新春New Year
「もういくつ寝るとお正月？」などと指折り数えて、何を待ったのか待ちに待っていたお正月。1950年代のお正月と言えば、たいてい家の玄関先を日の丸の旗と〆縄（しめなわ）が飾り、ふだんの風景を一変させていた。子どもの目には、それはそれはいつもと違って映り、晴れがましく少しばかり緊張もさせられた元旦があった。
新年を迎えるにふさわしい生け花といえば、ふだんあまり出番のない常盤木（ときわぎ）の一つである松に手を収めてみると、老木と言えども緑の繁りが初々しい！
古代より常緑樹には神霊が宿ると伝承されている。確かにそのような風格が備わっているように感じられ、鋏を開くたびに姿勢を正される。
花材：洋紙、M家の五葉松、椿、金銀水引、羽子板、羽根、竹とんぼ、屠蘇の薬種
器：古瀬戸釉 瓶子（へいし）
‘How many sleeps until the New Year?’ For what, I don’t know but we used to await the New Year coming. During the New Year season in the 1950s, the national flag of Japan and Shimenawa (sacred straw rope) usually decorated the entrances of houses, and changed the scenery of our daily life. To the eyes of a child, they seemed to be something so extraordinary and New Year’s Day was such a festive yet somewhat intense event.
To search for a flower arrangement suitable for welcoming the New Year, I hold a pine, one of the evergreens which are not used regularly. How fresh its greenery is despite its age!
From ancient times, it has been said that there is sacred spirit lodged in the evergreens. Indeed there is such a feeling in them, and every time opening my scissors, I straighten myself and remember the freshness of my initial purpose.
Materials used in the flower arrangement
Western paper, Japanese white pine from M family, camellia, gold and silver Mizuhiki (decorative cord made from twisted paper), battledore and shuttlecock, Taketonbo (T-shaped flying toy made of bamboo), spices for Toso (spiced medical Sake traditionally drunk during New Year celebrations in Japan)
Pottery
Heishi bottle of old Seto ware
道念邦子 Kuniko Donen
14歳より生け花をはじめる。
花仕事「季刊誌・動橋（いぶりばし）」
酒歳時記「山乃尾」（やまのお）「金城楼」（きんじょうろう）
「コンテンポラリーいけばな作品集」婦人画報社 掲載
「葉蘭」（はらん）「松」主婦の友社 掲載
2006年より曹洞宗廣誓寺（こうせいじ）の行事の花を生ける
2007年より韓国にて草藁（くさわら）工芸をはじめる
個展・グループ展多数
Started Ikebana practice at age of 14.
Worked with: the quarterly magazine ‘Iburibashi’;
‘Sake Poetry: Yamanoo restaurant; Kinjyoro restaurant;
among others. Featured in ‘Contemporary Ikebana Collection’ (publisher: Fujingaho).
Featured in ‘Haran’ and ‘Matsu’ (publisher: SHUFUNOTOMO Co., Ltd.).
Has been making arrangements for events at Kouseiji Buddhism temple since 2006.
Started Kusawara Craft in South Korea from 2007.
Has been exhibiting in a number of solo and group exhibitions.
photo:Nik van der Giesen
