2006 National Capital Area Exhibition: This year's chapter show was held at the U.S. National Arboretum, in collaboration with the 50th Anniversary of Ikebana International, whose Washington D.C. Chapter One meets and exhibits on a regular basis at the Arboretum. Fourteen artists created sumi-e works that were exhibited from September 6 through October 2, 2006. Our Opening Reception was well attended by close to one hundred guests. The last few days of our show (September 30-October 2) coincided with Ikebana International’s exhibition. Four of the exhibiting sumi-e artists (Mei Lih Chiang, Eleanor Ellis, Jamaliah Morais, Darlene Wood-Harvey) had their paintings chosen by Ikebana artists as inspiration for their arrangements, and two more painters (Mai Frawley and Frances Prescott), who belong to both Ikebana International and the Sumi-e Society, did arrangements to match the spirit of their paintings. In preparation for the Ikebana festivities, Karen Meyers of Fox TV (channel 5) visited the Arboretum and did a 10 minute segment on our Sumi-e show, which aired on September 28, in which she demonstrated her astounding gift for quick learning by doing a spirited sumi-e painting of a spider flower (Cleome hassleriana) with Gisele Child-Olmsted, NCAC Exhibition Chair. NCAC members who participated in the show and SSA National President Joan Lok were invited to the Program, Exhibition, and Buffet Supper Reception commemorating Ikebana International’s 50th Anniversary. During the program, Madame Kato, wife of Japanese Ambassador Ryozo Kato, spoke on her husband’s behalf, and Allie Uyehara, (wife of Cecil Uyehara, SSA President 1996-2001), gave her recollections of the beginnings of Ikebana International in Japan in the 1950s. Guests were able to tour the 75 magnificent displays from Ikebana International artists belonging to the four different schools represented who came from the Washington area and as far away as the Philippines. We wish to thank the U.S. Arboretum for hosting our show, and Ikebana International for inviting us to participate in their Anniversary celebration.
The 2007 National Capital Area Chapter Exhibition will take place at Brookside Gardens August 4-September 15 . We are scheduled to exhibit 40-60 works on the theme "Flowers Plants, and Landscapes in the Oriental Brush Manner."