FALL NEWSLETTER #50
September 2022
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Dear Members,
It has been an action packed spring and summer, and I hope you all have enjoyed the sunshine and clear skies that we’ve been fortunate to have had for the past few months.
The VIA 2022 season kicked off on a high note with the highly attended Sakura Days festival, followed closely by our annual Spring Show! The Show was a great success in a gallery-like setting at The Roundhouse. This year, we reintroduced our workshops which were wildly popular and quickly sold out, with a wait list to boot! If there is interest in holding larger class sizes next year, I think the hands-on exercise is a great way to garner even more excitement and exposure to ikebana for the general public. In fact, the Spring Show workshops were so impressive, VIA was offered the opportunity to host two more workshops in partnership with the Nikkei Centre this fall. We look forward to continuing to nurture our relationship with the Centre during future events, such as their annual Matsuri festival (thanks to those who displayed this September), and our Spring Show on a bi-annual basis.
In addition, we have been pleased to participate in the Powell Street Festival, by way of displays and demonstrations, and again at the Nikkei Home, hosting workshops for seniors. For the first time ever, VIA has been invited to teach at the Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival at The Roundhouse in October. The VOAF offers opportunities for exhibition, performance, connection and learning to visual and performing artists facing social exclusion and other barriers. Cecily Chang has generously agreed to host a workshop here for 15 participants.
I would like to extend a special thank you to our Spring Show Committee, and all those members who have volunteered their time and efforts at each of these events. Without you, VIA wouldn’t have the community presence that it does, and I am so pleased that our association is composed of such talented and gracious members who enjoy teaching and sharing their love of ikebana.
With admiration and gratitude,
Kimberly Cooke
VIA President
Sakura Days April 9th and 10th
There’s nothing as equally exciting and as stressful as the hunt for blooms. Sensei Joan invited me to show for the first time at Van Dusen’s 2022 Cherry Blossom festival, and from the moment I excitedly said “yes! Please!” the hunt was on.
I was nervous at first, as showing up amongst my peers in the Ikebana Association was certainly daunting, even though I knew how supportive the community is, I wanted to do right by my teacher and the ladies of the V.I.A. Sensei assured me that this would make for a great first show and I agreed, as having the cherry blossom to focus on for a piece would make things easier. Not to mention, as sensei pointed out, the unique challenge of finding cherry blossoms (NOT plum blossoms, as was made clear) was exciting enough, however matching that with not only finding blooms, but acquiring cherry blossoms that could be cut, arranged, and bloom DURING the show? To say my competitive tendencies went into high gear is an understatement.
Almost immediately I deepened my growing education with the world of plants, learning to understand the delicate window of cherry blossom bloom times. It certainly gave me an even greater appreciation for these elegant flowers and how special their annual appearance really is.
My friends and I, entertained by my new obsession, poured over city maps of cherry blossom trees with live updates of which tree was in bloom, and which still left to go. We spent an evening driving around the Lower Mainland scouting, then cutting samples.
With cherry blossom petals all over my apartment floor, I planned my arrangement carefully the night before, and tucked it in under the shady part of my apartment balcony. Studying ikebana, it feels like there is always something that you don’t quite plan for which happens to every arrangement, such is the joy and the frustration of working with a medium that doesn’t always cooperate. In the Sangetsu school, when one achieves the highest style of Korinka, it roughly translates to mean “one who communes with nature.” And sometimes I like to think that nature talks back! It’s very humbling to bow to the earth in this way.
Getting to set up the night before, I learned to love the feeling of pre-show perfectionism. I couldn’t help but wonder how many more evenings like this I’ll get to enjoy, and which flowers, seasons and vessels I’ll use over time. After being sent home so I’d stop touching my arrangement and an excited sleep, I came back to Van Dusen to assist with the opening of our exhibit.
3…2..1.. BOOM! The front doors opened and suddenly hundreds, then thousands of people started pouring into the lobby. This was “small”?!
There’s something wonderful about watching patrons in a gallery interact with your piece. Listening to feedback, compliments, assumptions about artistic direction, selfies with the arrangements! It was so interesting how different people’s interpretations of work can be.
While I certainly didn’t plan my piece to look like a jumping koi fish, I certainly saw what the person meant after they said it to their friend.
Showing for the first time is certainly an unforgettable part of every ikebana artist’s progression, and I know I will certainly never forget mine. For a first show, sensei may have stretched the term “small”, but did it ever leave me with big plans for my future pieces.
Emily Matick
Opening Ceremony of ExplorASIAN Festival 2022
Have you noticed the “explorASIAN” logo in the corner of our Spring Show poster in recent years? Yes, May is Asian Heritage Month. There are 60+ in-person and virtual events and exhibitions presented by various community partners this year. Joan and I participated in the opening ceremony on April 30th at the Vancouver campus of Simon Fraser University to celebrate the start of Asian Heritage Month and ExplorASIAN Festival 2022.
We were invited to have a 6 foot table display at the entrance while all other painting, photo, drawing displays, and catered food were at the other end of the hall. Although our ikebana display table was separated from others and patrons may not have noticed it much, the table was put against a wall which enhanced our arrangements. We met some acquaintances after this long pandemic lock down during the event. After speeches from various esteemed guests, we enjoyed a variety of shows from different groups and communities that ended with a finale of flamenco dance.
We were able to use this opportunity to advertise for our Spring Show, as well as the workshops in Central Park that were part of the Burnaby Blooms Festival. Joan also asked explorASIAN to subsidize our parking at the Roundhouse Community Centre, which I believe was distributed evenly to each school.
This opening ceremony was a great opportunity to spread word for our Spring Show. However, I believe that if we were to put the Japanese art groups together, we’ll make a longer lasting impression on patrons.
Cecily Chang
Burnaby Blooms
Long-awaited springtime celebrations returned to Burnaby this May for the first time since 2019 as the City of Burnaby welcomed Burnaby Blooms. Burnaby Blooms promotes the long-term sustainability and the ecological health of Burnaby in a fun and creative environment. On Saturday, May 7th, Cecily Chang and Joan Fairs presented 3 tables of Ikebana displays inside Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, Deer Lake Park. They included Margaret Ng with one Freestyle arrangement. Kimberly Cooke of Sangetsu, presented a workshop in a tent outside the Centre and had 16 participants. She was assisted by Emily. Everyone surely enjoyed the workshop.
Burnaby Blooms also held micro-events in different parks around Burnaby. On May 21st, Cecily Chang, assisted by Margaret Ng, both of Ikenobo, were at Central Park (lower pond), and presented a workshop in a tent with 16 participants. Although all activities required a $5 pre-registration, we sold out the spots, and we got a lot of enquires on site and happy comments. Margaret Ng
Cecily Chang with Ikenobo display
Ikebana Exhibition. To the next generation
A weekend of overlapping events. May 14th and 15th, 2022.
In the morning, I went to an exhibition by the Vancouver Ikebana Association.
The entrance is like a Shobu garden, by Kado-Sumi Ikenobo
Mountain Moon: Sangetsu Kusazuki by Sogetsu
Hanamichisumi by Kado-Sumi The Master and the disciple were making the final adjustments.
The opening ceremony was held with Consul General Takashi Hatori. The number of members has slowly increased. The new president, Mrs Kimberly Cooke, a young fourth-generation Nikkei executive member.
During this weekend, there were workshops for those who wanted a hands-on experience with Ikebana, and many people of various racial backgrounds attended.
Passing on the beauty of Japanese culture to the next generation.
Louise Akuzawa, Freelance Writer
A Touch of Japan School Visit Program
The Japanese consulate contacted the VIA in February, to inquire if we would be interested in having ikebana workshops at various public schools in Vancouver, in conjunction with them. Five classes were involved from March to June.
All four schools agreed to give a class, even though the remuneration was minimal. The grades ranged from 3 to 9, and from 10 to 24 students. Some groups needed more prep work than others, but in general, all the students seemed to enjoy working with the materials and being able to take home something that they had created themselves!
Joan Fairs
Powell Street Festival
The 46th annual Powell Street Festival took place on July 30th and 31st in the Powell Street area of Vancouver, the former “Japan town”. All things Japanese was celebrated during the hot, sunny weekend. The Vancouver Ikebana Association once again had a display in the hall of the Buddhist Temple, and had three demon-strations. Unlike other years, only Ikebana and a display by the Japanese Consulate utilized the hall.
Those who found our display and attended the demonstrations seemed very happy to have found them, and many seemed interested in attending classes.
Members of Ikenobo, Kado-Sumi, Sangetsu and Sogetsu displayed, and the demonstrations were done by Cecily Chang of Ikenobo, Joan Fairs of Sangetsu and Taz Tsai of Sogetsu.
Joan Fairs
S Four Generations of Ikebana Artists
At the opening of the recent annual Spring Show we were addressed by Kimberly Cooke. I
looked at this beautiful, eloquent and talented young woman and I thought to myself how proud
her mother, Joan Fairs, must be of her. It is a known fact, that in the arts arena few offspring
follow in the steps of their parents. However, happily this is not the case with Joan, and as a result
of commenting to her about this I found out some interesting facts about these delightful women
and their art.
Joan started with Sangetsu after Shigeko moved from the US to marry her widowed father in
1980. Her teachers were Mrs. Katto and Mrs. Takeuchi. She got her first certificate when she was
in her mid-twenties and when she was pregnant with Kimberly –so who knows maybe some of
that artistic energy was transferred to the baby!! Her now step mother Shigeko, was also a teacher
but never taught classes. However she did encourage Joan to try it.
Joan received her initial instructor certificate in 1993 and started helping Mrs. Takeuchi at
demonstrations and in classes. Joan taught at the Johrei Centre in Richmond (where their church
is), then at the Nikkei Centre and since then in her home. Of course she continues to take classes
herself from master instructors as she has at Sangetsu headquarters in the US, and in Atami Japan.
During Covid, I observed Joan do a number of Zoom demos for her North American Sangetsu
community and I saw how respected and well thought of she is among her peers.
I must also add that many of us will agree that is she is loved and respected for all of her artistic
and organizational work in the Vancouver Ikebana community.
Kimberly started taking classes from Joan in 2008 after Shigeko passed away, when she was
offered some of her grandmother’s containers. It is not a surprise that it did not take long for
Kimberly to receive her Teacher’s Certificate in LA in 2017. In all these years of looking at
Kimberly’s work- both her exhibitions and demos, I have observed that she too is a talented artist
and that she has developed her own style which is so interesting to see.
Avery Emiko Cooke who is Kimberly’s daughter, (who is 2 years old) has started her Ikebana
experience with her love of ‘sniffing flowers’. What a great place to start and how lucky for her to
be exposed to her mother’s and grandmothers’s beautiful work. Hopefully I will one day see her talent blossom!!!
Greta Kos
Update on Nikkei Seniors Wellness Grant received by VIA
The Nikkei Wellness Seniors Grant, provided by the Provincial government, was received by the VIA for our project named “Branch and Petal Beauty”. Our project has been successfully completed recently. Kado Sumi started the project by holding classes on April 26, May 3 and May 10; Ikenobo held classes on May 31, June 7 and June 14. Sangetsu held classes on July 19, July 26, and August 2. Sogetsu’s classes were on August 23, August 30, and September 6. The teachers and assistants were: Karen Mizushima, Nao Counter, Margaret Ng, Cecily Chang, Joan Fairs, Lily Au Yeung, Tazuko Tsai and Yoko Masuda.
The classes were attended by 10-11 seniors who reside at The Robert Nimi Nikkei Home. Due to Covid, 5-6 seniors attended for the first half of the class and their completed arrangements were delivered to their rooms. The tables and chairs were disinfected after they left and then 5-6 more seniors attended. Classes were held in the Activity Room on the fourth floor. The average age of the attendees was about 93 years and some of the participants had prior knowledge of and experience with Ikebana. The seniors participated by doing their arrangements using the floral materials each teacher provided and some followed the teachers’ instructions while others preferred to do their own style of arrangement. Also due to Covid, two of Sangetsu’s classes were changed to a group demo format with the seniors watching the teacher’s demonstrations. Each senior received one of the arrangements for their rooms. For all the classes, additional arrangements were placed in the dining room and common areas for all the residents and staff to enjoy.
This project was both humbling and uplifting for the teachers and assistants. It was humbling to see the effort and determination of the seniors who attended, despite various health and mobility challenges, and were able to create lovely arrangements. It was uplifting to see how happy they were to see the beautiful floral materials and the joy on their faces once they completed their arrangements. Their hands-on experience in doing their arrangements, the opportunity to learn about the different schools, and using specially purchased beautiful floral materials that they would otherwise not have access to, made these classes beneficial to the seniors. Of benefit to the teachers and assistants was sharing their love of flowers, seeing how the appreciation of their natural beauty knows no age bounds and bringing happiness to the seniors through Ikebana. These results were what we aimed to achieve when we made our VIA grant application to the Japanese Canadian Survivors Health and Wellness Fund.
Karen Mizushima
Upcoming Events
-Workshops at Nikkei Centre Farmer’s Market: Sept 11, Oct 9
-Workshop at Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival Oct 15
-Speaking engagement at UBC Women’s Club Oct 18
-Late Mum Show at Gardenworks Nov 5-6
-Christmas gathering TBA
Library Report September 2022
“A history of flower arrangement” by Julia S, Berrall was donated Mrs. Kiyoko Boycott. In addition, the Saga school handbooks (1, 2, 3 and 4) will also be available for circulation.
Library books for Sogetsu, Combination and Miscellaneous are stored in 2 bins each with their own category. A reminder library books are due at the following meeting or may be renewed once. There will be a $1 fine per week for each overdue book. Lost books will be charged the value of the book. Members interested in borrowing library books can contact Joan Fairs and arrange for pick up.
Romy Chan
Treasurer’s News
Members: I am happy to report that our Association has survived the Covid restrictions. Although the virus still seems to be with us, we have been able to cope and have exhibits and workshops. I must say that I was very busy just before the Spring Show with 67 e-transfers for the workshops, collecting 44 fees from our participating Ikebana members, plus paying our operational expenses, teachers, assistants and demonstrators right after the show.
During the summer, Kado-Sumi, Ikenobo and Sangetsu completed their obligations regarding our Japanese Canadian Wellness Grant. Reports and invoices were received prior to disbursement and from the photos, participants appeared to enjoy the workshops and were able to take their arrangements home. The last three workshops were conducted by Sogetsu, and were completed in early September.
Now I will be preparing a budget for 2023, as per our constitution, which will be available at the September meeting.
Our beginning balance January 1, 2022 $6775.27
Plus Receipts $7576.41
Less Disbursements $6635.59
Bank Balance, September 1, 2022 $7716.09
This balance includes $767.41 belonging to the J. C. Wellness Grant. In addition, we continue to maintain 2 GIC’s of $2000 and $5000. We have 91 paid members plus 3 honorary (founding) members for a total of 94.
| Rose Scott |
