Spring Into Ikebana at the North Carolina Arboretum

Change of Seasons: Spring Into Ikebana - Another exhibition at our local Arboretum—very pleasant, colorful, with the scent of flowers and gentle music in the background.
 The North Carolina Arboretum presented a two-day exhibition of ikebana - the Japanese art of flower arrangement. This expiation was organized by

the Asheville Chapter of Ikebana International.

Ikebana is the art of flower arranging that originates in ancient Japan. It is practiced as an art where flowers and other natural elements are placed in such a way as to embody harmony, peace, and beauty. Ikebana, also known as kado in Japanese, is considered to be the top 3 major forms of cultural arts along with tea ceremony and calligraphy.  

Trolls on the trails at the Asheville Arboretum in North Carolina

I want to take trash and turn it into something 

that will open people’s eyes and minds. 

We shouldn’t throw the world out—

then we’ll have a world with no mountains, no woods.

Thomas Dambo, the troll sculptor

Thomas Dambo, Danish artist living and working in Copenhagen, Denmark, is a well-known recycling art activist and environmental artist.

Thomas Dambo creates his art using recycled materials—reclaimed wood, old pallets and other debris, fallen branches and twigs—proving that discarded materials are not worthless, but can be transformed into beautiful, meaningful works of art.

This Copenhagen-based artist transforms recycled materials into giant figures, creating trolls*