François Jeker Coming to Rosade Bonsai Studio

This soulful tree is exceptionally clean, fluid and well balanced; especially considering how far to the right it is leaning. I lifted it from François’ website. It looks like a very small needled pine, maybe a dwarf Scot’s of some kind, though I can’t really tell. Dead-on deadwood artist François Jeker does some of the most outrageous deadwood carving anywhere. If you don’t believe me, check this out. Or go to his site. Or buy his excellent book (en Espanol tambien). Or best of all, go see him at Rosade Bonsai Studio on May 15th. These illustrations by François give … Continue reading François Jeker Coming to Rosade Bonsai Studio

Site-Wide Sale Extended Until Monday Morning

Good news! You can still take advantage of our 10% – 40% off (not to mention numerous double discounted items) site-wide sale, at least until Monday morning. There’s just too much going on here to change the sale (all that back end web stuff takes time). Next sale Our next sale (starting Monday) will be 25% off of all tools, bonsai wire and netsuke, with an extra 10% off for orders over $100. You might want to compare discounts and decide which sale works best for you. Don’t read this part unless you are really smart If you are comparing … Continue reading Site-Wide Sale Extended Until Monday Morning

Contest: Your Insights Please

A River in India, by Lew Buller. From his book, Saikei and Art: Minature Landscapes. Now on special at Stone Lantern. Share your insights and win Send us a written critique of the planting above and you just might win. Even if you don’t, you can share your observations with our readers. Note: Do not put your entry in comments below. Instead email yours to wayne@stonelantern.com; after we have received them all we will post them for judging (see below). The prizes The first two place will receive gift certificates to Stone Lantern. $25.00 for first place and $15.00 for … Continue reading Contest: Your Insights Please

Transplanting Tips: An Uncommon Technique

Mystified? If you are not familiar with the technique shown here, you just might be. All the photos in this post are from Bonsai Today issue 39. Keeping some roots undisturbed The technique shown here is particularly good if you want to replenish the soil while leaving some of the roots undisturbed. Doing this lessens stress and hastens recovery. Pot sizes and shapes The technique is useful when you want move a tree from a larger to a smaller pot, or into a pot that has a different shape. It also works when you want to replenish some of the … Continue reading Transplanting Tips: An Uncommon Technique

Tropical Bonsai with Mary Miller & Friends

Would you say that this prize winning Ficus neriifolia by Ed Trout looks relaxed and sensuous (nothing like anthropomorphizing a bonsai)? Maybe, maybe not; but you’d have to say that it is powerfully stable with it’s wide flowing nebari and stout trunk. To my eyes it combines the traditional bonsai with a very natural uncontrived look. Almost reminiscent of an old live oak on California hillside. All the photos in this post are from Bonsai Mary. Mary’s website Mary Miller is one of genuine Florida bonsai mavens. Her years of experience as a bonsai teacher, author and grower come together … Continue reading Tropical Bonsai with Mary Miller & Friends

Double Discounts at Stone Lantern

There’s a big Site-Wide Sale going on at Stone Lantern. 10% to 40% off everything. Not bad, but it gets better: Dozens of items are individually discounted. Some steeply. This means very large double discounts on those items. In some cases well over 50% off. This wonderful book features some of the very best bonsai in the U.S. The trees are spectacular and the book itself is a work of art. The regular price is $65.00 The discounted price is $45.00. With our site-wide sale it is from $27.00 to $36.00, depending on the overall size of your order. Numerous … Continue reading Double Discounts at Stone Lantern

You Were the Judge & Good Things Happened

We have a winning judge Remember our You Be the Judge & Good Things Will Happen Contest? The one where we were going to pick the short and sweet judges comments (on our Bonsai Art Contest) that we liked the most and award the winner a $30 gift certificate to Stone Lantern? Well, after carefully deliberating, we have a winning judge. His name is Matt Cooke (Leland Garrett’s short and sweet comments were a close second, and we very much enjoyed Al Polito’s and Ken To’s not so short comments. There were others we liked too, but that’s enough for … Continue reading You Were the Judge & Good Things Happened

More Great Art from Our National Museum

115 years in training! This dignified old Zelkova serrata lives at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum. It was donated by Yoshibumi Itoigawa and has been in training since 1895. Autumn Arts of Nature The photos in this post are from last year’s Autumn Arts of Nature exhibition at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum in Washington DC. A bright autumn moon – in the shade of each grass blade a cricket chirping Yosa Buson (1716-83) Sotdae. Kusamono: Pygmy bamboo (Pleioblastus pygmaeus) & Wild Ducks. Artwork created by Sam-Kyun Yoon. Inspired by a traditional Korean folk art called sotdae. Placing … Continue reading More Great Art from Our National Museum

Another Bonsai Drawing by Patrick Giacobbe

If you paid attention to our recent Bonsai Art Contest, you’ll remember that Patrick Giacobbe won first prize with his Graphite on Bristol board drawing. Here’s another Graphite on Bristol board drawing that Patrick submitted (we only accepted one entry per person, which explains why you didn’t see this then). Stay tuned for our next contest We’re going to start a bonsai art photography contest soon. We’ll be looking for artistic photos of bonsai or of trees in nature. Stay tuned for details.

Contest: Mystery Penjing

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 its location and who planted it, but maybe it’s more interesting to give you a chance. Win a $25.00 gift certificate The first person to properly identify the artist and the current location of this powerful penjing planting will receive a $25.00 gift certificate to … Continue reading Contest: Mystery Penjing