Japanese Flower Arranging - Scotch Plains Library

The Scotch Plains Public Library continues its summer of world exploration with a demonstration of Ikebana, the
Japanese art of flower arranging, with Patricia Kettenring. The program will be held on Thursday, July 21st at 7:00pm.

Ms. Kettenring specializes in the Sogestu School of Ikebana.  She has presented programs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the New York Horticultural Society and her designs have been displayed throughout the world. She began studying Sogetsu Ikebana in 1972 and has taught Ikebana at the New Jersey Center for Visual Arts. She is a former president of the Northern New Jersey Ikebana International.

The Sogestu School has been characterized as the “most avant-garde” of the Japanese Ikebana schools. Founded in 1927 by Sofu Teshigahara, Sogestu aims to make Ikebana a vehicle for personal expression and to make Ikebana accessible in modern times. Teshigahara stated, “Ikebana can be done anywhere by anyone. There are no national or ethnic boundaries…Just as musicians express themselves through the language of music, Ikebana artists must use the language of flowers.”

Ms. Kettenring will create several arrangements, building upon the basics she will introduce at the program’s start,
explaining her actions as she works. She will make arrangements in flat and tall containers, as well as free-style. At the end of the session she will take apart the arrangements and distribute the materials for audience members to work with at home.

This program is open to the public without charge. Pre-registration is recommended. Reservations may be
made by calling the library at (908) 322-5007 x. 204 or through the Events tab on the library web site, http://
www.scotlib.org.  The Scotch Plains Library is located at 1927 Bartle Avenue, one block from Park Avenue in the center of town.