Boon’s Juniper Bonsai & Our Juniper Book

This Sierra juniper by Boon Manakitivipart is one of three trees by Boon that appears in the gallery section of our newly reprinted Juniper Masters’ Series book. Boon Manakitivipart (Bonsai Boon) is very well-known and highly respected bonsai artist and teacher (a teacher’s teacher). He also has the distinction of having three of his trees in our newly reprinted Juniper book. All three and a couple others appear here. Including one that is on the cover of our final Bonsai Today issue from way back in 2007. At least four of the trees (maybe all five) shown here are yamadori … Continue reading Boon’s Juniper Bonsai & Our Juniper Book

Boon Again & Again

Shohin cork bark Chinese elm in its new pot. From Boon Manakitivipart’s facebook feed. Boon is repotting once again. On facebook of all places. Just in case you don’t know who Boon is, well, among other things he’s a famous bonsai artist and teacher who resides in the SF Bay Area. Here’s his home page on facebook, here’s his website and here’s Boon Again, one of many Bark posts where he is featured. There are differing opinions about the practice of washing the roots clean when repotting, but that’s for another time.

Boon Again

This magnificent juniper makes its rocky home in California’s Sierra Nevada range. This photo, and the next three photos, are from a recent series on Boon Manakitivipart’s facebook timeline titled “Sierra trip with Dylan, Toby and Freddie at Carson Pass.” We’ve been featuring Boon Manakitivipart’s bonsai since Bonsai Bark’s earliest days. Not only is Boon a highly accomplished bonsai artist, he is teacher to several other accomplish bonsai artists (Michael Hagedorn immediately comes to mind). Equally important, Boon is a lover and photographer (along with some friends) of some of the Sierra Nevada’s most astounding trees. Boon and … Continue reading Boon Again

A Boon to Bonsai

From chuhin to shohin. I have a soft spot for stubby little trees. Especially ones with reams of character like this European olive that was originally a stump dug from Boon Manakitivipart’s garden. Bonsai Boon Boon Manakitivipart is without doubt one of North America’s most influential bonsai artists and teachers. Several of his students have become important artists and teachers in their own right, and countless trees of Boon’s and his students’ have appeared on this blog, in magazines and books and elsewhere on the web. All of the photos in this posts (except the very last one) are from … Continue reading A Boon to Bonsai

Weeky Wire: World Bonsai Day, Free Bonsai Wire, Kokufu, Boon’s Tips & Much More

Who could ask for more? It wasn’t too long ago we led off a Weekly Wire with a Gedemerta Bonsaibali tree. Now, we’ve gone and done it again. I’m guessing you can see why. Aside from the wildly expressive deadwood, the well-aged textured beauty of the bark, the trunk’s powerful base and perfect taper, the tree’s radiant health, the near perfect play between balance and movement; the photo is also very well done. Who could ask for more? FREE! FREE WIRE, SCISSORS, TOOL CLEANING BLOCKS & CUT PASTE WHEN YOU ORDER FROM STONE LANTERN… …but only if you enter … Continue reading Weeky Wire: World Bonsai Day, Free Bonsai Wire, Kokufu, Boon’s Tips & Much More

Character, Strength & Boon’s Transplanting Tips

Though it has the raw look of yet to be refined tree, still, there’s a lot to like about this bonsai. Its massive nebari ads great strength, character and balance and the hollow in the trunk (sabamiki) provides a further touch of character and age that sets it apart from more ordinary bonsai. It belongs to Boon Manakitivipart, owner of Bonsai Boon (my mistake, see comments) and distinguished bonsai artist and teacher. Though Boon doesn’t say what it is, I’ll guess that it’s a California live oak of some sort (Quercus suber?). From a bonsai tip entitled WINTER CARE: REPOTTING, … Continue reading Character, Strength & Boon’s Transplanting Tips

Bonsai Tonight with Boon & Peter Tea

This heavy gnarly trunked Japanese black pine is from Bonsai Tonight. When Jonas took this photo, it had just been styled at a Bay Island Bonsai workshop by Peter Tea. It’s not clear if the tree is Peter’s or if it belongs to Boon (it’s not unusual for a student to work on a teacher’s tree), though I imagine that it’s Peter’s. We’ve now been informed the the tree belongs to Boon (see comments). Close up of the trunk. Closer up still. You could search for a long time and never stumble across a trunk as abundant in natural character … Continue reading Bonsai Tonight with Boon & Peter Tea

Michael Hagedorn on Boon’s Intensives

Michael Hagedorn working at one of Boon’s intensives. From Bonsai Boon. A little background I stumbled across this article (below) by Michael Hagedorn while whiling away some time exploring Bonsai Boon. Michael is now recognized as one of our most accomplished bonsai artists, authors and teachers, and Boon, in addition to being one of Michael’s teachers and a first rate bonsai artist, has long been a key player in establishing and furthering the art of bonsai in North America. In Michael’s own words “I first met Boon Manakitivipart some years ago at a bonsai convention. He was energetic and animated, … Continue reading Michael Hagedorn on Boon’s Intensives

Bonsai Boon: A Sierra Juniper’s Eight Year Journey

After. January, 2009 at Bay Island Bonsai’s show “An Exhibit of Fine Bonsai.” If you go to Styling on Bonsai Boon you can see how Boon got from before (below) to here. Another example of a formidable bonsai artist’s expertise We’ve featured Boon Manakitivipart on this blog before, and for good reason. He’s a highly accomplished bonsai artist and teacher whose enthusiasm and skill has influenced a generation of aspiring Western bonsai artists. If you are serious about improving your skills, you might want to check out Boon’s intensives. Before. June 2001. Sierra juniper (no doubt collected somewhere in California’s … Continue reading Bonsai Boon: A Sierra Juniper’s Eight Year Journey

Boon’s Big Bonsai: The Original (Plus One)

Here’s the original photo (©2009 Boon Manakitivipart) of Boon admiring one of the most amazing trees anywhere (see our last post if you haven’t already). It was taken by Michael Pitalo (Kneecap Graph X). If you check back to this earlier post, you might think that Boon has a knack for finding extraordinary trees, or at least being photographed with extraordinary trees (we’re waiting for number three as final proof). The tree Okay, we know it’s amazing. The longer you look at it, the more amazing it is. But, we still haven’t identified the species (Sierra juniper?). And we’ll probably … Continue reading Boon’s Big Bonsai: The Original (Plus One)