When Was the Last Time You Saw a Pink Bonsai Pot? 1/2/15

The more I look, the more I love this powerful little bonsai with its proportionally massive trunk and mottled tropical ocean-blue pot that accentuates its bright green leaves (it’s the coffee). The photo is from a section on Takao Koyo in the Japanese Bonsai Pots Blog. The tree is a Trident maple.

This all started with a couple pots (below) by Takao Koyo that were recently purchased by Morten Albek and put up on his Shohin Bonsai Blog. A quick search lead to a Takao Koyo jackpot at Ryan Bell’s Japanese Bonsai Pots blog.

Here’ a little piece on Takao Koyo that I lifted from Ryan:
Born in 1947, his given name is (Kenji Shiobai?). He began making bonsai pottery at the age 25, in 1972. His influences include Tofukuji, Yusen, and Wakamatsu Aiso. He is self taught as a potter, and as such his work resembles more the work of his idols, than of a master he apprenticed under, like many other painters and potters.
His style is varied, from single color, pure, glazed classics, to interesting new forms, and, of course, painted pieces.

And here’s a link to Takao Koyo’s blog (courtesy of Ryan) where you can enjoy an abundance of great pots and trees.

 

Another Trident. The tree, though very sweet, isn’t quite up to the one above. But the pot speaks loud and clear. Photo from Japanese Bonsai Pots Blog.

 

The pot that set the armies marching. From Morten Albek’s Shohin Bonsai blog.

 

Another Takao Koyo pot from Morten’s blog.

 

Another devastatingly unique and beautiful glaze (we’ll blame it on the coffee again). From Ryan’s blog.

 

This change of pace gives you some idea of Takao’s wide-ranging mastery. From Ryan’s blog.

 

When was the last time you saw a pink bonsai pot? This photo is straight from the Master’s blog. The substantial little tree is another maple; but this time it’s  Japanese (Acer palmatum).