There are many approaches to introducing ikebana to a younger generation. Last month's Madrid Blooms Floristry Convention provided me the arena for introducing ikebana to an eager young community already in love with flowers. The education orientated floral design convention, was held in the Spanish capital, in conjunction with the Madrid Design Festival.
It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the relevance of ikebana in contemporary floristry. As a passionate educator of ikebana to a younger generation, I embraced the chance to educate young florists in the virtues of ikebana and it's traditional (sustainable) fixation techniques.
For my first arrangement I developed a modern approach to a komiwara fixation technique. Traditionally, a komiwara is a bundle of straw bound tightly together. The fixation is placed inside a vase, sitting just under its rim so that it isn’t visible.
For a contemporary approach I purposefully exposed the komiwara so that it would be integrated into the overall design of the arrangement.
Step-by-step details of how to create modern versions of komiwara can be found in my book "My First Ikebana" (2023) ISBN 9789058567161
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