Choosing the Right Pot

As long as we’re on the topic of choosing, I chose this one as the lead photo because it’s the only one with clean pot. A distinct advantage. All the photos in this post are from Boon Manakitivipart’s facebook postings. I took the liberty of cropping all the photos in this post and combining some separate photos into single images. Which pot would you chose? The photos and the concept are courtesy of Boon Manakitivipart (aka Bonsai Boon) on facebook (here and here). Just in case you’re not in the loop, Boon is a highly respected American bonsai artist and … Continue reading Choosing the Right Pot

World’s Most Joyful Bonsai Artist

Too cute for a serious bonsai blog? Maybe, but I’m impressed that he appears to be picking off unhealthy needles. Then there’s his strikingly high forehead and overall large cranium. Maybe he knows exactly what he’s doing. The photos in this post are all is lifted from Sandy Fathurachman’s facebook page (link disabled). Thought I’d do a quick recycle for you. This post originally appeared exactly two years ago today. It was titled, World’s Youngest Bonsai Master. I must admit, even though it’s too cute by a factor of ten (see below), I still like it and figured some you … Continue reading World’s Most Joyful Bonsai Artist

The Trend Only Gets More Outrageous

Snakes. From Estação Bonsai on Facebook. I couldn’t find any mention of the artist and even though I don’t like to show trees without attribution, just couldn’t pass this one up (there’s another from Estação, below). The old rules of bonsai, if they ever really existed, were broken as soon as they were made and the trend only gets more outrageous (in whatever sense you prefer: out·ra·geous: shockingly bad or excessive, wildly exaggerated or improbable, very bold, unusual, and startling). As you can see, this common Privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium) belongs to Harry Harrington (Harry on facebook and Harry’s famous … Continue reading The Trend Only Gets More Outrageous

Just in Case You Don’t Know Marco…

This remarkable bonsai is labeled Taiwanese juniper (Juniperus chinensis) in Marco Invernizzi’s gallery. The stock for this bonsai was most likely field grown in Taiwan along with thousands of others. BTW: Taiwanese junipers are sometimes confused with the native Squamata juniper which grow wild in the mountains of Taiwan (there’s more on this in this Bark post from February). It has been a few months since we visited Marco Invernizzi’s bonsai gallery. Just in case you don’t know Marco, he was one of Masahiko Kimura’s first apprentices and was also one of the first Western bonsai artists to become a … Continue reading Just in Case You Don’t Know Marco…

Sun is shining on my bonsai, but I stay in bed a little longer…

Japanese yew with one thin live vein and lots of great deadwood. From Mauro Stemberger’s Italian Dream website. Mauro Stemberger is something of force in European and world bonsai. He usually starts with excellent stock and ends with even better bonsai. This is not not the first time we’ve featured Mauro’s bonsai and it won’t be the last. For more, here’s Mauro’s website and here he is on facebook. In the artist’s own words… “Sun is shining on my bonsai, but I stay in bad a little longer…” The Snake. We’ve shown this famous Scot’s pine before, but … Continue reading Sun is shining on my bonsai, but I stay in bed a little longer…

Wild Trees & Massive Trunks

Substantial, to say the least. You’d expect a heavy pot with such a massive trunk, still, to my eye this particular pot seems to dominate the tree just a bit. From José Gómez del Río’s facebook photos. All of the photos in this post are from José Gómez del Río on facebook, and I assume all of the trees are his. Even though I like his wild and wonderful olive bonsai, I seem to be just a bit nit picky this morning. We’ll chalk it up to mild case of pre-Holiday stress. BTW: the original images were a little dark … Continue reading Wild Trees & Massive Trunks

Flying High with Suthin

After. By Suthin Sukosolvisit. Flying high. This one’s a first; a post from 35,000 feet. Ahh, the miracles… (which brings to mind a story by Louie C.K., but we’ll save that for another time). Revisiting an old friend, if just for a few moments. Just found these Suthin before and after photos on facebook (the during and close-up photos are from his website). It’s not the first time we’ve featured Suthin on Bark and it won’t be the last. It’s a simple before and after (over a one year time span) of a Hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa). Before. You … Continue reading Flying High with Suthin

Great Pots Deserve Great Trees

Malpigia glabra (Barbados cherry) by Hsieh, Cheng-Hua. Still traveling so we’ll borrow one more from our archives (April 2011). In keeping with the last post, we’ll stick with Taiwanese bonsai. More Taiwanese Bonsai Here are three more bonsai from the 2008 Taiwan Bonsai Creators Exhibition booklet which appears on Bonsai Shari Si-Diao, Cheng, Cheng-Kung’s website. It’s the pots, as well the trees, that really grabbed me. Ficus microcarpa by Huang,Ching-Chi. Variety unlisted. By Tung, Wen Chi. Yixing Bonsai pots are available at Stone Lantern

Running Out Of Superlatives

I’m running out of superlatives. How about ‘somewhere north of magnificent.’ My only question is; could the pot be a little bigger? By Hsieh, Shun-Chin. One of the problems with reheating old posts (like this one from three years ago: What’s with Taiwan? Min Hsuan Lo and Friends) is some of my writing then seems a little cringe worthy now. To me at least. So you’ll forgive me if I’ve done a little editing (like the previous post, let’s just call it value added). I picked this one to resurrect for a couple reasons. First, are the trees which are … Continue reading Running Out Of Superlatives

Bonsai on the Menu with Just a Little Value Added

This powerfully built gem is from Ficus, the Exotic Bonsai by Jerry Meislik. Cattle cars with wings I’m headed out again. Tomorrow will be another day spent in an airborne cattle car. Then Thanksgiving with family. I know there are many people who’d rather the time in the cattle car than time with family, but I’m one of the lucky ones in that regard. I like my family. No know-it-all ramblings or ill-tempered put downs on the menu, though if someone is going to misbehave, it’s more likely me than anyone else (only a little and almost always with a … Continue reading Bonsai on the Menu with Just a Little Value Added