Diane Norman

I have studied the ancient art form of Ikebana for nearly 40 years, I am now a Grand Master in the Ohara School of Ikebana and I run a Study Group linked to the School in Tokyo, Japan.

I teach, demonstrate and lecture for the School and for NAFAS in the UK. My book on Ikebana was published by Conran Octopus. With 7 co-editions it sold in the order of 60,000 books in several languages, even Estonian.

I started teaching this fascinating subject in the mid-1990s and have never looked back. There is always something new to learn, more philosophy to understand.

I continue entranced by the culture and the beauty of this glorious subject. It is an ancient art started in about the year 600 when gifts of flowers and plant materials were left on the steps of the Buddhist temples in memory of loved ones, the priests gathered them up and originally just put them in water for the altar. As time went by arrangements were formalised and so began the formation of the Ikebana Schools.

There are links to the Samurai, the Rimpa school of Japanese painters, the Chinese Bunjin and so much more...