This Itoigawa shimpaku juniper won the Finest Medium Size Bonsai prize at the 4th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition (September 2014). Though it looks larger, its height is only 12" (30.5 cm). It belongs to Troy Schmidt of Asheville North Carolina. Though I don't know this tree's whole story, I do know that both Boon Manakitivipart and Bjorn Bjorholm have worked on it (it takes a village of bonsai artists and patrons).
The photo above is from Boon Manakitivipart’s facebook feed. The other photos in this post (except the very last one) are from a 2012 workshop that Boon hosted. It’s my impression that all of these trees were worked on by Boon’s students.
Just in case you don’t know Boon, he is one of North America’s most influential bonsai artists and teachers. Several of his students have become important artists and teachers in their own right, and countless trees of Boon’s and his students’ have appeared on this blog, in magazines and books and elsewhere on the web. Most of the photos and text in this post are taken from a post we did back in 2012.
From chuhin to shohin. I have a soft spot for stubby little trees. Especially ones with reams of character like this European olive that was originally a stump dug from Boon's garden.
Another muscular little tree. This one is a Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia).
This Satsuki azalea's trunk reminds me of some of Antoni Gaudi's sculptural architecture that graces the great city of Barcelona.
Is this a Shimpaku juniper grafted onto a California juniper? Whatever it is, there's an abundance of power and movement that's hard to miss. Even for the untrained eye. There's another photo (also from Boon's workshop) of Janet Roth working on this tree that says, Janet is working on her show tree for Jan 2014 show. Yes 2014. 'Born in the USA'
This is the same Sierra juniper that appeared on the cover of Bonsai Today issue 108 (our famous last issue). The first branch has been shortened, and there's more foliage peeking out to the left of the trunk, but otherwise, it hasn't changed very much.
The photo from the cover of Bonsai Today 108. Our last issue.
About three weeks ago we bought back an entire selection of
Bonsai Today magazines (issue 1 – 108)
This was the first time in over a year that we had every issue for sale
Now several have already sold & more will be gone soon
(we are long on some issues and short on others)
As they sell down we will increase our discount
Right now it is 30% off
The cover of Bonsai Today issue 100
30% off Back Issues of Bonsai Today
still one of the very best sources of how-to bonsai techniques anywhere