Some Noelanders Mysteries Solved

Another great unidentified tree from the Noelanders Trophy VII No NameBonsai Gallery (see yesterday’s post) that is featured on bonsai4me. I love the way this tree’s wild essence has been left intact, just the way Mother Nature intended. This comes through loud and clear in the deadwood that speaks of great age and looks so perfectly natural; as though the artist never touched it. Mysteries solved Thanks to our friend Ferry Freriks (you might remember Ferry as the winner of our $100 Unique Bonsai Contest), many of the mysteries in yesterday’s No Name Bonsai Gallery have met the light of … Continue reading Some Noelanders Mysteries Solved

Judgement Day

Okay. You’ve had your chance. And we already have more than the twenty five judges that we asked for. So, as of midnight Sunday, March 21st, (Eastern Daylight Savings Time), the judging for our Bonsai Art Contest is closed.

A Powerful No Name Bonsai Gallery

Have you ever seen a trunk quite like this? A Kimura yew that we posted a while back has some gaps, but this one has more space than trunk. It’d be good to see the tree close up to better understand exactly what the artist (who he or she is, is a mystery to us) did and how the pieces come together somewhere around mid-tree. We found this and the rest of the photos in this post on Bonsai4me. It’s originally from Noelanders Trophy VII. All the photos are by Hans Vleugels of Belgium. Missing artists We’ve seen lots of … Continue reading A Powerful No Name Bonsai Gallery

Judging: Time to Step Up

There’s still time for you Nineteen people have judged our Bonsai Art Contest so far. Not bad, but not over yet. There’s still time for you to weigh in. Sales! And, while we are at it, just a friendly reminder that we still have sales on books, magazines and netsuke going on. I know we’ve had lots of sales the last year or so (our answer to a weak economy), but don’t assume they will continue at the same frequency, or at the same deep discounts.

No Borders In Bonsai

Goshin by John Yoshio Naka. This famous tree resides at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum in Washington DC. Photos will never do it justice. It is huge (about 1 meter tall – just over 3 feet) and is so dramatic in person that it almost seems to vibrate with power. This photo, by Peter Bloomer is originally from Timeless Trees by Peter and Mary Bloomer. It also appears on the cover of Bonsai Today issue 93, an issue that features a tribute to the life and works of John Naka. No borders in bonsai Helen Searle recently sent me … Continue reading No Borders In Bonsai

You Be The Judge & Good Things Will Happen

Judge our $100 Bonsai Art Contest and win a $30.00 Judge’s Gift Certificate to Stone Lantern for the best judges comments (comments are optional; see below under ‘How can you win….’). The basics The 13 bonsai art entries below (placed roughly in the order we received them) have been entered in our $100 Bonsai Art Contest. The winner will be determined when 25 judges have sent in their decisions, or by April 30th (whichever comes first). Anyone can judge (see below if you entered in the contest), but only one time per person.

Johnny Uchida’s Superb Saikei

This stellar saikei by Johnny Uchida was sent to us by Noah (no last name). Johnny Uchida is the owner of Grove Way Nursery in Hayward, California (East Bay, SF Bay Area). Noah’s comments Here what Noah has to say about this planting: “This saikei was done by Johnny Uchida of Grove Way Bonsai as an example for beginning students who were learning to make their own saikeis and he gave me permission to share them. Mr. Uchida is also the sensei of Yamato Bonsai Kai in Northern California. The trees are cryptomeria and hinoki cypress and the composition is … Continue reading Johnny Uchida’s Superb Saikei

Last Four Entries $100 Bonsai Art Contest

Drawing by Youri Boerlage. Youri didn’t write anything about this, but it looks like a juniper with some very wild jin and shari. Drawing by Matt Cooke’s girlfriend. This is a sketch my girlfriend did for me. As I was busy repotting in early March she had to keep herself entertained. (thus the playful comments). I believe it is pen and water pencil. The drawing is of my recently acquired mountain hemlock yamadori. (Tsuga mertensiana) Drawing by Pongsatorn Kanthaboon. Pongasatorn’s only comment is that it’s a Juniperus procumbens. FYI: some common names are: Shore juniper. Procumben juniper, Japanese garden juniper. … Continue reading Last Four Entries $100 Bonsai Art Contest

Juniper in Progress by François Jeker

We just received this from François Jeker. François is the author Bonsai Aesthetics and is an accomplished bonsai artist and teacher. He is particularly known for his skills in creating, carving and aging of deadwood. Bonsai Today featured a series of his articles on the topic (issues 103, 104 and 105). The bad news is that two of these issue are out of print. The good news is that we have been posting excerpts here on Bonsai Bark and plan on posting more in the future. I particularly like his article on aging deadwood which was featured in July of … Continue reading Juniper in Progress by François Jeker

Eighth & Ninth Entries $100 Bonsai Art Contest

Bonsai sketch by Paul Flegenschue. “Attached is a scan of a tree and scene I drew in my sketchbook when I was doing my undergraduate. I imagined the sketch as a Japanese maple during winter, showing its intricate branch ramification.” Cérigraphy by Gen. Submitted by Matthiew Quinn. “My girlfriend is taking cérigraphy courses (drawing stensils then shoting ink around them on a fabric of choice). She drew the bonsai of a picture off the web, then made it biger by drawing a couple more bonsai (making it biger each time) and finally got the big bonsai you see on the … Continue reading Eighth & Ninth Entries $100 Bonsai Art Contest