Highly distinctive, exceptionally powerful and almost grotesque. When I first glanced at this tree, there was just a massive trunk with great taper and one of the largest sabamiki (the hollow in the trunk) ever. Then the face appeared (purely a mental projection by the way). I think the solution to this dilemma is to relax the gaze and take in a the whole tree and the space around it. Or simply don’t bother projecting.
The photos of the trees that Robert Steven sent from the recent BCI convention in China are so good that they’re worth a third post (here are the first and the second). Before going any further I’d like to apologize to Robert for cropping some of them. It’s just about reducing background noise (it’s surprising how casual some of the displays are; check out the contrasting photos of the large Penjing tray planting below).
This has to be one of the most magnificent Penjing tray plantings ever (and there are lots of good ones out there). The uncropped original is just below.
The uncropped version. The judging part of the show must have been over when Robert took his photos.
You may have noticed this style bonsai lately, with the long straight trunk capped by a flowing apex and branches (my guess is that it’s from Taiwan). And then there’s that background that enhances every photo and is particularly strong in this one.
It might look easy, but the artistry required to create something so compellingly natural is a rare and wonderful thing.
Here’s an unusual winter-boned tree for you to contemplate.
Robert Steven with his custom grinder. This powerful tool is now available at Stone Lantern (with or without a 220 to 110 transformer).
I am sure this is a “posed” photo, but Mr Steven would be wise to wear safety goggles.
The pot on the “unusual winter boned tree” is simply lovely.
Looks to be either antique Canton ware or a reproduction thereof. In any case, it’s beautiful, I bet it really compliments the tree in leaf.
The Halloween Tree.”powerful and almost grotesque’indeed,Wayne with that monster
gaping mouth and protruding nose.
Love the penjing.Just exquisite.
Yes Mike..:)
Wayne, I took the photos before the show opened, during the set-up time.
Nuromeo,
Sabamiki is one of the “aging” technique done by the Chinese on deciduous tree, instead of carving them, so they look more natural like an ancient trees.
Grotesque, yes.. the Chinese like to exagerate certain features to emphasize and accentuate the design to create the uniqueness, to create the imaginative, comtemplative, poetic and artistic nuances in order to obtain an outstanding impact…evocating !
Hi Robert,
Thanks for helping us to catch up on what’s going on with bonsai in Vietnam. I’ll be looking for some good photos to post.
Also, I didn’t really want to overemphasize grotesque. The tree is simply too good to denigrate in that way. Besides, the seeming mouth and nose are, as I mentioned, simply projections. It’s really just a powerful, well-styled bonsai with a huge sabamiki.