 - Ikebana for the 21st Century
Internationally famed artist Shozo Sato presented his vision of the fast-approaching 21st century through the medium of Ikebana. Mr. Sato has performed and exhibited throughout the USA and in many countries abroad. He holds the highest titles and diplomas from the Ryusei School of Ikebana in both classic and modern arranging styles and has achieved an outstanding reputation not only in Ikebana, but also in tea ceremony, classical dance, and as an artist in the Kabuki theatre. He has published many books and articles on various Japanese arts, and is professor emeritus at the University of Illinois where he is artist-in-residence of the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.
Abstract (right photo) titled, "Iron Flower," finished with aluminum paint, receives a pink rose and a few lemon leaves. Several of the segments of pipe are sealed at one end so that they can be used as vases. This container was one of the many uniquely scultured objects used in the demonstration. (Permission for reprinting given by Shozo Sato.)
Recalling his days as a student of Fine Arts in Tokyo and the challenge he faced of combining the free form of sculpting and painting with the discipline of Ikebana, Mr. Sato described the theme of his presentation as follows: "The first flight of 'Sputnik' captured my imagination and inspired me to create a bronze sculpture where pieces of the metal were welded together. This bronze sculpture, titled 'Eternal Flight' was entered in the Yomiuri National Contemporary Ikebana Competition and it received an award. Since those days, I have continued to be keenly interested in the new dimensions Ikebana has taken and have often wondered about the direction Ikebana will take in a spaceship lifestyle." In light of this background, Shozo Sato chose the title of his lecture-demonstration as 'Ikebana for the 21st Century'."
And indeed the demonstration was out of this century. Shozo Sato enthralled the audience with his vision of the future for Ikebana while he created arrangements far from the norm of the usual collection of plant materials that we all assume will be available in a world of diminishing resources. The stanzas of his poem, created to capture the essence of ever changing Ikebana, were strategically located throughout a willow arbor entry to the auditorium that he constructed. With head bowed to negotiate twists and turns of the entry way, one could not help but read the poem stanzas on separate pieces of paper. Shozo Sato later said that he hoped to capture the feeling of samurais humbling themselves as they entered the tea ceremony structure with their swords left behind because of the narrow doorway and tight confines of the tea house. Shozo Sato's poem read:
"Beauty must change,
as all things must forever
change.
That is the eternal law.
Beauty is most highly appreciated
when it is least expected.
In Ikebana, the realization
of this
ephremeral beauty
is crystalized."
This was a demonstration that will be in our memories for a long time to come. Sato sensei has a friendship of many years with the San Francisco Chapter of Ikebana International. He is a generous and valuable resource for Bay Area Ikebana artists. His visits, demonstrations and workshops are always thought-provoking, visionary and uniquely inspirational.
March 21, 1997 - Gifts of the Sea
An unusual program, "Gifts of the Sea", featured Carol Marchette who combined her extraordinary collection of South China Sea shells with springtime Ikebana. She highlighted the unique beauty of these "gifts of the sea" with colorful blossoms. Ms. Marchette is a Sogetsu teacher who has been an active Ikebana artist and member of Ikebana International in Bangkok, Singapore, Houston, and now in San Francisco and Monterey, California.
February 21, 1997 - Sogetsu Celebrates 70 Years
To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of Sogetsu Ikebana, Master Teacher Ken Katayama came from Tokyo to present a demonstration program and exhibition. Before an enthusiastic audience of 385 members and guests, Mr. Katayama created 17 arrangements. A banquet that evening in his honor was attended by 95 guests, including visitors from Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento and Alaska. On February 22nd, Mr. Katayma taught two workshops, each attended by 80 teachers and students. To conclude his visit, he was a guest of honor at a Sayonara dinner attended by 37 guests. Mr. Katayama holds Sogetsu School's highest teaching rank of Riji. He has been affiliated with the school for more than three decades, having begun his training with the late founding headmaster Sofu Teshigahara. Mr. Katayama has demonstrated, taught and exhibited Ikebana worldwide with appearances in Hawaii, New York, Florida, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Kuala Lumpur, Australia, and many cities throughout Japan.
Celebrating Mr. Katayama's extraordinary Ikebana demonstration, banquet guests that evening surround him to offer congratulations. In the photo to the right they are, left to right, Carole Gray, Ruth Sootaru, Agnes van Boeschoten, Soho Sakai and Fumiko Hashimoto. In the photo below they are, left to right, Ms. Mitsudo, Kuwako Takahashi, Akiko Nanao and Joan Suzuki.
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