Elegant. Sophisticated. Timeless. Those three words only begin to capture the magic of

ikebana, the Japanese art of arranging stems, leaves, and flowers with sculptural

intention. And in St. Petersburg, this centuries-old art form is the passion of Old Northeast resident Gretchen Ward Warren.

A former professional ballerina, celebrated costume designer, author, professor, and world-

traveling instructor, Gretchen has lived multiple creative lives. But nothing fills her cup like

ikebana does.

“I waited all my life to study ikebana,” she smiles.

She laughs about it now: she had been to art school, worked in the ballet world as a ballerina

and a coach, and even owned a costume design business in New York, but ikebana had always

tugged at her sleeve. Class schedules never fit. Life was too full. Until she retired. Finally, after 26 years on the dance faculty at the University of South Florida, the door finally opened.

She stepped through it with both feet.

In retirement Gretchen found herself drawn to the sculptural floral creations she admired at Art

in Bloom at the Museum of Fine Arts. One artist’s work in particular stopped her in her tracks:

Jeanne Houlton, a Japanese master in the Ichiyo School of ikebana. That was the artist Gretchen wanted to learn from. She studied directly under her for a decade.

“She’s still my mentor,” comments Gretchen.

Today, Gretchen teaches and practices ikebana from her home studio in the Old Northeast. 

Her arranging style is unmistakable. Ironically, it all stems from her days in dance.

“Many things important in choreography, such as line, space, movement and contrast, are also

essential to good ikebana design. People tell me my ikebanas ‘dance.’ I don’t intentionally try to

do that. I think it’s just second nature after a lifetime in dance. I always try to create a sense of

movement. If I cannot see the direction of the wind in my design, I’m not happy!” she laughs.

Basic characteristics of ikebana are minimalism, lots of negative space within the design (i.e., as

they say: “space for the birds to fly though it”), asymmetry, and generally the use of an odd

number of stems (3-5-7, etc.). Also, one can usually see the shape of a triangle embedded in the

design, especially as designers commonly use three stems of branches to establish this shape.

Gretchen explains, “These three stems (each a different length) are referred to with different

names in different schools, but sometimes are said to represent heaven, earth and man. An ikebana can be just a beautiful sculptural design, but it can also have symbolic meaning or seem to tell a little story via the relationship of the stems and flowers to each other.”

Where does she create her masterpieces? Usually at home. Gretchen has more than a hundred vessels, many of them Japanese ceramics collected over time. Each piece begins with the choice of container and evolves from there, sometimes in minutes, sometimes over weeks.

How does it feel to make creative arrangements? “It’s very meditative,” she says. “I tell people I

make sculpture with organic materials. We never use artificial plant materials, only fresh or dried. Ikebana trains your eye to appreciate nature in new ways. You learn to see beauty even in a twisted, dead branch.”

Gretchen is actively involved as a board member with Ikebana International Chapter 65 in St. Petersburg. The group boasts more than 60 creative members and is about to celebrate its 64th anniversary. It is one of the oldest chapters in the country of Ikebana International, an organization founded after World War II by an American woman seeking to promote peace and understanding between nations through the art of ikebana. With the motto “Friendship through Flowers,” it now has 6,000 members in 160 chapters worldwide.

For information about Chapter 65’s events, check their website: ikebanastpetersburg.com.

While its members exhibit their work throughout the city year-round, the organization will host its annual luncheon featuring a silent auction and a demonstration by leading ikebana artist Dr. Ric Carrasco at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club on March 18, 2026. The event is open to the public, with the demonstration scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. Complimentary parking will be available at the yacht club, and registration and tickets can be purchased online at ikebanastpetersburg.com.

“For me, ikebana has provided a creative outlet that fills the void left when I retired after fifty

years of professional life in dance and choreography,” says Gretchen. It has filled her soul and

inspired many others through her thoughtful designs, crafted with care. With her heart for the

arts, she has a way of making flowers speak without saying a word. It doesn’t get any more

rewarding than that!