No Borders In Bonsai

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Goshin by John Yoshio Naka. This famous tree resides at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum in Washington DC. Photos will never do it justice. It is huge (about 1 meter tall – just over 3 feet) and is so dramatic in person that it almost seems to vibrate with power. This photo, by Peter Bloomer is originally from Timeless Trees by Peter and Mary Bloomer. It also appears on the cover of Bonsai Today issue 93, an issue that features a tribute to the life and works of John Naka.

No borders in bonsai
Helen Searle recently sent me some photos that she took at the National Arboretum. I picked a few that I thought you might enjoy, including the plaque below by John Naka. The only photo in this post not by Helen is Goshin (above).

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You Be The Judge & Good Things Will Happen

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Judge our $100 Bonsai Art Contest and win a $30.00 Judge’s Gift Certificate to Stone Lantern for the best judges comments (comments are optional; see below under ‘How can you win….’).

The basics
The 13 bonsai art entries below (placed roughly in the order we received them) have been entered in our $100 Bonsai Art Contest. The winner will be determined when 25 judges have sent in their decisions, or by April 30th (whichever comes first). Anyone can judge (see below if you entered in the contest), but only one time per person.

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Johnny Uchida’s Superb Saikei

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This stellar saikei by Johnny Uchida was sent to us by Noah (no last name). Johnny Uchida is the owner of Grove Way Nursery in Hayward, California (East Bay, SF Bay Area).

Noah’s comments
Here what Noah has to say about this planting: “This saikei was done by Johnny Uchida of Grove Way Bonsai as an example for beginning students who were learning to make their own saikeis and he gave me permission to share them. Mr. Uchida is also the sensei of Yamato Bonsai Kai in Northern California. The trees are cryptomeria and hinoki cypress and the composition is made with locally sourced rocks, gravel, moss, lichen and various accent plants.”

Missing Johnny Uchida
I visited Grove Way about twenty years ago. I was struck mostly by Johnny Uchida’s Japanese black pines. At the time, I think it was the best collection of black pine bonsai I had ever seen (it still stands as one of the best). Unfortunately, Johnny wasn’t home when I visited (his wife showed me around), so I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting him.

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You can see the hidden 5th tree in this bird’s eye view. The three trees on the left are cryptomeria and the two on the right are hinoki cypress (Cham. obtusa). The variety of the hinoki in the front looks like Kosteri, but I can’t be sure.

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Last Four Entries $100 Bonsai Art Contest

yourientry

Drawing by Youri Boerlage. Youri didn’t write anything about this, but it looks like a juniper with some very wild jin and shari.

Matt

Drawing by Matt Cooke’s girlfriend. This is a sketch my girlfriend did for me. As I was busy repotting in early March she had to keep herself entertained. (thus the playful comments). I believe it is pen and water pencil. The drawing is of my recently acquired mountain hemlock yamadori. (Tsuga mertensiana)

pongsatorn

Drawing by Pongsatorn Kanthaboon. Pongasatorn’s only comment is that it’s a Juniperus procumbens. FYI: some common names are: Shore juniper. Procumben juniper, Japanese garden juniper.

BONSAI SKETCH BY BETH

Drawing by Don Erickson of Salem Oregon. “Attached is a piece of art work done on the Oregon coast. I get a lot of inspiration when I visit each month. Not only the calm of the coast but the natural trees that I see. Now, if I could just find a pot large enough, and a truck large enough I could get some home.”

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Juniper in Progress by François Jeker

Planche g?n?.ai

We just received this from François Jeker. François is the author Bonsai Aesthetics and is an accomplished bonsai artist and teacher. He is particularly known for his skills in creating, carving and aging of deadwood. Bonsai Today featured a series of his articles on the topic (issues 103, 104 and 105). The bad news is that two of these issue are out of print. The good news is that we have been posting excerpts here on Bonsai Bark and plan on posting more in the future. I particularly like his article on aging deadwood which was featured in July of last year (see images below).

François’ message en français
Bonjour à toutes et à tous. Ci-joint le résultat du premier stage 2010. Encore un bon moment et de belles émotions. Amitiés,

Rough English, courtesy of FreeTranslantion.com
Hello to all and everyone, Here is the result of the first training 2010.  Again a good moment and of beautiful emotions.  Yours in friendship.

Bonsai Aesthetics en español
Tenemos Bonsai Aesthetics en español y en ingles.

bt103p7François’ drawings showing aging progression of deadwood. This originally appeared in Bonsai Today issue 103 (out of print) and also appears in an earlier Bonsai Bark post.

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Eighth & Ninth Entries $100 Bonsai Art Contest

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Bonsai sketch by Paul Flegenschue. “Attached is a scan of a tree and scene I drew in my sketchbook when I was doing my undergraduate.  I imagined the sketch as a Japanese maple during winter, showing its intricate branch ramification.”

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Cérigraphy by Gen. Submitted by Matthiew Quinn. “My girlfriend is taking cérigraphy courses (drawing stensils then shoting ink around them on a fabric of choice). She drew the bonsai of a picture off the web, then made it biger by drawing a couple more bonsai (making it biger each time) and finally got the big bonsai you see on the shirt. She then made the stencil, printed it on the beige test sheet, then she printed it on the shirt.”

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Wire Sale: Someone, Somewhere, is Wiring

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A close up of wired branches on a Japanese black pine. From Bonsai Today magazine (I don’t remember which issue).

Time to Wire?
Not all types of trees are typically wired at the same time of year. And all climates aren’t the same anyway; spring in San Diego comes at least three months before spring here in Vermont (not to mention the bottom half of the planet where everything is backwards) and so forth. It probably goes without saying that all people aren’t the same either. Some ignore the advice of others and just wire when they want. Others strictly adhere to the old masters’ ways, but even the old masters’ ways vary some anyway. The upshot is, at any given time, someone, somewhere is wiring a bonsai. Why not you?

30% off and more coming
We are expecting a large shipment of wire from Japan sometime in April. Meanwhile, to make space (and a little cash), we are having a wire sale (30% off all wire). Go ahead and take advantage. You always need wire.

Aluminum
By the way, our wire is copper colored aluminum. It’s much easier to use than copper and less expensive too. And, it’s what most people want

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Seventh Entry $100 Bonsai Art Contest

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Cedar elm forest painting by Donna L. Dobberfuhl.  “Here is my entry.  It is a 40″ x 30″ painting I did of “The Texas State Bonsai Exhibit” Cedar Elm Forest.  The bonsai is planted in a custom ordered Chinese pot of some 65″ long, The Forest is about 4′ tall.  I used the style of painting introduced by Chuck Close.  I am a sculptor by profession but exercise my mind with occasional painting projects.”

We have a deadline!
We already have ten entries (stay tuned for the rest) so, like all good things, it’s time to bring it home (mixed metaphor anyone?). So, any entries received after midnight (Eastern standard time USA) this Sunday, March 14th, will returned with a little note saying how much we appreciate your submission, but sadly, we cannot accept it. 

This means you have a little over two days
If you are still thinking about entering, don’t think too much longer. Send your entry to wayne@stonelantern.com.

Pirates
Bonsai Bark belongs to Stone Lantern (DBA Stone Lantern Discoveries Inc). If this (or any of our posts) appears anywhere other than under the Bonsai Bark heading and is not attributed to Bonsai Bark, then it has been pirated.


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Eccentric Bonsai Half Way Round the World

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I found this unusual little gem in Shohin Bonsai Europe’s Guest Gallery. It’s by Tedy Boy (that’s what it says) of Indonesia. The crown and the rest of the foliage seem to be almost disembodied, like floating in space. I think that’s because you can’t see where it attaches to the trunk. To add to the eccentric flavor, the background and funky plastic stand (upside down tub?) are pink. It’s not everyday you see a bonsai with a pink stand shot against a pink background. BTW: it’s a Phemna microphylla.

Unusual: good
Some of the the trees we show in our eccentric bonsai posts are mostly just unusual. Some are unusual and are also very high quality bonsai. Any thoughts about where this one fits in on the spectrum?

Pirates: bad
Bonsai Bark belongs to Stone Lantern (DBA Stone Lantern Discoveries Inc) and to me, Wayne Schoech (that’s pronounced Shay if anyone is interested). If this (or any of our posts) appears anywhere other than under the Bonsai Bark heading and is not attributed to Bonsai Bark or to me, then it has been pirated.

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