A Friendly Plug for a Famous Bonsai Magazine

The cover of the latest issue of Bill Valavanis’ International Bonsai Magazine We’ve been featuring the bonsai and bonsai related exploits of Bill Valavanis for a long time, but I don’t think we’ve ever featured his famous International Bonsai Magazine. So we’re way overdue I won’t say too much here (we’ll let the pictures do the talking) except that it’s the flagship American bonsai magazine and in my humble opinion a must for any serious North American (and beyond) bonsai enthusiast. Here’s your link to subscribe (just in case you missed the two links above). You can thank me later … Continue reading A Friendly Plug for a Famous Bonsai Magazine

Still Sleeping at the Switch

Do you recognize this award winning Shimpaku juniper? It appears in Fine Bonsai, Art and Nature (and older version is in the gallery of our Masters Series Juniper book). It belongs to Masahiko Kimura. The photo is by Jonathan Singer, as are all three photos in this post and all of the photos in Fine Bonsai. The three trees shown here are all from a review of the book Fine Bonsai, Art and Nature, that appears at Smithsonian.com. We were alerted to the review by Matt Calcavecchia in the comments on a recent post (scroll down to the last tree … Continue reading Still Sleeping at the Switch

Bunjin! For Love of Bonsai, A Little Counter Point, Yankee Bonsai Artists & What Is It About the Eel River?

Remember this? A little counter point to the searing heat many of us have been experiencing. Photo is from Rosemarie Voelker’s facebook photos. The caption reads: Vincente Rodriguez Lopez, Spain February 2012 snow. FREE Green Dream bonsai fertilizer while our warehouse is closed for vacation. Our warehouse will be closed for six more days. Orders received this week will be shipped on a first-come, first-served basis starting next Monday the 20th. As a reward for your patience, all orders received by noon Sunday (U.S. Eastern Daylight Time) the 19th will receive one FREE 8oz bag of Green Dream bonsai … Continue reading Bunjin! For Love of Bonsai, A Little Counter Point, Yankee Bonsai Artists & What Is It About the Eel River?

Bonsai Hot Bed Meets America’s Premier Bonsai Show

Thanks to Bill Valavanis for pointing out that this pine is one and the same as the Randy Knight freshly collected pine that we featured in a previous post (American Bonsai Heaven). It won the Meco Bonsai/Kiku Award at the 2nd US National Bonsai Exhibition (June 2010) for the Finest Evergreen. It’s by Scott Elser of Portland, Oregon (that famous bonsai heaven/hot bed). Less than a year By the way, we are just less than one year away from the 3rd US National Bonsai Exhibition, June 9-10, 2012. I think you might want to put it on your calendar right … Continue reading Bonsai Hot Bed Meets America’s Premier Bonsai Show

Bill’s Bonsai & Stone Lantern’s Sale

I don’t think there are very many genuine Tokonomas in North America. Of the few I’ve seen, this is one of the very best. The funky curvy wood on the right and the wildly voluptuous wisteria contrast perfectly with the formality of the rest of the display. For your enjoyment Bill Valavanis of International Bonsai recently posted a series of excellent photos on facebook. We’ve included a few for you to enjoy. You can view them all here. Also for your enjoyment Stone Lantern (that’s us) is having a wild and woolly book sale and Bonsai Today sale right now. … Continue reading Bill’s Bonsai & Stone Lantern’s Sale

Fall Color in Upstate New York

This strikingly colorful ginkgo with its thick, uniquely shaped and uncommonly well tapered trunk (for a ginkgo) is from facebook, courtesy of Bill Valavanis (International Bonsai). In fact, all three photos in this post are Bill’s. Looks like a pyracantha. The well-chosen blue pot contrasts with and amplifies the bright vermilion berries. A colorful piece of Bill’s nursery.

Same Tree, Only Better

This is the same cedar that we featured three days ago, only much improved after being prepared for exhibition at the 2nd U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition. BTW: it won the ABS Award for the finest North American Species Bonsai. It’s no wonder eh? Photo courtesy of Bill Valavanis of International Bonsai. The artist is Marc Arpag of the Bonsai Society of Upstate New York. Our Site-Wide Summer Sale Ends Tomorrow Morning!

Coming Soon: North American Bonsai at the International Bonsai Symposium

This splendid Japanese maple by Bill Valavanis is from the cover of International Bonsai’s special Maple Issue. Do you like North American trees? Larch, cedar, bald cypress, buttonwood, Rocky mountain juniper will be all featured September 10-12 in Rochester NY. Meet some excellent bonsai artists and teachers, take a couple workshops and go home happy (visit International Bonsai for details). Speaking of North American Bonsai… …the gallery book North American Bonsai is now double discounted at Stone Lantern. So is The 1st U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition Album.

Planning Ahead: The 2nd U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition

Coming soon! The first U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition in 2008 was a striking success (we have the album to prove it) and the second will no doubt take another large step towards bringing the North American bonsai community together and placing it on the world bonsai map. Be a sponsor, be an exhibitor, or simply go Stone Lantern will once again be a sponsor and you can join us if you are inclined to add a little extra push to this most worthy venture. You can also apply to show your favorite tree. Or, lacking either of those, you can … Continue reading Planning Ahead: The 2nd U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition

Mission of Transformation is rapidly approaching

This powerful tray planting leaves little doubt that Robert Steven is a brilliant bonsai and penjing artist. From Mission of Transformation. It’s on shore and on its way A truck bearing Robert Steven’s new book, Mission of Transformation, will be ascending our long dirt driveway any day now (maybe today!). Walter Pall “Tradition is not the conservation of ashes but the propagation of fire. Robert Steven certainly is propagating the fire. What was started in his first book, Vision of My Soul… is put into practice here in this book. I dare to say that this book will become a … Continue reading Mission of Transformation is rapidly approaching