Welcome to our Chapter!

Who doesn’t like flowers?  We all know ikebana is not just flowers in a vase.  It is is the crown jewel of flower arrangement.  Ikebana is a practice of self-discipline and meditation, an art form of joy and individual expression.  In making ikebana, you become the flower, the branch, the space, the idea.  To quote iemoto Akane Teshigahara, “The flower becomes you.”

The transience of nature, its ever-changing beauty in fleeting stages of birth, maturity, death and decay is more fully understood through ikebana.  Like life, ikebana is here then it is gone. Ikebana can bring peace and fulfillment.  It is a hopeful way to reach inside our selves and out to the world. Now is a time, maybe more than ever, to share our emphasis and connection with nature.

We welcome you to share opportunities to observe and learn this art form through skills of our many talented members and special guests. We have classes, workshops, demonstrations that appeal to all levels. You will make many flower friends and enjoy a gratifying creative journey.

My vision for the St. Petersburg chapter is continued growth through interaction with culture and society in our area. Finding fresh ways to inject ikebana into the world is a continual process. We have many cultural, financial, educational and commercial venues to be tapped and a wondrous thing to share!

In Friendship Through Flowers,