Kimura’s American Apprentice

Ryan Neil working on one of Masahiko Kimura‘s most famous trees. Photo from The Art of Bonsai Project. Coming Next Weekend Ryan Neil is appearing at The Bonsai Society of Upstate New York on September 13th. Ryan spent six years apprenticing to the world’s most famous bonsai master, Masahiko Kimura. If you live in the vicinity (or if you don’t mind traveling) you can see him demonstrate on a collected juniper and answer questions about being an apprentice in Japan, Master Kimura, bonsai, or whatever comes up. A little piece of an interview with Ryan to whet your appetite (from … Continue reading Kimura’s American Apprentice

So Very Good: Why Weren’t We There?

I know it’s old news (2007) but this tree almost floors me with just how good it is. Do you agree? Am I crazy for falling love? I don’t think so. It’s a Pemphis Acidua from the The 9th Asia Pacific Bonsai and Suiseki Convention and Exhibition in Bali. The photo is by KiJaduk LuputSuwuk. I don’t know who the artist is, but there’s a great article about the convention on The Art of Bonsai Project (and thanks to Bonsaimania for first showing me this tree on facebook). But here’s the thing The Bali Convention is full of trees of … Continue reading So Very Good: Why Weren’t We There?

Don’t Be Too Shy to Win a $25 Gift Certificate

This is the planting that I want you to critique. It’s from from Kiki Bonsai. Go ahead, make my day Just write a little critique of the planting above. It doesn’t have to be perfect; it doesn’t even have to make sense. We’re short on entries, so anything is better than nothing. And who knows? You just might win, and even if you don’t, you might learn something in the process. The details are here Penjing: Worlds of Wonderment The only English language penjing book is now on sale for $14.95 (originally $39.50).

Golden Arrow Smith

Common juniper. Estimated age 125 years. Collected, wired and potted by Andrew Smith, Golden Arrow Bonsai. Golden Arrow Bonsai Golden Arrow is Andrew Smith (his website says Andrew, though I’ve always known him as Andy), with perhaps a little help from his friends and family. Andrew is a bonsai artist and professional woodsman who specializes in collecting trees from nature. If you would like to learn how to collect the right way, check out Andrew’s DVD, How to Collect Wild Trees. Andrew also has a DVD on styling collected trees that’s entitled Finding the Bonsai Within, Ponderosa Pine Wiring Techniques, … Continue reading Golden Arrow Smith

A Good Place to Visit (in the Winter)

The Bonsai Exhibit at the The Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens. Visit The Morikami (the essence of Japan in South Florida)… … but you might want to wait until winter. Once you get past the purple/pink background you might notice that this wild and sparse Rocky Mountain Juniper is reminiscent of the Ponderosa pines that you (and the Pine beetles) find by the millions in the Rockies (and the Sierras). It’s on display at The Morikami. It was styled by Ben Oki. Bonsai & Japanese arts & culture Since its opening in 1977, The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens (and … Continue reading A Good Place to Visit (in the Winter)

Hinokis, Spruces & Mountain Tops

I found this Hinoki forest on the Redwood Empire Bonsai Society website (from their 2009 Annual Show). I think it’s unusual and quite compelling in its naturalness. I’ve come across spruce groves while hiking in Vermont and New Hampshire that look something like this. You find them near the mountain tops, where the harsh climate causes the trees to dwarf and huddle together. These little forests of dwarf trees with their lush moss carpets and time worn rocks, can evoke a peaceful almost other worldly feeling when you stumble across them.

Bonsai Events Calendar with Updates

Photo from Crataegus Bonsai. See below Nov 2-4 for Crataegus Bonsai Seasonal with Michael Hagedorn. Our first update Since we posted our first calendar one week ago, we have received info on several additional events. To make these new ones easy to spot, the dates are in orange with a asterisk* in front. Send yours us yours If you have a bonsai event you’d like to see in our next calendar, send it to wayne@stonelantern.com, or put it in the comments below (don’t forget the links). We can’t guarantee we’ll publish them all, but we might. Aug 27-?: Stone Lantern … Continue reading Bonsai Events Calendar with Updates

North American With An International Flavor

Subscribe and recieve two free back issues…. …if you mention Bonsai Bark International Bonsai, issue one, 2010. Inside you’ll find: Training Dwarf Japanese Five-Needle Pine Bonsai; Magic Moments, the Artistry of Kimura; Japanese Five-Needle Pine: Cultivation and Training; Foliage Size Reduction for Pines; A Little Magic with Shohin Bonsai; Suiseki & Bonsai; Pruning, Masterpiece Gallery; Shohin Bonsai Symposium 2; 10th Asia Pacific Bonsai & Suiseki Exhibition. One of the very best International Bonsai has long one of my favorite bonsai publications. It has been around since 1979 (no mean feat, especially if you are familiar with the deadline grind) and … Continue reading North American With An International Flavor

That Nasty Summer Heat Wave

Both photos in this post are courtesy of Randy Clark of the Bonsai Learning Center. More to come? We just received the article below from Randy Clark of the Bonsai Learning Center in North Carolina on how to deal with the extreme heat that much of the country has been experiencing this summer. I may be a little late for those of us in the Northeast (at least here in northern Vermont), but for those of you further south, there may be more to come. Summer in the Carolinas by Randy Clark The Southeastern US is suffering from the heat … Continue reading That Nasty Summer Heat Wave

Bonsai Events Calendar

Photo from Crespi Bonsai (see September 10) Just the beginning This is it. Our first calendar. If you have a bonsai event you’d like to see in our next calendar, send it to wayne@stonelantern.com, or put it in the comments below (don’t forget the links). We can’t guarantee we’ll publish them all, but we might. Sep 4-7: Bay Island Bonsai Workshop Sep 9-12: Bonsai and Suiseki Prague 2010, 13th National Exhibition Sep 10-12: International Bonsai’s North American Bonsai Symposium Sep 10-19: Crespi Bonsai 9th International Bonsai & Suiseki Meeting Sep 13: Ryan Neil Demonstration, The Bonsai Society of Upstate New … Continue reading Bonsai Events Calendar