Ikebana is the art of arranging flowers and other natural materials, such as branches, grasses and the like, in accordance with particular aesthetic principles.
As ikebana developed several centuries ago in Japan, various different schools evolved over time, each with their own style and principles. The Sogetsu School is a modern school, founded in Tokyo in 1927, which encourages students to explore their own capacity to develop free form arrangements with a contemporary vision.
In Australia, Sogetsu groups are based in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth.
Sogetsu Ikebana in Brisbane
The Sogetsu School was introduced to Australia in 1958 by the late Norman Sparnon, a friend of Sofu Teshigahara, the founder of the Sogetsu School. Norman Sparnon studied Sogetsu Ikebana in Japan for thirteen years after World War II. From his home in Sydney he travelled extensively throughout Australia teaching Sogetsu Ikebana and in 1963 he introduced the art to Queensland through public demonstrations, lessons, workshops and exhibitions.
The Brisbane Sogetsu group is a branch of the Sogetsu Teachers’ Association in Japan. The practicing teachers of our group follow the curriculum set by the Japanese Sogetsu Ikebana School.
As student progress through the curriculum, they may gain progressive grade certificates which are awarded by the school in Japan on the recommendation of their local teacher. Students may become full members of the Brisbane Sogetsu group when they have obtained their first grade certificate.
Students who become members of the Brisbane group have the opportunity to exhibit an arrangement at the annual exhibition held at Mt Coot-tha Botanical Gardens exhibition hall.
For further information about either the Brisbane group or the headquarters school in Japan, see the Links page, or use the Contact facility.