Tag Archives: Vision of My Soul

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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Blowing in the Wind

wayne | 03/27/2013

The sublime windswept landscape planting is from Robert Steven’s now classic Vision of My Soul. The species of the trees is Dyospryros montana (Mountain persimmon is one of several English names). A very quick search will reveal that there are precious few good windswept bonsai. At least on the web. I suspect there are several [...]

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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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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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Gifts for Bonsai Lovers part 2

wayne | 12/07/2012

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 [...]

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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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The Other Cascade: Before & After

wayne | 08/24/2012

After by Kimura (aka the Magician). This photo is from a chapter in our Masters’ Series Pine Book titled Masahiko Kimura Transforms A Semi-Cascade. The tree is a Japanese white pine (Pinus parviflora). The other cascade Correct me if I’m wrong, but it seem to me that, with the exception of Junipers (especially the ever [...]

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A Bonsai Story

wayne | 07/13/2012

A compelling bonsai story. If the best bonsai tell a story, this one speaks loud and clear. I think that the story here is expressed in the way the low tree on the right appears to have regenerated after a near fatal fall and the way this effect is supported by all the deadwood. Then [...]

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A Deft Touch: Another Excellent Critique by Robert Steven

wayne | 05/02/2012

After. Robert Steven’s simulation of a tree that was submitted by Sumardi. The before photo is below. Robert’s deft touch If you look at the before and after shots, it’s easy to see that it’s the same tree. The trunk has been leaned slightly to the left, some branches have been lengthened and some shortened, [...]

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