An Unusual Bonsai by An Unusually Gifted Bonsai Artist

Though it’s not as powerful as many other Kimura trees (see below), nor is it considered one of his classics, still… there’s that unusual trunk that give pause for thought. It’s a Japanese Yew that appears in The Bonsai Art of Kimura (long out of print). There is no explanation given for how the trunk was formed. Is it possible that Kimura split the original trunk and doubled it back on itself? It’s Saturday morning, the leaves are turning and it’s a beautiful day. Time to dig into our archives and then get outside and enjoy Vermont at its best. … Continue reading An Unusual Bonsai by An Unusually Gifted Bonsai Artist

Extreme Beauty

This may be the the best Camellia bonsai you’ll ever see. Not that there are that many good camellia bonsai, at least not in my experience. No matter, the strong trunk, great display of flowers, the brilliant emerald foliage and excellent pot, make for an exceptional tree. A truly remarkable and unique new book arrived yesterday. All the photos in this post are from Extreme Beauty, A Life Devoted to Bonsai. As far as I know, there are only 25 copies of Extreme Beauty available in the U.S (before you bust me, please be aware that ‘as far as I … Continue reading Extreme Beauty

The Magician: After & Before

After. Pretty impressive, no? You’ll encounter very few bonsai that are both this powerful and this refined anywhere on this planet. In fact, I challenge you to find even one that rivals it (they do exist, but are oh so rare). Photo from Bonsai Today issue 59 (still available). Too refined? Masahiko Kimura has fallen out of favor with some people over the last few years. You might hear or see comments about how his bonsai is overly sculpted, overly refined, unnatural looking. For where I sit, it’s unfortunate when we feel we must take sides and pick either refined … Continue reading The Magician: After & Before

Kimura’s American Apprentice

Ryan Neil working on one of Masahiko Kimura‘s most famous trees. Photo from The Art of Bonsai Project. Coming Next Weekend Ryan Neil is appearing at The Bonsai Society of Upstate New York on September 13th. Ryan spent six years apprenticing to the world’s most famous bonsai master, Masahiko Kimura. If you live in the vicinity (or if you don’t mind traveling) you can see him demonstrate on a collected juniper and answer questions about being an apprentice in Japan, Master Kimura, bonsai, or whatever comes up. A little piece of an interview with Ryan to whet your appetite (from … Continue reading Kimura’s American Apprentice

More Shots (& Big, Big, Big Book Sale)

Another shot from the 2nd U.S. National Bonsai Exhibit (here for a post from a few days ago). This one (and the last one in this post) was sent to us by Bill Valavanis; the tireless man behind the whole wild and wonderful thing. Big, big, big book sale at Stone Lantern Just trying to squeeze this in to drum up a little business. Mid-summer always requires some extra effort. All the way from Japan. Kunio Kobayashi was not the only famous visitor (and in this case, judge), but he’s the only one with the title ‘Grand Master’ before his … Continue reading More Shots (& Big, Big, Big Book Sale)

Kimura’s Dragon & Old Magazines

Masahiko Kimura’s ‘Dragon’ from Bonsai Today issue 2 (long out of print). It also appeared in ‘The Bonsai Art of Kimura’ (also long out of print). The Magician, The Bonsai Art of Kimura 2 is still in print and is currently discounted. The good news & the bad news The good news is that we are selling our collection out-of-print Bonsai Todays that we have bought back from people over the years. The bad news is that many have already sold. More good news (maybe) We are buying back out-of-print Bonsai Today whenever the opportunity arises, so, if and when … Continue reading Kimura’s Dragon & Old Magazines

Eccentric Bonsai: Isao Omachi’s Radical Tree

Check out the meandering living vein on this wonderful crazy work in progress by Isao Omachi. It showed up on facebook the other day and instantly grabbed my imagination and got me thinking about how he could have done it (the living vein part, that is). Perhaps there’s a clue in something that Masahiko Kimura (The Magician) did years ago in a chapter entitled ‘Kimura Flips (a Tree Upside Down)’ in our Masters’ Series Juniper book (below). Here’s the Kimura tree that he flipped upside down. It originally appeared in Bonsai Today issue 21 (out of print). Pirates At least … Continue reading Eccentric Bonsai: Isao Omachi’s Radical Tree

Eccentric Bonsai: Fearless Master Kimura Again

Though it’s not as powerful as many other Kimura trees (see below), nor is it considered one of his classics, still, I can’t say enough about this tree, so I won’t say much except I apologize that it is a little cramped on the left side and that it’s a Yew and it’s from The Bonsai Art of Kimura (out of print though occasionally the ‘let’s reprint’ thought flits around). There are eccentric bonsai and then… … there are eccentric bonsai. That is, some trees we feature are just eccentric. Others are masterpieces that are also eccentric (unusual in some … Continue reading Eccentric Bonsai: Fearless Master Kimura Again

There’s Something About Junipers

Shore Juniper (J. procumbens) by master bonsai innovator, Masahiko Kimura. I like this one. It combines the sculptural look that has been favored by some Japanese bonsai artists (especially in the 90s) with a more wild, rugged natural look that is in favor in much of the world bonsai community. Not that bonsai is so simple that it can be divided into two categories; sculptural versus natural. If bonsai is an art, then categories are continually being broken down as artist play, explore and innovate. And no bonsai artist that I know of, has played, explored and innovated more successfully … Continue reading There’s Something About Junipers

The Magician’s Formal Forest

Finished for now. Three years after planting (see below). Masahiko Kimura (aka ‘The Magician‘) styled this Ezo spruce (Picea Glehnii) planting with a high mountain stand of conifers in mind. Notice how the trees on the outside lean out, which is what you would expect in a natural stand of trees. You may also notice how Kimura enhanced the feeling of age by removing or jinning about half of the limbs (from below). Trees tend to shed limbs as they age. This is especially true of trees in forests where growth follows light; at tree tops and at the outer … Continue reading The Magician’s Formal Forest