Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer

Rose Wang (left) gets some assistance with her Ikebana nageire arrangement from instructor Fusako Hoyrup, president of the Ikebana Society.

Flower Power

Cupertino resident uses flower power to teach Ikebana course

By AMY JENKINS

What would cause people from Saratoga, Los Gatos, San Jose, Willow Glen and Cupertino to drive to Sunnyvale once a week to play with plants? The opportunity to take a class in Japanese flower arranging--Ikebana--taught by an instructor who some call the second best in the world.

Many of the local students say they have followed Fusako Hoyrup all over the Bay Area to take her classes. Born in Japan and educated in the art of Ikebana at the Wafu School, Hoyrup moved to Cupertino in 1969. Shortly after she started the California Chapter of the Wafu School of Ikebana.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the California chapter and the 25th year Hoyrup has taught for the Fremont Union High School District Adult Education Program. At 64 years of age, Hoyrup rarely slows down. When she is not busy teaching four classes a week, she is buying flowers for class at flower markets and planning for flower shows.

On Oct. 20 and 21 the Wafukai Ikebana Society held an exhibit and demonstration at the bi-annual flower show in Cupertino. More than 127 students in all of Hoyrup's classes participated in the show by making their own arrangements, holding demonstrations and contributing a flower to an 8-foot-wide arrangement called "World Peace U.S.A." The U.S.A. arrangement consisted of pine branches, pyracantha branches, "Casa Blanca" tiger lilies, gladiolus and statice.

Holding the show so shortly after Sept. 11 was a very difficult decision, Hoyrup says. So next to the red, white and blue arrangement she placed a donation box, where they received $500 in donations. The society matched the amount with another $500 and sent the money to the the Sept. 11 Fund established by The Ney York Community Trust and United Way.

"All the members worked together on the show to lift spirits," Hoyrup says. "Flowers are a universal language and we made the large arrangement to pay tribute to all those who lost their lives. It was a difficult time and people needed this comfort, peace and tranquillity."

Another large arrangement presented at the show honored the 30th anniversary of the chapter. Two arrangements were made, one to represent Japan and the other to represent the United States. In-between two arrangements were 30 strips of bamboo, each representing a year.

"The bamboo ties together the two countries and represents a friendship and happiness," Hoyrup says. "There are also many ups and downs, which is shown by the curved bamboo."

Every Tuesday morning, 24 students gather at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Sunnyvale for Ikebana instruction. Dorothy Ishimatsu, who has taken classes in Ikebana from Hoyrup for 16 years, says she likes the class because "it is wonderful to have flowers in the house."

Students receive certificates as they advance in classes. There are four levels of expertise, with the top being a teacher's credential. Ishimatsu and several other students have reached the teacher's level but do not teach classes.

"As a mother of 5 daughters that live from New Hampshire to California, I like to do this for myself," Ishimatsu says. "It is something just for me, and it is fun."

The Wafu school of Ikebana emphasizes the harmony among the flowers, the vase and the environment in which the arrangement is placed. Ikebana differs from traditional flower arranging because it emphasizes arranging flowers in the way that they grow in nature, Hoyrup says. The Wafu style does not use wires and always arranges flowers the way they grow naturally, says Patti Ross of San Jose.

The arrangement must always face toward the viewer, and when there are two arrangements, they must flow in a direction that will make a circle.

"Circles create a warm feeling," Hoyrup told her class during a demonstration of a wall-hanging arrangement and table arrangement. "There must never be parallel lines because they don't meet anywhere."

Another difference is that Ikebana arrangements always have four elements--branches, greenery, filler and flowers. The flowers are the focal point of the arrangement, Hoyrup says. During the Feb. 26 class, students used curly willow, lemon leaves and tiger lilies. Many students grow material in their gardens that can specifically be used for the class.

"The fun part is learning how to use the flowers, and even with the same flowers, everyone's arrangement turns out differently," says Willow Glen resident Brenda Mosher, who grows ferns and various other flowers for the class in her garden.

Mosher's husband, a woodworker, made her a custom-built stand for working on wall-hanging arrangements. She is now an intermediate student. When comparing Ikebana to other flower arranging, she says, "Ikebana emphasizes leaving space between the branches and flowers. When you go to a florist, they put flowers everywhere and an arrangement is packed solid, with no space. Ikebana is more artistic and creative."

Beginners in the class were making arrangements using low, shallow vases, called "moribana." This is easier than using upright vases, called "nageire," and the wall-hanging arrangements most of the class worked on.

"It is so relaxing," says Shirley Martang, beginner Sunnyvale resident. "I enjoy the beauty of flowers and plan to take many more classes."

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