Iemoto Naohiro Kasuya

Fourth Headmaster of the Ichiyo School of Ikebana

Iemoto Kasuya has performed demonstrations, held workshops and created exhibitions around the world in countries such as Belgium, Singapore, France, Australia, India, China, New Zealand, South Africa, Ukraine as well as here, in the US. His works have been featured in movies and TV dramas. Iemoto Kasuya serves as Director of the Japan Ikebana Arts Association and is a Counselor of the Ikebana Association. He has said: “I try and maintain simple, pure thoughts in my dialogue with ikebana. I consider the plants, circumstances and containers, and everything else related to the arrangement and then bring out their excellence and beauty by weaving all these points together.” Iemoto continues to hone his personal interpretation by creating arrangements that provide balance and tension, while allowing the materials to determine their true beauty. His work gives the onlooker a view of nature by filling a room, stage, or window. Naohiro is seeking to raise awareness of Japanese culture and to further develop “the art of flower arrangement” to pass the art of Ikebana to future generations.

Kyoko Petersen

Senior Professor of School of Ikenobo Ikebana (Sokatoku 18)

Kyoko Petersen has completed the highest level of Classical Rikka at the Central Institute of the Ikenobo School in Kyoto. Mrs. Petersen has exhibited, demonstrated and taught ikebana throughout the US, Japan, Germany, Israel, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Mauritus, and Morocco.. She is a certified member of both AIFD (American Institute of Floral Designers) and CFD (Certified Floral Designers). Mrs. Petersen is also the proprietor of Hana Studio, a home- based ikebana and floral design school in Vienna, Virginia.

Tetsunori Kawana

Master Instructor of the Sogetsu School of Ikebana

Master Kawana is internationally renowned for his exhibits in Europe, Asia, North America, and Australia. His work embraces flower arranging, stage design, sculpture and installation art using natural materials in unexpected ways. Master Kawana began his life as an art apprentice to the third Iemoto Hiroshi Teshigahara and has taught Ikebana around the world for more than fifty years. Sought after worldwide for his creative vision in Sogetsu Ikebana, stagecraft, and more, Master Kawana’s work has been featured across television, film, theater, and exhibitions. “Always, I am listening to the heartbeat of the Earth and my creations echo this pulse of nature.”

Mary Jane Sasser

Mary Jane Sasser has 20+ years of experience and is a nationally certified Senior Instructor of the Sangetsu School of Ikebana. Sangetsu School’s philosophy is that the earth and all nature is alive, and that the most important focus is to arrange materials in keeping with the energy, growth patterns and inherent beauty of the natural world. With over 44 years of arts education experience Mary Jane has a reputation for designing dynamic and interactive experiences for various ages and levels of experience in several art forms. She has demonstrated/exhibited in the Mid-Atlantic area at the National Arboretum, the Japanese Embassy, the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden and the Japanese Cultural Center.

Marcia Borel

Marcia lived in Tokyo from 1993-97, along with her husband and children. There she began to study Sogetsu Ikebana.  It set her on a path of learning- about flowers, about sculpture, about seeking beauty, about Japan, about herself. On moving back to the east coast of the US, her love of Sogetsu led her to continue the study for the past twenty six years, rising in ranking through the years. She has been privileged to study with three top ranking, or  Riji, Senseis in the school. 

Marcia holds Komon degree from the Sogetsu school of Ikebana in Japan. In the U.S., she has exhibited and demonstrated at Longwood Gardens, the Philadelphia Flower Show, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Delaware Contemporary Museum, Brunnier Art Museum, Naples Botanical Garden,  as well as Jenkins Arboretum, Shofuso Japanese House and Garden in Philadelphia and in the Nippon Club in New York. Marcia is a past President of the Philadelphia Chapter of Ikebana International, and is currently chair of Main Line Philadelphia Sogetsu Branch. She invites you walk with her into the interesting, ephemeral, expressive world that is Sogetsu Ikebana.