A virtual tour of Oregon was presented by Carolyn Alter and her students of the Ohara Portland Study Group with their program, Landscapes of Oregon – the Ohara Way.   Heida Bruce, President conducted a brief business meeting  and introduced three new members, Susan Coumotos, Chihara Dinsmore and Margo Erickson.

Beginning with a large Oregon coastal dunes scene, Carolyn explained how “shakkei”  in the context of ikebana becomes the art of copying or recreating a landscape for a moribana arrangement.  The centerpieces on each of the five tables represented the changing scenery across the state and were described by the arrangers:  Woodland Scene by Francheska Snyder, Valley Field Scene by Pam Riley, Creekside Scene by Robin May, Marsh Scene by Diane Sayrizi and a Central Oregon Deschutes River Scene by Cindy Hepworth.  The tour of landscapes ended with a second demonstration by Carolyn of an Eastern Oregon Desert Scene.

The other schools providing arrangements for display were asked to do their school’s version of a landscape or moribana type of arrangement.  The room was filled with nature scenes and included arrangements by Hideko Hearn, Sogetsu, Heida Bruce, Ikenobo, Phyllis Danielson, Ohara Seattle, and Julie Nakao, Saga Goryu.

Click to view the Landscapes of Oregon – The Ohara Way.  This was an engaging program with the added benefit of meeting the students enjoyed by the chapter members and guests in attendance.