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



















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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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