First place 2011 Certre International Online Bonsai Awards. Taxus Bacata by Stefano Frisoni of Italy. This photo was taken at the Bonsai in the Bluegrass Symposium in Louisville KY.
Italian sweep
Is it surprising that the last three year’s winners of the Certre International Online Bonsai Awards have been from Italy and that Certre is an Italian company? Maybe, but these are great trees nevertheless and Italy is a hot bed of top tier bonsai. And BTW, the previous two years winners (2008 and 2007) weren’t Italian.
First place 2010 Certre International Online Bonsai Awards. Juniperus Phoenicea by Enrico Savini of Italy.
First place 2009 Certre International Online Bonsai Awards. Juniperus Chinensis “Itoi-Gawa” also by Enrico Savini of Italy.
Very intriguing sculptures. Too contorted for my taste (too much shari on the first one)
Thanks Maggie,
Yeah, they do seem to be favoring the more sculptural look. Brings up the old debate of naturalistic vs more abstract bonsai.