2026 Ikebana Exhibition Opening Reception and Members Night

Join us for the 15th Annual Ikebana Exhibition Opening Reception at Shofuso!

Thursday, September 3rd
5:00 – 7:00 PM

Tickets:
General Admission $10
JASGP Members: Free
Member Guests: $5

Shofuso is proud to host an exhibition to honor Ikebana International (I.I.) Philadelphia Chapter 71 and their continued support. Members of I.I. Chapter 71 generously provide Shofuso with beautiful ikebana arrangements weekly during the season, adding beauty to our historic site.

The Ikebana arrangements are provided by practitioners of multiple schools of ikebana and presented throughout the house, garden and on the veranda. Exhibitors from Ikebana schools will speak on their arrangements and explain the meaning behind their work.

6:00 ~ 6:05 pm: Opening Remarks by Deborah Dickinson, Exhibition Chair for the Main Line Sogetsu Branch, Sogetsu Teacher Somu Level

6:05 ~ 6:10 pm: Ikenobo School Arrangements by Hazel Bliss, Ikebono Professor

6:10 ~ 6:15 pm: Ohara School Arrangements by Ann Perry, Chairperson Shofuso Exhibit

6:15 ~ 6:20 pm: Ichiyo School Arrangements by Mary Jane Risch, Ichiyo Master

6:20 ~ 6:25 pm: Sogetsu School Arrangements by Deborah Dickinson, Sogetsu Teacher

6:25 ~ 6:35 pm: Q&A

Click Here for more information about the Exhibition, September 4-6th.

Deborah Dickinson

Having always had an appreciation for Japanese gardens and culture, I was invited to attend a program where I was introduced to three of the largest schools of ikebana. Loving the connections made between plant material, nature and art, I started taking lessons and that was almost 20 years ago.

I am a Sogetsu teacher, Somu level and maintain membership in the Sogetsu Teachers Association. I teach ikebana classes in Philadelphia and enjoy sharing the art of ikebana through demonstrations and workshops at the Cherry Blossom Festival as well as pop-up Flower Show demos.

As Exhibition Chair for the Main Line Sogetsu Branch, I coordinate and participate in exhibitions at Shofuso Japanese House and Gardens, The Brandywine Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Flower Show and at People’s Light and Theater Company. As a member and past president of Ikebana International Philadelphia Chapter, I continue to be very active in many aspects of our organization, sharing the motto “Friendship Through Flowers”.

Hazel Bliss

I have been creating Japanese Flower arrangements for the past 40 years, and have achieved the title of Ikenobo Professor, 1st Grade, level 14 (Sokako). I have arranged flowers at the Philadelphia Flower Show and the Japanese House in Fairmount Park (Shofuso) for the past 35 years. Our group also exhibits at Longwood Gardens and other venues. I have been teaching classes in Ikenobo for many years, and I am an avid gardener. I also have a certification in Landscape Design from the University of Pennsylvania, Morris Arboretum. Flowers have been my passion and avocation, but not my real job. I am currently the President of the Philadelphia Main Line Ikenobo Chapter, and also the President of Ikebana International Philadelphia Chapter #71.

Ann Perry

Ann Perry is a student of the Ohara School and has been studying for 50 years. She began her connection with Ohara Ikebana while living in Tokyo and Kobe, Japan. A friend invited her to a class and she was sold on the Ohara method of presenting the flowers in a natural way. She has studied with several Ohara Masters, including headmaster (Iemoto) Houn Ohara. Each one of them has brought their special touch to this lovely art. She has exhibited at Shofuso for many years and has also participated in the Philadelphia Flower show and exhibits at Longwood Gardens, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Delaware Contemporary Museum. Ann is the chairperson for the Shofuso exhibition.

Mary Jane Risch

Mary Jane Risch is a master in the Ichiyo School of ikebana. She is active in the Philadelphia Chapter of Ikebana International having served as program vice president and as president and currently chairs the flower show exhibition. Her interest in the Japanese arts began with ceramics, and she sometimes exhibits using her own stoneware containers.

Mrs. Risch has exhibited in both the United States and Japan including at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and regularly exhibits at the Philadelphia Flower Show. She has conducted ikebana workshops for Ikebana International chapters, for the Philadelphia Museum of Art and for the Princeton University Art Museum.

For many years, she has been working on her “ikebana garden” where she cultivates plants useful for ikebana arrangements. Recently she has been using akebia vines to construct Ichiyo baskets.