Certainly not just flowers in a vase

Guests, staff and residents were enthralled by Davorka (Dav) Sudac-Renge’s introduction to Ikebana on Wednesday 26 February. In under an hour Dav demonstrated at least eight (8) arrangements, some of which can now be seen around Curtin Heritage Living’s Marine Views, Waterfront and Heritage Collective spaces. She also shared some of the history & development of the craft in Japan.

Definitely an ‘art’, the introduction taught us the importance of zen, space and balance when selecting the vases and composing the flora, as well as some tips on anchoring the arrangements, and snipping your cuttings in water so your stems do not dry out quickly. Ikebana is a resourceful craft. Dav advises using what is available locally, and explained that it is anti-waste, that less is more – you don’t need a big expensive bunch of roses or orchids – just one or two.

Interested to learn more?
Licensed Sogetsu Ikebana teacher; Davorka (Dav) Sudac-Renge will lead a short course introducing base techniques and styles of the traditional Japanese art of Ikebana at The Heritage Collective in April 2025. Participants are invited to sign up to the first three introductory workshops, with further sessions available in the future.

For details visit Upcoming Events: The Art of Ikebana: an introductory course