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.
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.
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.
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 Renouf: Quite stylized, it is very interesting.
Bronze Award: Scur Nadia Teresinha (Arzignano, Italy)
Northern Italy Study Group, Sogetsu School
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.