A little perspective on a very tiny tree. I’m not crazy about most Chinese figurines (at least the commercial ones you usually see), but this contemplative man is pretty good. This and all the other photos in this post are borrowed from The Art of Bonsai Project. The Bonsai of Lam Ngoc Vinh Every once [...]
A magical Chinese elm penjing by Wang Huaishun. Did this creative landscape, and others like it, influence some of Kimura’s more daring innovations? Robert Steven’s too? From Bonsai Today issue 98. Submitted by Karin Albert. Penjing in three parts The Penjing above is the lead photo in a wonderful (and very well received) in-depth article [...]
I’m guessing this impressive tree is a Chinese elm. Whatever it is, it displays much of what you’d look for in a bonsai: power, refinement, balance, excellent ramification, attractive pot, even some imperfection. I’d also venture that it’s definitely not Japanese. It’s from Rawe Laranta Ramook Bonsai. It’s Penjing, but is it Chinese? A couple [...]
Robert Steven’s simulation of a Japanese black pine that was submitted by Mike Liu (Mike’s original is immediately below). Mike’s original photo that was submitted to Robert. Robert’s Critique The Five Schools of Chinese Penjing The above black pine bonsai is sent by Mike Liu from China. Since Chinese bonsai is called penjing, I will [...]
This photo is from Kiki Bonsai. Win a $25.00 gift certificate to Stone Lantern Send me (wayne@stonelantern.com) your written critique of the planting in this photo. Try to keep it to 100 words or less. I will pick the winning critique based upon two criteria: 1. Content. How insightful your observations are. 2. Clarity. How [...]
This enchanted (and somewhat fuzzy) scene if from BCI’s (Bonsai Club International) web pages on their upcoming China tour. China anyone? It’s too bad the photo above isn’t sharper. Still, it’s clear that the scene beckons you to sail amongst those towering cliffs (at least in your imagination). I doubt if BCI’s tour includes sailing, [...]
I found this near perfect penjing stuck in a file on somewhere on my computer. Unfortunately, I neglected to label it, and, like so many other things stuck in files in hidden corners, I don’t remember where it came from. I do know that it’s a Trident maple and I could make a guess on [...]
I lifted this sinuous Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) off of a great gallery at Bonsai Tonight from the 2010 Bay Island Bonsai Exhibit. Though I can’t tell for sure, it looks like at least five full twists in the trunk. Not something you see every day. Here’s another heavy-trunked bunjin. It’s a Sierra juniper, also [...]
