Giacomo Pappalardo

The Praying Mantis

A while back I stumbled upon The Praying Mantis by Giacomo Pappalardo’s on facebook. Fortunately, he has a website, so you don’t have to befriend him to see what he’s up to. Wildly eccentric I think this yamadori (collected tree) is a pretty good example of the unique and wild end of the bonsai spectrum. A big part of the wonder of yamadori is they don’t necessarily conform to our more conventional notions of what a bonsai should look like. Yet no one would argue that the good ones aren’t really bonsai, no matter how eccentric. Somehow, when that blend … Continue reading The Praying Mantis

Wouldn’t You Like to Find a Tree Like This?

Wouldn’t you like to find a tree like this when you are out collecting? This is a cropped version of Autumn, by Giacomo Pappalardo. From his facebook wall photos. I assume it is Giacomo’s, though I find no mention of it anywhere; just the photo. A trunk with everything This funky (in the good sense) trunk has everything: shape, massive girth, aged bark, a natural looking hollow (sabamiki) and a perfect touch of deadwood. Though you could make an argument for hiding some of the trunk’s heaviness near the top (the dark hole above the jin), I imagine Giacomo decided … Continue reading Wouldn’t You Like to Find a Tree Like This?