Abstract Bonsai Beauty & Concave Cutters

NOTE 3/24/11: I WAS JUST INFORMED THAT THIS IS A SIMULATION OF A MUCH ROUGHER TREE. MY MISTAKE! EVERYTHING THAT FOLLOWS IS WHAT I WROTE BEFORE THE ERROR WAS CALLED TO MY ATTENTION). This is the kind of bonsai that can stir up opinions. I found it on facebook (of course), under My Bonsai by David. Carvalho. If you look closely, you might notice the little concave piece that appears to be missing from the pot. What’s your cup of tea? If you are a big fan of, let’s say Dan Robinson and his remarkably natural looking bonsai (Gnarly Branches, … Continue reading Abstract Bonsai Beauty & Concave Cutters

Pushing the Limits

This wild and gnarly yamadori (collected bonsai) exhibits some classical flaws. Two of the most obvious are the long straight taperless section of mid-trunk and the cluttered roots around the base. However, that’s the way this tree grew and those flaws tell part of the story of its struggles to survive and thrive in an inhospitable environment. Without them, the story might not be so interesting. Classical vs Eccentric There have always been classical bonsai (ones that conform to accepted norms of an earlier time) and there have always been more eccentric bonsai that push classical forms and norms into … Continue reading Pushing the Limits

Elevating the Art of Bonsai Display

Takashi Iura facebook photos. Astounding tree and a very interesting display. Daring display Many of the bonsai on facebook and elsewhere are poorly displayed, though occasionally you see trees where the artist/photographer took the time and trouble to set up a decent display. But none (that we’ve seen) are displayed in such a daring and imaginative way as the trees in these photos. It’s not just the what, but also the where I usually like to see bonsai displayed with a bare minimum of background clutter. The cleaner the better. But in this case, the art of display has been … Continue reading Elevating the Art of Bonsai Display

Omachi Relief Fund: Don’t Let Up Yet

Isao Omachi before the tsunami swept everything away. Don’t let up yet Just a little reminder about the plight of Isao Omachi and his family. It’s not too late to do something to help. As you know, relief efforts commonly suffer from short half-lives. Something horrible happens, we get worked up about people suffering and, in a matter of days, we’ve forgotten and moved on the next thing. Omachi Relief Fund The following was written by Bill Valavanis: Award winning bonsai artist Isao Omachi is one of the rising starts of the Japanese bonsai world. He lives with his wife, … Continue reading Omachi Relief Fund: Don’t Let Up Yet

Classic Flowering Bonsai of Japan

Japanese apricot (Latin-Prunus mume: Japanese-Ume). From Classic Bonsai of Japan (Nippon Bonsai Association). My apologies for cutting off the bottom of the pot; my scanner couldn’t quite fit the whole photo. Japan and flowering bonsai The Japanese have long revered flowering trees and flowering bonsai. So much so, that they often overlook what you might consider design flaws with flowering bonsai (though not the case with the photos shown here). The book: Classic Bonsai of Japan This grand old book remains the standard when it comes to Japanese bonsai before 1989. Though much has happened in the bonsai world since … Continue reading Classic Flowering Bonsai of Japan

The Facebook Dilemma & Japanese Tools

Nice tree. From facebook; Liang Lim’s photos. Beyond that, we know nothing. Except that we are swamped (it’s corporate tax time and etc….). The Facebook problem We receive several bonsai photos every day on facebook. Almost none mention the artist, unless the artist happens to be the same person who posts the photo (you’d be surprised how often this is NOT the case and how difficult it can be to determine whether or not it is the case). When we have time, we try to track down the owner/artist, but often, this is easier said than done. Beside, who but … Continue reading The Facebook Dilemma & Japanese Tools

Mystery Tree: Win $25 Gift Certificate

Stable and wild all at once. This tree has to be one of the most perfect and powerful bonsai around. The highly refined look of its massive crown, combined with its huge, wild nebari and trunk (twin trunks actually) and its almost static sense of stability, make for a mesmerizing bonsai. Win a $25 gift certificate to Stone Lantern Be the first to properly identify the owner (artist), the species, where this photo was taken and the name of the photographer (if you are the photographer, please do not enter this contest), and you’ll win a $25.00 gift certificate to … Continue reading Mystery Tree: Win $25 Gift Certificate

The Praying Mantis

A while back I stumbled upon The Praying Mantis by Giacomo Pappalardo’s on facebook. Fortunately, he has a website, so you don’t have to befriend him to see what he’s up to. Wildly eccentric I think this yamadori (collected tree) is a pretty good example of the unique and wild end of the bonsai spectrum. A big part of the wonder of yamadori is they don’t necessarily conform to our more conventional notions of what a bonsai should look like. Yet no one would argue that the good ones aren’t really bonsai, no matter how eccentric. Somehow, when that blend … Continue reading The Praying Mantis

Revisiting a Powerful Mugo Pine & Contemplating Two Mysteries

The first mystery. Last time we featured this tree ( a few posts back) I found it on Carlos van der Vaart’s facebook photos (it’s also on his website’s gallery). This time it turned up on Mauro Stemberger’s website as a lead tree on ‘refinishing tips‘. So whose tree is it? Another mystery If you compare this latest iteration (above) with the earlier one (below), it’d easy to see how tree has been improved; the large hanging jin was pushed away from the trunk and twisted a little. The mystery here is; how was such a dramatic change accomplished with … Continue reading Revisiting a Powerful Mugo Pine & Contemplating Two Mysteries

There’s Something About Larches

Larches in training by Francois Jeker. Good stock helps Larches are easy to grow (especially if you live in the north), easy to train and they are naturally attractive trees. If you start with decent stock and you have some grasp of design and technique, you can end up with the kind of results you see above. Near limitless possibilities This is not to say each tree couldn’t have been styled differently as they certainly could have. Give the same potential bonsai to five different bonsai artists and you’ll end up with five different trees. Bonsai Aesthetics If you’d like … Continue reading There’s Something About Larches