Programs and Events
Ikebana Programs
Ikebana International Naples Chapter #160
The 2026-2027 Program Schedule has been announced. Please note that the first two dates of new upcoming season will be the second Wednesday of the month, instead of the first week, due to the Naples Botanical Garden’s scheduling. All meetings will be held in Buehler Hall at the Naples Botanical Gardens, unless otherwise noted. Please check the website before each meeting for information on workshops, speakers, room changes and items to bring for workshops.
2026-2027 Program Schedule
All programs take place at Naples Botanical Garden
Programs begin at 9:30 AM
Free for all current members and guests (including entrance to the Botanical Garden)
Wednesday, November 11, 2026 | 9:30 AM - Noon
Incorporating Art into
Ikebana Designs
For our November program, distinguished Sensei Margy Metzler, a member of Chapter 160, and liaison with the Naples Art District for Artful Arrangements, she will explore the influence of art on Ikebana and the ways color, composition, line, and form can inspire floral design. Following her presentation, members and guests will take part in a hands-on workshop, creating an Ikebana arrangement inspired by a colorful painting selected by Margy. Please bring a container, kenzan, hasami (scissors), and come prepared to translate artistic inspiration into flowers.
Margy Metzler is an internationally recognized Ikebana Sensei, educator, author, and curriculum developer with more than 20 years of experience in the traditional Japanese art of Ikebana. She is head of the Kado Sensho Ikenobo USA school and has attained the highest-ranking master teacher designation, Nihon Sokatoku. Margy has also studied in the Urasenke tradition of Japanese Tea Ceremony, is the 2023 recipient of the Midori Tanimune Memorial Teaching Scholarship, and serves as the NCAR advocate for sensei development. Margy’s presentations combine culture, history, and design principles that engage audiences of all backgrounds.
Wednesday, December 9, 2026 | 9:30 AM - Noon
@ Buehler Hall
Claudia Henao Shares the Japanese
Artistry of Kintsugi
For our December meeting, Claudia Henao will share the Japanese artistry of Kintsugi, the beautiful tradition of restoring broken pottery with lacquer and gold. More than a method of repair, Kintsugi honors the history of an object by transforming its imperfections into part of its beauty—a graceful reflection on resilience, renewal, and the art of embracing what makes each piece unique.
Claudia Henao is a Colombian-American glass, visual, and mixed-media artist based in Delray Beach, Florida. She has worked with different techniques in glass for over twenty years. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including in France, Bulgaria, Colombia, Costa Rica, and the U.S. Her pieces were selected for New Glass Review 42 and 45 by the Corning Museum of Glass. She is a floral designer and has been teaching since 2020 at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens. Henaoglass.com.
Claudia will also be holding a workshop in the afternoon of December 9th for a limited number of members on a first-come basis. Please contact Amy Grambeau for details and to sign up at amy@orangeegg.net
Wednesday, January 6, 2027 | 9:30 AM – Noon
Helena Arouca Introduces a
New School of Ikebana: Sangetsu
While Sogetsu asks, “What can I express with these materials?” Sangetsu asks, “What beauty and life are these materials already expressing?” Through her presentation, Helena will introduce us to this thoughtful approach to Japanese flower arranging—one that honors the natural character of each branch, leaf, and blossom while cultivating harmony, beauty, and awareness.
Helena has been practicing and teaching Ikebana since 1994, sharing its beauty and philosophy with hundreds of students throughout the Washington, D.C., area, Southern California, and South Florida. She is also a new member of our Chapter 160.
In recent years, she has also begun creating her own ceramic vases, giving her students the opportunity to practice Ikebana using her one-of-a-kind, handcrafted pieces. Helena’s passion lies in sharing this ancient art and introducing others to a distinctive form of creative expression that brings greater beauty, balance, and mindfulness into everyday life.
Please join us on January 6th for an inspiring program celebrating the natural beauty and spirit of Sangetsu.
In February, we paused our regular meetings for our Annual Exhibition.
Learn more here.
Wednesday, March 3, 2027 | 9:30 AM - Noon
@ Buehler Hall
The Joy of Cherry Blossom
Season in Japan
For our March program, we welcome our own Ohara School Sensei, Kaoru Sweet. Traveling frequently between Japan and Naples, Kaoru brings a special connection to the traditions, seasons, and floral beauty of Japan. She will share the significance of Japan’s beloved cherry blossom season, when the fleeting beauty of sakura is celebrated throughout the country as a symbol of renewal and the precious, transient nature of life. Kaoru will demonstrate an Ohara School designs inspired by the season, incorporating flowering branches and spring materials to capture the graceful spirit and beauty of springtime in Japan.
Kaoru Sweet was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. After graduating college in the U.S., she started studying Ikebana in Tokyo with her mother’s encouragement. She completed the 3rd term master’s degree before returning to the U.S. and has been teaching under the Ohara school in Wisconsin and Florida for more than 30 years.
Wednesday, March 10, 2027 | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Annual Ikebana Luncheon
Join us for our Annual Ikebana Luncheon on March 10, from 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. at Bear’s Paw Golf & Country Club. This year, we are delighted to welcome our own distinguished Sensei Stephanie English of the Ikenobo School of Ikebana as our featured speaker. For more than 30 years, Sensei English has studied the art of Ikenobo with respected professors and sensei throughout the United States, Canada, and Japan. A certified Sokatoku, Level 18 Ikenobo Instructor, she brings to her teaching a deep appreciation for nature, seasonal materials, and the centuries-old traditions of Ikenobo.
At the luncheon, Sensei English will share the fascinating history of Ikenobo, demonstrate its distinctive design styles, and offer insights and wisdom gained through decades of study and teaching. It promises to be a wonderful afternoon of beauty, inspiration, and learning. Guests will also enjoy a silent auction and plenty of time to visit with fellow Chapter members, friends, and guests.
Wednesday, April 7, 2027 | 9:30 AM – Noon
All Things Orchids
For our April program, we welcome Nick Ewy of Naples Botanical Garden for a fascinating look at the remarkable world of orchids. Members will have the opportunity to learn from someone whose career has been deeply rooted in orchid cultivation, plant collections, and tropical horticulture. Nick will introduce us to a variety of orchid species, their unique characteristics, and the care and cultivation that allow these extraordinary plants to thrive. We will also enjoy a special behind-the-scenes visit to the Garden’s private orchid reserves.
Nick Ewy, Director of Collections at Naples Botanical Garden, has been fascinated by rare and tropical plants since childhood. A graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in botany and plant pathology, Nick began his horticultural career working with rare plants and later worked at the American Orchid Society Botanical Garden in Delray Beach before joining Naples Botanical Garden in 2013. His particular expertise and passion are orchids and other epiphytic plants, and his work at the Garden includes cultivating, propagating, and showcasing these remarkable plants within the Garden’s living collections.
Wednesday, May 5, 2027 | 9:30 AM – Noon
Bamboo as an Inspiration
for Ikebana
For our May program, we will close the season by exploring bamboo as an inspiration for Ikebana. Long admired throughout Asia and especially meaningful in Japanese art and culture bamboo is celebrated for its strength, flexibility, simplicity, and elegant line, making it a natural material for floral design.
Several of our own Senseis will be on hand to guide members and guests in a hands-on workshop using bamboo to create containers and imaginative Ikebana arrangements. Together, we will explore the many ways this versatile material can bring structure, movement, and character to a design.
Materials will be provided. Please come ready to create, experiment, and enjoy a fitting celebration to conclude our Ikebana season. This will be our annual meeting and an announcement of our new Board of Directors.
