Tag Archives: Robert Steven bonsai artist

A Magical Land Where Almost Every House Has a Bonsai

wayne | 05/10/2013

We know this tree is very large, but exactly how large is difficult to tell (the uncropped photo immediately below might help a bit). In addition to its great size, it shows an excellent base and nebari, as well as some gnarly bumps that look a bit like melting wax. I think I can say [...]

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Dragon 3

wayne | 05/08/2013

Highly distinctive, exceptionally powerful and almost grotesque. When I first glanced at this tree, there was just a massive trunk with great taper and one of the largest sabamiki (the hollow in the trunk) ever. Then the face appeared (purely a mental projection by the way). I think the solution to this dilemma is to [...]

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A Steady Stream…

wayne | 04/14/2013

Premna serratifolia by Robert Steven. Aside from the immediate impact of the old wood with all the trunks popping up everywhere, there’s the counter-balance provided by the sturdy little trunk on the far left and the way the two tiny trunks at the base provide subtle accents. And then there’s that teetering trunk on that [...]

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Mister Windswept Bonsai

wayne | 03/23/2013

Robert Steven’s simulation of the tree pictured below. If you search windswept bonsai, you’ll most likely notice that almost all of the best windswept trees belong to Robert Steven. You could even say that Robert Steven is Mr. Windswept Bonsai. Both as an artist and as an authority on the subject. But then, you could [...]

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Year End Loose Ends & Shameless Promotion

wayne | 12/26/2012

Just couldn’t resist posting yet another yew (there have been several lately). But, as you can see, it’s not just any yew. I found it here with this caption. Taxus Baccata (English yew) by Stefano Frisoni from Italy. Newsflash!  I’ve been having a strange feeling that I’ve seen this tree somewhere before. Turns out it [...]

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Natural Transformation: A Tree’s Life Story by Robert Steven

wayne | 12/08/2012

After. Robert Steven’s simulation of an Olive that was submitted by Gary Howes. There’s a lot to like about this simulation, including just how natural and untamed it looks (even the pot has an untamed quality); untamed in the sense of something that has managed to stay alive and even thrive under some of the [...]

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A Man With a Mission (and a Vision)

wayne | 11/13/2012

This calligraphic bonsai seems perfectly balanced between stasis and movement (something like that anyway). The relationship of bonsai to calligraphy goes way back to the old Chinese masters. Not only is Robert Steven an artistic heir to this tradition, but he is also an expert on the tradition and its history. This post features five [...]

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Bunjin Lives (Lungo vive il bunjin!)

wayne | 11/03/2012

I like the movement on this tree, with its sudden changes of direction. I also like the way the moss and lichen are growing up the base of the trunk. I wonder if it’s a Scot’s pine. Robert at the Crespi Cup The photos here were culled out from a large selection that was taken [...]

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Paying a Visit to an Old Friend

wayne | 09/06/2012

There’s something about a beautiful bonsai in flower. If you let your eyes linger for a few moments, you’ll notice how the seemingly perfectly placed flowers enhance the power of the tree rather than overwhelm it. It’s a bougainvillea by Robert Steven. All this photos in this post are from Robert’s facebook gallery. Always a [...]

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Lithe Literati: Another Great Bonsai Exhibition part 2

wayne | 07/19/2012

Not exactly a traditional literati pot, but who cares? Lissome literati I’ve seen hundreds if not thousands of literati bonsai (photos, that is) but very few quite like these. Enough said though (getting sucked back into work isn’t any way to enjoy a vacation). Part 2 All three photos in this post are from the [...]

Posted in Cuttings, Styling | Also tagged , | 9 Comments

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