Ikebana Gallery Award 2015

We are very grateful to our wonderful judges who generously gave us their valuable input. Thank you Mr Ken Smith (Artist, Former Lecturer, Art, Design & Architecture, Monash University), Ms Lesley Kehoe (Lesley Kehoe Galleries), Ms Susan Renouf (Fashion, RMIT University), Dr Yoshiho Kobayashi (Kyoto Women’s University, International Society of Ikebana Studies), Ms Hiroe Swen (Ceramic Artist) and Dr Osamu Inoue (Kyoto University of Art & Design, International Society of Ikebana Studies).

Their contribution made this award, the world's first online Ikebana competition truly unique. It is so rare for Ikebana students to be assessed and to receive comments from art specialists like our judges. Please visit the “Judges” page for their profiles.

We are pleased to announce that the winner of Ikebana Galley Award 2015 is Roslyn Maple (Sogetsu School of Ikebana) from Melbourne, Australia. Roslyn will receive a certificate from Ikebana Gallery.

Here is a message from Roslyn.

It is an honour to be the recipient of the 2015 Ikebana Gallery Award, especially since there was such great competition from all entrants this year.
I would like to express my appreciation to the panel of expert judges for their input and invaluable feedback.
My thanks go to my teacher, Shoso Shimbo, who has inspired and encouraged me throughout my Ikebana journey. These studies have allowed me to really find and appreciate the beauty of the natural world and challenged me to meditate and experiment with so many different materials in my works.
I am hoping that as I continue my Ikebana journey by completing the teaching qualification, that I too can share the joy of Ikebana with others.
Roslyn Maple

Our judges were asked to choose three works out of the five finalists in the order of their preference and the results were as follows:
Mr Smith: 1. Silvia (b), 2. Roslyn, 3. Elena, 
Ms Kehoe: 1. Roslyn, 2. Silvia (d), 3. Waldiva, 
Ms Renouf: 1. Elena, 2. Roslyn, 3. Waldiva, 
Dr Kobayashi: 1. Roslyn, 2. Silvia (b), 3. Silvia (d), 
Ms Swen: 1. Elena, 2. Roslyn, 3. Waldiva

We allocated 3 points to the first choice, 2 to the second and 1 to the third. The results were 12 points for Roslyn, 7 points for Elena, 5 points for Silvia (b), 3 points for Silvia (d) and 3 points for Waldiva. Following are comments from our judges for each work.

Roslyn

Mr Smith: This is a very unusual combination of forms in which both the container and the plants evoke a powerful sense of the force of living things. The seed heads are the slightly threatening focal points at the ends of rods of arrested energy.

Ms Kehoe: I have selected Roslyn’s work for its inspiring innovative creativity, wonderful energy and movement, creative and empathetic resonance with vessel.

Ms Swen: I appreciate her innovative attitude. Please keep challenging and find your own expressions.

Elena

Mr. Smith: This arrangement evokes energy moving over a horizontal plane. The directions of the organic lines of the branch forms are counterbalanced with the geometry of the container and both provide the tensioned context in which the other plants forms, and particularly the flowers, are suspended.

Ms Swen: The way she arranged curved lines, creating spaces, and placing colours is so beautiful and natural.

Silvia (b)

Mr Smith: This work is an engaging combination of energy and order. The vertical form of the containing vessel is used to focus the viewer's attention to the contrast between it and the plant forms that it holds. These are themselves full of dramatic variations; small versus large; red versus green, and all this helps to hold attention within the central area of the arrangement. But the most remarkable aspect of this work is the way that the curvilinear strands of the reed like plants forms are used to frame and visually contain all the other plants. They are also like records or traces of how the viewer's vision is directed around and through this whole ambitious harmony.

Silvia (d)

Waldiva

Ms Swen: This work gives me a sense of peace. It is very sincere and honest expression.

Congratulations to the winner, Roslyn and to the other finalists. Thank you to all the Ikebana students who have shared their works on this blog. We are looking forward to receiving more images of your works for the Ikebana Gallery Award 2016.