Thursday 15 November 2018

Semi-Finalists for the Ikebana Gallery Award, September 2018 Quarter

We are going to announce semi-finalists for the Ikebana Galley Award 2019 quarterly. The Ikebana Gallery Award Committee is pleased to announce that the following 5 works have been selected as semi-finalists for the period from July to September 2018. 

Congratulations to the students whose works have been selected for the semi-final. If you have not sent us your details and a list of materials for your work (check our Award page http://bit.ly/ikebanaaward), please contact us soon, ikebana.gallery@gmail.com. Please also contact us if you have been selected but you are not eligible for this award. If we don't hear from you, your work may not be considered for selection for the finalists. 

Thank you all the Ikebana students who contributed this quarter. We will announce next semi-finalists in January 2019. We hope to receive more of your works toward the Ikebana Gallery Award 2019. http://bit.ly/ikebanaaward

Please note that our committee will look through all the students' works again in July 2019, and the final semi-finalists including the works selected this time will be announced in July 2019. Your work may not have been selected this time, but it has a second chance!  http://bit.ly/ikebanaaward

In August 2019, the finalists will be selected from the semi-finalists' works, and will be sent to our special judges. http://bit.ly/IGAJudges  

Name: Sara 
School: Northern Italy Study Group, Ikebana Sogetsu 
Address: Mogliano Veneto (TV), Italy 
Teachers: Mario Sonsini (flower name: Ryō Ryū), Vicenza 
Materials: rampion bellflower, smoke tree, wild lily leaf

 Ryoko

Sue 


Sophi

Sue

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Pulcheria: Free Style


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Ryoko: Free Style


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Wednesday 31 October 2018

Shoan: Recycling Plastic Wastes


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Pulcheria: Basic nageire


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Shoan: Demonstration


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Toko: Green


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Shoen: Free Style



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Tuesday 2 October 2018

Make Facebook Safer & Wiser



I just started the petition "Facebook: Make Facebook Safer & Wiser" and wanted to see if you could help by adding your name.

My goal is to reach 100 signatures and I need more support. You can read more and sign the petition here:


Thanks!

Make Facebook Safer & Wiser


We understand that Facebook is working hard against online bulling, abuse or harassment. However, we would likeFacebook to work harder in this regard. 

If someone does not like a post, she or he can report it to Facebook as offensive or abusive. Then, Facebook immediately removes such a post. That’s sound like a good system. But what happens if someone abuses the system to harass others anonymously? That’s exactly what happened to us. 

We have been running an international online ikebana flower competition since 2012. All of our administrative staff and internationally renowned judges are working hard as volunteers simply to encourage and support ikebana students around the world. 

We posted the result of the this year’s competition in August 2018. http://bit.ly/IkebanaAward18 The post reached about 20,000 people. But shortly after the announcement the post disappeared from our Facebook page, facebook.com/IkebanaGallery/

When we try to post again, we get this message - “Warning: This Message Contains Blocked Content. Your message couldn't be sent because it includes content that other people on Facebook have reported as abusive”.

As you can see, our post is full of encouragements, good will and gratitude. http://bit.ly/IkebanaAward18

We have reported Facebook this case three times, but no improvement has been made.    

Around the same time, our photo albums of the students works were also deleted from our Facebook page. We reported it to Facebook and they came back shortly. 

We would like Facebook to
1. to bring back our post announcing the results of the competition, and 
2. to put in more checks and balances so that the system will not be abused in this way in the future.   

We started this petition to let ikebana lovers in Japan and all other parts of the world know about this unfortunate case and encourage them to unite for a better ikebana world. 

We have asked the Headmasters of all major ikebana schools in Japan, Ikebana International and other ikebana related organisations to support this petition.    

署名ご協力のお願い
フェースブックをより安全に、より賢明に!
 フェースブックは、オンライン上のいじめ、嫌がらせなどへの対策として、使用者が不愉快だ、嫌がらせだなどと感じた場合、フェースブックへ報告できるシステムを導入しました。報告されるとそのポストは直ちにフェースブックから削除されます。
 効果的である反面、悪用される可能性も否定できません。そのような迷惑を被ったものとして、事態の改善を求めたいと思います。
 私どもは2012年からオンライン上での国際生け花コンクール、生け花ギャラリー賞を主催しています。運営スタッフ、国際的な審査員共々、ボランティアにて生け花学習者のサポートになればということで続けています。
 2018年8月に本年度の受賞者をフェースブック上で発表しました。その報告は2万人ほどの方々に届いたのですが、間もなくファースブック上から削除されてしまいました。
 再度、ブログ上の結果 http://bit.ly/IkebanaAward18 を、フェースブックに送信しようとすると、次のようなエラーメッセージが出ます。
 警告:このメッセージは禁止された内容を含んでいます。フェースブックの他の方がアビューシブ(悪態、誹謗)だと報告しているからです。
 私たちのポストは、励ましと感謝の言葉ばかりが並んでいるのですが。 http://bit.ly/IkebanaAward18
 フェースブックに3度にわたって報告しましたが、事態は改善されていません。
 なお、同時期に生徒作品の写真も突然削除されました。こちらはフェースブックに報告後、回復しました。
 フェースブックに期待したいのは、以下の2点です。
1、2018年度の受賞者報告を回復してほしい、
2、フェースブックへの報告機能が悪用されないよう改善してほしい

 この署名活動は、生け花の世界で私たちが経験した出来事を、日本、世界各地で生け花に関わる多くの方々と共有したいために始めたものです。ぜひ署名にご協力下さい。https://chn.ge/2Iwa1ku


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Tuesday 25 September 2018

Daily Meditation


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Saturday 8 September 2018

Pulcheria: Study of White


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Shoan: Preparing for an exhibition


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Wednesday 29 August 2018

Ikebana Gallery Award 2018

We are very grateful to our wonderful judges who generously gave us their valuable input.

Thank you Ms Lesley Kehoe (Lesley Kehoe Galleries),
Ms Susan Renouf (Adjunct Professor, Fashion & Textiles, RMIT University),
Dr Yoshiho Kobayashi (Associate Professor, Outemon University追手門学院大学准教授, President, International Society of Ikebana Studies),
Ms Hiroe Swen (Ceramic Artist, Former Lecturer, Australia National University),
Dr Osamu Inoue (Associate Professor, Kyoto University of Art & Design, 京都造形芸術大学准教授; Vice President, International Society of Ikebana Studies) and
Dr Yutaka Mino (Director - Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, the Vice Chairman - Sotheby’s North America, the Chief Executive Director - the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa & the Honorary Director - Osaka Municipal Museum of Art. 兵庫県立美術館館長, 金沢21世紀美術特任館長、大阪市立美術館名誉館長).

Their contribution made this international 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 the 2018 Ikebana Galley Gold Award is Pulcheria Reeves and Aileen Duke. The Ikebana Gallery Silver Award 2018 goes to Laura Zamboni, and the Ikebana Gallery Bronze Award goes to Scur Nadia Teresinha. Those students will receive a certificate from Ikebana Gallery.

Our judges were asked to choose three works out of the four finalists in the order of their preference and the results were as follows:

Ms Kehoe: 1. Aileen, 2. Laura, 3. Pulcheria
Ms Renouf: 1. Aileen, 2. Pulcheria, 3. Laura, 
Dr Kobayashi: 1. Laura, 2. Pulcheria, 3. Nadia, 
Ms Swen: 1. Pulcheria,  2. Laura, 3. Aileen
Dr Mino: 1. Nadia, 2. Aileen, 3. Pulcheria

We allocated 3 points to the first choice, 2 to the second and 1 to the third. The results were 9 points for Aileen and Pulcheria
, 8 points for Laura, and 4 points for Nadia. 


Following are comments from our judges for each work.

Gold Award: Pulcheria Reeves (Melbourne, Australia)
Sogetsu School


Ms Swen: 筒状 ガラス花器の水の中に薄緑の葉が透けて見え白い花と唯一つ硬い蕾の黄色が映え、爽やかな美しさ。

(Pale green pods in water through the cylindrical glass create a refreshing beauty. A brilliant combination of white flowers and just one firm looking yellow bud.)

Ms Renouf: I find this delicate and enchanting.

Message from Pulcheria: I’d like to thank my Sensei, Shoso Shimbo, for his guidance, and the feedback received from the expert judges.  My work is also inspired by a cohort of supportive classmates. Thank you very much for the award. 


Gold Award: Aileen Duke (Melbourne, Australia)
Sogetsu School



Ms Renouf: It is at once wistful and graceful, seemingly a little windblown.

Message from Aileen: I am thrilled and honoured to be selected for the Ikebana Gallery Gold Award. Sharing this award with Pulcheria is very satisfying, as I greatly admire her work. Congratulations to all the students who entered. The award gives us a wonderful opportunity to be inspired by students from ikebana schools around the world.

It is especially exciting for me because my daughter Maddie, who inspired me to start studying Sogetsu ikebana, won the gold award in 2014. What an amazing mother and daughter achievement!

I am extremely grateful to Shoso Sensei who shares his extensive knowledge and expertise so sensitively and gently with us, his students. Thank you also to the expert judges, who enrich our experience with their feedback, and give their time so generously.


Silver Award: Laura Zamboni (Vicenza, Italy)
Northern Italy Study Group, Sogetsu School


Ms Swen: 羽ばたく様な生命力。(The power of life like a bird’s wings)
Ms Renouf: Quite stylized, it is very interesting.


Bronze Award: Scur Nadia Teresinha (Arzignano, Italy)
Northern Italy Study Group, Sogetsu School





Dr Mino: This Ikebana tells us the future of Ikebana; Beware of destroying the nature, otherwise someday no flower in the world. 

Message from Nadia: Thank you for the opportunity to share what is beautiful and true. It is a path of the heart.


Congratulations to the winners. Thank you to all the Ikebana students who have shared their works on our blog & Facebook page. Thank you also to our committee members. We are looking forward to receiving more images of your works for the Ikebana Gallery Award 2019.




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Friday 24 August 2018

Pulcheria: Free Style


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Sue: Hanging Arrangement


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Shoan: Analysing Master's Work


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Shoen: Analysing Master's Work


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Basic Style: Craig


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Monday 6 August 2018

Toko: Improvisation


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Pulcheria: Branches Composition


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Saturday 4 August 2018

Finalists for the Ikebana Gallery Award 2018

The Ikebana Gallery Award Committee is pleased to announce that the following 4 works have been selected as finalists in the Ikebana Gallery Award 2018. 

Congratulations to the students whose works have been selected. 


The finalists' works have been sent to our expert judgesThe winner will be announced within a few weeks. To receive update notices, become a follower or follow us by Email (see right) or simply like the Ikebana Gallery Facebook page. http://bit.ly/facebook-ikebana


We are very fortunate to receive great support and advice in our selection process from Associate Professor Osamu Inoue, Kyoto University of Art & Design. 
Dr Inoue is a prominent Ikebana artist and researcher, and vice president of International Society of Ikebana Studies (ISIS). Dr Inoue's recent publications includes "Thought of Ikebana" (「花道の思想」思文閣出版   ) .
http://www.shibunkaku.co.jp/shuppan/shosai.php?code=9784784218394

1. Nadia



















2. Aileen


















3. Pulcheria













4. Laura



















..............................................
Post your work by 30 June 2019 to be selected for the Ikebana Gallery Award 2019.
http://bit.ly/ikebanaaward

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Thursday 2 August 2018

2018 Ikebana Gallery People's Choice Award

Thank you very much for voting for the Ikebana Gallery People's Choice Award 2018. Our post announcing the semi-finalists was viewed over 7 thousands people around the world. We are pleased to be able to provide such a rare opportunity for Ikebana students to show their works to so many people, to be liked and to receive warm comments.     

We are grateful for all of those who supported Ikebana Gallery Award, the first international Ikebana competition for all the Ikebana students by liking its Facebook page. We are particularly thankful to those who respected the spirit of the People’s Choice Award and voted according to our instruction.    

特に、今年は日本の方々からもたくさんの励ましのお言葉をいただきました。ありがとうございます。ファイナリスト、優勝作品の発表もご期待ください。

We are pleased to announce that the winner is Aileen Duke (Sogetsu School) in Australia. Congratulations. Her work received the largest number of LIKEs by 31 July 2018 in our Facebook page. 
Aileen will receive our certificate shortly. Here is a message from Aileen. 


Thank you everyone for your support of the Ikebana Gallery Award, and for all the likes, loves and wows you gave my arrangement. I’m thrilled! It’s a very special achievement. My congratulations to all the semi-finalists and good luck for the next stage! 

The finalists will be selected by our expert judges and the winner of the Ikebana Gallery Award 2018 will be announced shortly. Please keep following our Facebook page.  

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Wednesday 1 August 2018

Japanese Government's Award to Ms Kehoe


Ms Lesley Kehoe, one of the judges for Ikebana Gallery Award received the Japanese Foreign Minister's Commendation Award for the promotion of Japanese culture in Australia. Congratulations! http://bit.ly/2mhETLd
Shoso Shimbo's work at the Lesley Kehoe Galleries. http://www.kehoe.com.au

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Pulcheria: Composition using Branches


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Ryoko: Flowers Only


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Saturday 21 July 2018

IGA Committee Members 2018 - 19


We are pleased to announce that the following Ikebana teachers have been appointed as Ikebana Gallery Award Committee Members 2018 - 19.

Director - Shoso Shimbo, Sogetsu, Australia
Associate Director - Shoan Lo, Sogetsu, Australia
Associate Director - Dr Leonard Lim, Ikenobo, Singapore
Ekaterina Seehaus, Sogetsu, Belgium
Naomi Cullen, Ichiyo, Australia
Nobuko Kobayashi, Ichiyo, Australia
Purnima Shah, Ohara, India
Akemi Suzuki, Sogetsu, Australia
Toko Tazawa, Sogetsu, Australia

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Sunday 15 July 2018

Semi-finalists for the Ikebana Gallery Award 2018

The Ikebana Gallery Award Committee is pleased to announce that the following 15 works have been selected as semi-finalists. Five finalists will be selected shortly from these semi-finalists and will be sent to our special judges

Please tell us your favourite works on our Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/IkebanaGallery/
Please LIKE at least 3 (3 or more) works among the 15 works in the album by 31 July 2018. The most popular work will receive the People's Choice Award 2018. 

Please share the whole album and encourage your friends to vote. But please don't share individual works and encourage people to like them. We hope that students with less Facebook friends will not be at too much of a disadvantage. Have fun. Thank you. 

Congratulations to the students whose works have been selected for the semi-final. If you have not sent us your details and a list of materials for your work (check our Award page http://bit.ly/ikebanaaward), please contact us soon, ikebana.gallery@gmail.com. If we don't hear from you, your work may not be considered for selection for the finalists.  

Thank you all the Ikebana students who contributed this year. We hope to receive more of your works toward the Ikebana Gallery Award 2019. http://bit.ly/ikebanaaward


 1. Aileen

2. Sue

3. Risa

4. Nadia

 5. Pulcheria

 6. Kim 

 7. Viola

 8. Sue

9. Pulcheria

 10. Kim

11. Karen

12. Laura

13. Mona


14. Viola

15. Sokyo

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