Dynamic Show Stoppers & Other Brilliant Bonsai

This brilliant Satsuki azalea is from a 2015 Bay Area Satsuki Aikokai add (see below). Yesterday we featured some striking photos from the Golden State Bonsai Federation. Today we’ve got some even more striking photos from a 2015 post we did on GSBF. Continued below… Bonsai Tool Sale Ends Tomorrow Night 30% to 35% off Roshi BONSAI Tools Roshi Bonsai Tools are famous for precision cuts, durability, beauty & great prices Roshi Sale Ends tomorrow, Sunday, Feb 19th at 11:59pm EST This dynamic show stopper with its massive deadwood swirl is one of many large bonsai from the private … Continue reading Dynamic Show Stoppers & Other Brilliant Bonsai

Golden Bonsai Statements

Magnificence in miniature. This is one of the most striking mame (literally ‘bean’) bonsai I’ve seen in a long time. And I don’t think we need to say much about the pot, it can speak for itself. At a glance I’d guess this little bonsai is from Japan, but we can’t be sure without attribution. I found it at the Golden State Bonsai Federation.* Here’s part of their caption: “Steve DaSilva reminds all FBS (Fresno Bonsai Society) members that there will be four shohin bonsai workshops offered on Saturday, April 22nd, at the Koen-Nai fundraiser for the Clark Bonsai Collection…” … Continue reading Golden Bonsai Statements

The Golden State of Bonsai

Whoa! I am floored. Have you ever seen a bonsai feature more dynamic and powerful than this tree’s massive deadwood swirl? If so, please send a photo. The tree is one of many large bonsai from the private collection of Frank Bardella that were delivered to the Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt in Oakland, California. The image is from Golden Statement Magazine’s facebook photos. If you love bonsai but don’t know Golden Statements Magazine, it’s time to get acquainted. I won’t say much more, except that Golden Statements has been around for a long time (it must have been one … Continue reading The Golden State of Bonsai

An Impressive List of Famous Bonsai Artists

Zuiou 1996 Kokufu prize winner, Japanese Black Pine. From Peter Tea Bonsai (Peter is one of the headliners at the upcoming Bonsai Visions of the West). Here’s some of what Peter wrote about this famous tree: “A few months ago I was fortunate enough to work on this large Japanese Black Pine. The work wasn’t major and involved thinning and pulling needles; standard stuff for Black Pines in the Winter. Just getting a chance to work on this tree was an amazing feeling for me because it tied my past bonsai career to my ending apprenticeship…” (for more visit Peter’s … Continue reading An Impressive List of Famous Bonsai Artists

Looking Into the Bonsai Future

This dramatic photo of one of Robert Steven’s masterful bonsai was borrowed from the Internet Bonsai Club. It’s our first taste of what promises to be a remarkable event (see below for some details). FREE ADVERTISING! Would you like to see your bonsai event featured here? If so, just send me a notice with a link to the event. That’s it. But remember, no link, no show. My email is wayne@stonelantern.com. You might also want to mention the event (with or without a link) in the comments below. There are no graphics for this Lake Charles Bonsai Society calendar, but … Continue reading Looking Into the Bonsai Future

FREE Advertising & A Few Small Complaints

This Juniper is from the ‘Before and After’ section on Suthin Sukosolvisit’s Bonsai Studio. Suthin is one of the headliners at the GSBF Convention XXXVI (below). Would you like to see your bonsai event featured here? If so, here’s the deal; we need at least one good link, otherwise, we’re not going to bother. And not just a link that lists the date and place, but a link with the names of the featured bonsai artists and with some sort of graphics (club logos are passable, but what we really like are photos of bonsai that belong to the featured … Continue reading FREE Advertising & A Few Small Complaints

Grafting Master Masaru Ishii

I just spent over an hour digging around the internet looking for at least one really good photo of a masterpiece bonsai by Mr Masaru Ishii. The results are this photo of a grafted Shimpaku in training (from New England Bonsai Gardens) and the photo immediately below. This one is a quality photo, but far from one of the masterpieces that I remember seeing at Mr Ishii’s nursery. The one below is a little closer to a masterpiece, but the photo isn’t so good. Oh well… Sadly, Masaru Ishii, grafting master, bonsai artist, teacher, nurseryman, husband, father and much more … Continue reading Grafting Master Masaru Ishii

If You Only Visit One Bonsai Convention This Year…

…you could do a lot worse than this one It’s worth the trip, even if you don’t live in (or near) southern California. For more information visit the Golden State Bonsai Federation website. Pioneer state California, perhaps more than anywhere else outside of Asia (no offense meant to anyone or anywhere else) has been out front in developing the art of bonsai. No doubt a number of factors are responsible, not the least of which is a strong Japanese American community and a growing season that lasts almost forever, with enough sun and heat in one year to last us … Continue reading If You Only Visit One Bonsai Convention This Year…