Do you recognize this award winning Shimpaku juniper? It appears in Fine Bonsai, Art and Nature (and older version is in the gallery of our Masters Series Juniper book). It belongs to Masahiko Kimura. The photo is by Jonathan Singer, as are all three photos in this post and all of the photos in Fine Bonsai.
The three trees shown here are all from a review of the book Fine Bonsai, Art and Nature, that appears at Smithsonian.com. We were alerted to the review by Matt Calcavecchia in the comments on a recent post (scroll down to the last tree in this post for the someone convoluted ‘sleeping at the switch’ part of the story).
This 40-year-old Koto Hime Japanese Maple is also featured in the Smithsonian review of Fine Bonsai. The artist and owner is Bill Valavanis (of the International Bonsai Arboretum in Rochester, New York and author of Fine Bonsai).
A couple posts ago we (that’s me) featured this forest planting with this caption: I’m not so sure this planting would attract much attention when contrasted with the higher caste bonsai that you see in top exhibitions, but there’s something uncontrived and natural about it that seems almost wholesome (is that the right word?), especially its lush green canopy. It’s from Bonsai Do. Unfortunately unattributed and unidentified (Bonsai Do most likely borrowed in from the Smithsonian review). BTW, this planting is part of the Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection, which we also happened to feature recently.
Still sleeping. It turns out that this planting is from Fine Bonsai, Art and Nature a book that I’ve spent time with and even written about (and that we sell). So, it’s another case of forgetting (to use a generous term) on my part. I found the tree online, didn’t recognize it, and then, thinking that I’d just discovered it, featured it in a post. A little embarrassing but not all that unusual.
To set the record straight, here’s your attribution from Fine Bonsai. “Taki Nagasawara created this Sargent juniper saikei planting in 1979 during a workshop with Toshio Kawamoto.”
You might remember Toshio Kawamato from several earlier posts here on Bonsai Bark. And to close the circle a little more, Mr. Kawamato was one of Bill Valavanis’ early bonsai teachers (you can read about it in this interview with Bill in The Bonsai Journal).
I have no problem calling the forrest scene a beautiful bonsai! Every time you have used it’s picture I have felt a great admiration for it. It looks so natural and woods like.
awww schucks…
When you’ve seen as many bonsai as you have, Wayne, It would only be reasonable that you forget a few.
I might ruin this tree forever so stop reading now, but the Kimura tree reminds me of an old man bending down to pick up his grandchild.
Don’t apologise Wayne! I love the Bonsai Bark posts – there’s always something interesting to read about. When I first started bonsai years ago I loved the perfectly manicured bonsai of Masahiko Kimura etc but these days I prefer the less ‘picture perfect’ style of trees such as the Sargent juniper saikei forest planting.
Hi Matt,
Ha! That old man could be me.
Thanks for you kind words Ann,
I think I periodically do the apologizing thing just to keep my arrogance in check and maybe just to amuse myself after 4 years of posting 3 or 4 times a week.