Atsuko Lefcourte and her apprentices demonstrating ikebana

Artisans

Flower arrangers

Apprentices

Flowers

Arts, Asian

Asian American arts

Asian Americans

Arts, Japanese

Japanese Americans

Material culture

Plants

Decorative arts

Decoration and ornament

Teaching of folklore

Flower arrangement, Japanese

Four proof sheets with 98 black and white images (plus negatives). Master folk artist Lefcourte took on two apprentices in 1988: Levanthal and McGlamory. Ikebana (Way of the Flower) is the Japanese tradition of flower arranging. It originated in China in the 6th century. Lefcourte was born in Osaka, Japan, where she learned the art of the tea ceremony and flower arranging. She moved to Florida in 1975. For more info on Lefcourte, see S 1644, box 3, folder 11. The Folk Arts Apprenticeship Program began in 1983 with a NEA grant of $22,000. The program provided an opportunity for master folk artists to share technical skills and cultural knowledge with apprentices in order to keep the tradition alive. Apprentices must have had some experience in the tradition and agreed to train for at least six months. The first project director was Blanton Owen, later replaced by folklorist Peter Roller. The program was continued each year through 2003.

State Archives of Florida, Series S1640

1988-03

Florida Folklife Program

Still Image

S1640

7

1

Photographic prints

Folk Arts Apprenticeship Program

Saltzman, Riki

Lefcourte, Atsuko, 1931-1998

Levanthal, Kathy

McGlamory, Sumino, 1932-2001

Asian American

Japanese American

2180

/fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/catalog_photo.jpg