Saving a Yew from the Wood Pile

Friday. This and the other images in this post were are lifted from Graham Potter’s video, ‘A Yew saved from the woodpile.’ Graham Potter’s bonsai videos are remarkably popular (the one featured here has been viewed over 138,000 times on youtube and who knows how many times on Graham’s Kaizen Bonsai website) and it’s no wonder. Not only are they very well-made and highly instructive, but they are also, at times, simply astounding (too much coffee this morning?). This one features a five day transformation of an old English yew (Taxus baccata), some great highbrow music and a wealth of … Continue reading Saving a Yew from the Wood Pile

Screwing Around

Graham Potter’s hands doing the screwing (into a larch). The image is from a video on styling an old larch (the same larch, and the same video we used a few days ago) on Graham’s Kaizen Bonsai site. It’s another way to do the same thing Often, when you want to use wire to pull two parts of a tree closer together, you can find branches or stubs or something else to fasten the wire to. But what if you can’t? Or what if you can, but you are concerned about the wire damaging the part of the tree you … Continue reading Screwing Around

Shots from the 2nd U.S. Bonsai Exhibition

Nice trunk. Definitely looks like an azalea. The shot is from a video by Alejandro Medina Ibarra of the 2nd U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition. Alejandro Medina Ibarra The shots here are all from a video of the 2nd U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition. The video is by Alejandro Medina Ibarra and it’s brilliant. I wasn’t able to attend, so I’m particularly grateful for Alejandro’s efforts. Something powerful and good took place in Rochester last month if this video is any indication. Really, check it out and you too will wish you’d been there (see you in 2012). Bill Valavanis I’m not … Continue reading Shots from the 2nd U.S. Bonsai Exhibition

Air-Layering with a Touch of Silliness

This is from a Bonsai Society of Portland (Oregon) video entitled ‘Uncovering an Air-layer.’ I found it on Michael Hagedorn’s Crataegus Bonsai. What’s with bonsai people? A friend of mine (she isn’t a bonsai enthusiast) once describe bonsai people as a ‘bunch of harmless nerds.’ I’m not so sure about the harmless part (just kidding?), but you might find a touch of nerdiness every now and then (not that there’s anything wrong with it). Anyway, check out this video. It’s instructive (in more ways than one). And BTW, the happy cackle belongs to Mr. Hagedorn himself. Michael inspecting the newly … Continue reading Air-Layering with a Touch of Silliness

Contest Critique #5: Bonsai Metaphor

This image is from a video entitled ‘growth’ by Richard Lantz. Bonsai as metaphor Richard Lantz’s entry is less about bonsai than it is about what it means to be human; specifically (according to Amanda Rataj’s comments on Richard’s site) “control and the desire to better understand the place of the individual in society.” Bonsai as bonsai I enjoyed Richard’s video. His flowing drawings are quite mesmerizing and his talent is undeniable. However, from a purely bonsai perspective, none of the drawings taken alone achieve a presentable bonsai, and the ones with potential are either ruined (intentionally, I think) or … Continue reading Contest Critique #5: Bonsai Metaphor

Jin & Shari #6: Carving an Old Hornbeam

Here’s a great example of an English hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) that started as large tree that was cut down and carved. The artist is Graham Potter of Kaizen Bonsai. Carving video by Graham Potter If you are interested in carving as well as reducing large field grown trees, check out the video below. It might just open up an entirely new way of doing things for you and your bonsai.