ikebana artist profile


Miyako Ballesteros (née Tsuchida)


Born in Nagano, raised in Saitama, lived in Hong Kong and Tokyo before moving to Halifax in August, 2007.  She now lives in Bedford with her husband and three young children. Miyako is a qualified instructor in the Sogetsu School (草月流) of ikebana.


“I started ikebana in Tokyo as a hobby back in 1991.  Slowly, I realized that one of the happier moments in my life was in that peaceful state of mind, when I form a bond with the flowers, branches, twigs and leaves in front of me, seeing them as parts of a bigger whole.  My hands would move without prompting as if they knew exactly where each piece was supposed to be.     



Halifax is the first city I have lived in outside of Asia.  The flora is different; the culture is different; the people are different.  But I believe the same beauty in harmony is present.  It is evident in the  well-preser
ved heritage buildings, in the beautiful Public Gardens, in people’s well-kept front lawns, even in the wide swathes of snowy landscape.  To my new home, I would like to share a part of Japanese culture, the Japanese way of appreciating beauty.  Compared to Tokyo, Halifax has the luxury of being surrounded by much more nature.  People are attuned to it.  I am convinced that　the people of Halifax would definitely find a connection to the tranquility that ikebana brings.” 

 





[ 虹都 (“kouto”) is the name given to Miyako by her sensei when she achieved master rank. 虹 (“kou”) is the character for “rainbow”; while 都 (“to”) means “capital” but can also be read as “miyako”. ]


 

MIyako explains about her “ikebana name” in

one of her blog entries.

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