Sun, The (Lowell, MA)
March 23, 2006
Section: Stepping Out
The Lowell Sun
Picking up a bouquet of flowers at the corner deli is a nice gesture, but it hardly connects you to the beauty of the blooms. Respect for living flowers is something Japanese people have practiced since the 8th century. You, too, can learn the art of arranging exotic flowers at Ikebana Flower in Nashua, N.H. Designer Antoinette Drouart teaches this serene craft that connects harried New Englanders to their sensual side. Her shop is a little oasis where water trickles over rocks, Japanese pussy willows are sold in bunches and an alcove with reed mats is welcoming. Classes, on this basic, beautiful art, are held Wednesday through Saturday for two hours. Those who practiced Ikebana in the 16th century were leading members of Japanese society, wealthy merchants and samurai families. This spawned a new kind of natural interior design with flowers, floor mats and scrolls attuned to the seasons. At her boutique, you can purchase seasonal exotic flowers by the stem or branch, classic Ikebana containers, as well as one-of-a-kind pottery, bamboo and glass vases. Exclusive wooden flower vases and ceramic tea pots and cups made by local artists round out the intriguing selections. Ikebana Flowers, 95 West Pearl St., Nashua. www.ikebanaflower.com.
(c) 2006 The Sun (Lowell, MA). All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Media NewsGroup, Inc. by NewsBank, Inc.