A Man With a Mission (and a Vision) 11/13/12

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 trees that I grabbed from a Robert Steven gallery on facebook. Two things immediately jumped to mind when I first saw them: one, Robert just keeps producing top-notch bonsai, and two, these are undeniably Robert’s trees. If you’re familiar with his distinctive touch and vision, you’ll recognize his bonsai from a mile away.

I’d like to apologize for my failure to identify the species of the trees shown here. Robert didn’t list them with the photos and I’m a little pressed for that valuable and elusive non-thing we call time, so won’t bother to do the research. I could guess on most, but if you’ve been paying attention you may have noticed the limits of my talent for plant identification. If you are inclined, you’re more than welcome to bug Robert (in the comments below). He seems to have near limitless patience and an uncanny ability to find the time, so he will reply.

 

A perfect truce between nature and a talented human (you could say that nature’s lack of concern for formality is expressed by the untamed deadwood, and the human sense of order is expressed by the well-balanced flow of the foliage… or you could ignore my overly active imagination and just enjoy the photo).

 

Broken pot and uninteresting tree? No problem in the hands of the right person.

 

Oh so wild at the top and oh so tame at the bottom. In case you’re in a hurry and haven’t noticed… this is a truly magnificent cascading bonsai. A tree well worth a long slow look.

 

So much is expressed here: twin trunks in two different styles (informal upright and slanting), root-over-rock and a wonderful sense of balance, age and elegance. Another masterpiece by Robert Steven.

The Vision and the Mission. Want to create more dynamic and beautiful bonsai? Robert’s wisdom and skill as expressed in these two classic books have inspired thousand of bonsai enthusiasts around the world. Now on special at Stone Lantern.