How to Collect Wild Trees

What You Do to the Land You Do to Yourself – An Indepth Discussion with Andy Smith on Collecting Wild Bonsai

Rocky Mountain Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) collected by Andrew (aka Andy) Smith and first styled by Walter Pall. It would hard to find a better pair for the job. Andy (Golden Arrow Bonsai) is a professional forester, master collector of wild bonsai and a bonsai artist in his own rite, and Walter Pall is a world famous bonsai artist, teacher, trouble maker (in the positive sense of course) and owner of a very impressive bonsai collection. The photograph is by Walter. My apologies for the fuzz. It’s  the result of dramatically increasing the image size. On balance I think this size … Continue reading What You Do to the Land You Do to Yourself – An Indepth Discussion with Andy Smith on Collecting Wild Bonsai

Gifts for Bonsai Lovers part 2

Masters Sword Shears. This incomparable tool with its long powerful blades and fluid cutting capabilities is one of the reasons that Japanese professionals get so much work done. You can use yours for routine spring and summer trimming, especially if you have lots of larger bonsai and not so much time. You can also use them in the garden for any number of tasks. I use mine more than any other tool on my field grown bonsai. Made in Japan by Koyo quality tools. List price 145.00. Our special price 119.00. You save 26.00 (actually you save 31.95 when you … Continue reading Gifts for Bonsai Lovers part 2

Golden Arrow Smith

Common juniper. Estimated age 125 years. Collected, wired and potted by Andrew Smith, Golden Arrow Bonsai. Golden Arrow Bonsai Golden Arrow is Andrew Smith (his website says Andrew, though I’ve always known him as Andy), with perhaps a little help from his friends and family. Andrew is a bonsai artist and professional woodsman who specializes in collecting trees from nature. If you would like to learn how to collect the right way, check out Andrew’s DVD, How to Collect Wild Trees. Andrew also has a DVD on styling collected trees that’s entitled Finding the Bonsai Within, Ponderosa Pine Wiring Techniques, … Continue reading Golden Arrow Smith

Deadwood South Dakota: Yamadori part 1

This Limber pine (Pinus flexilis) is going to stay put right where it is. Photo by Andy Smith, from the home page on Andy’s Golden Arrow Bonsai. Andy Smith Andy Smith is a bonsai artist and professional woodsman who specializes in collecting trees from nature. Though I’ve only met Andy once, and have never been collecting with him, I can say with some degree of certainty, that Andy knows what he’s doing when it comes to collecting and caring for yamadori. If you would like to learn how to collect the right way, check out Andy’s DVD, How to Collect … Continue reading Deadwood South Dakota: Yamadori part 1