Sogetsu School of Ikebana by Sahshah 'Kosen' Middleton

Sahshah was born in Singapore and began her studies under Kazue Kato Kim, the founder

of Sogetsu, Singapore beginning at age 7 and continued until she was 16. She began

working in flower shops at 13, going on to intern at the Singapore Botanical Gardens

becoming a certified arborist. She worked at high-end Singapore hotels including the

Adelphi and the Raffles as the resident designer. Sahshah received a degree in Fine Arts

from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore. Since coming to America, she has

held design positions for Gregories Flowers in San Francisco, Adachi’s in San Pablo and Ah

Sam's in San Mateo.  She currently designs for Rosedale Flowers by appointment only.

She possesses a first grade Riji certificate, the highest level in the Sogetsu School. She

holds workshops and gives demonstrations throughout California and the US. She has

demonstrated and exhibited in Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand and

Germany. Sahshah belongs to several garden clubs and plant societies. She has also

served as the flower show manager for the San Francisco County Fair and currently

serves as the Floral Designer for the San Francisco Landscape Show and the Garden Show

in Sacramento. When asked about her design philosophy, Sahshah states that flower design

does not duplicate nature, but advances its beauty and our appreciation for that beauty

using our imagination and creative thought. Using proper techniques and understanding 

plant materials allows us to achieve our visions and express our art.