classes: Ikebana • Floristry

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Shoso Shimbo, an Ikebana teacher with over 30 years of experience, is celebrated internationally for his floral designs. Recognized by Belle magazine among Australia’s top floral designers, he's won awards at prestigious shows like the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show. His work was selected for the publication, International Floral Art 2014/2015 & 2016/2017, 2021/2022 Stichting Kunstboek (Belgium).

His sculptural works have been featured in some of the major contemporary art exhibitions including the Toyota Sculpture Exhibition, Lorne Sculpture, Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award Finalists Exhibition, and the New Wave Art Festival at the NGV.

He won the Arnold Bloch Leiber Prize at the Yering Station Sculpture Exhibition 2017. His recent commissions include a public work of art for the Archibald Award Exhibition 2015 at the Art Gallery of Ballarat, the Wye River Project as a part of the Lorne Sculpture 2016, and a metal sculpture for Le Pine, Kew East (2020).

As part of the Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival he has performed live Ikebana performances with musicians like Paul Grabowsky and the Gregorian Brothers at Melbourne Recital Centre.

As an educator, he's taught Japanese Aesthetics at RMIT Short Courses and holds an MA in Japanese Studies, a Master of Fine Art, and a PhD in Education. He is a vice president of the International Society of Ikebana Research.

He is also qualified as a garden designer (Japan Horticultural Society) and a Shinto priest (Kyoto Kokugakuin).

With publications spanning Ikebana and contemporary art, Shoso remains a prolific contributor to the field, exploring Ikebana's evolution and its impact on cultural traditions.

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