A Break With a Tradition Over Four Years in the Making

The beginning of the end? Or just a moment’s break with a tradition that’s been well over four years in the making? What I’m trying to say is; we’ve never led a post with a bird (Sand Hill Crane?). In fact you’d be hard presses to find a post that doesn’t start with a bonsai. Henk Fresen’s bronze sculptures (and his bonsai) have been featured on European bonsai blogs for a while, but he doesn’t seem to be that well known in the U.S. bonsai community. We’ll let you decide if this has been an oversight or if bronze miniatures … Continue reading A Break With a Tradition Over Four Years in the Making

Uh oh!

Avant-garde bonsai. This wonderfully fluid tree with its distinctive flying pot is from Bonsai Do. The caption says with Tony Tickle (I visited Tony’s blog and couldn’t find it, though I’m sure someone with a little more patience can pinpoint it). There’s also this quote by Thomas Browne (it’s in Spanish on Bonsai Do, but here’s the original English): Art is the perfection of nature. Nature hath made one world, and art another. Uh oh! A moments confusion. Fingers moving too fast, awareness disengaged, and suddenly it’s gone. I just deleted our January 29th post! It was titled A Famous … Continue reading Uh oh!

Chief Seattle, Dragon Pot, Asleep at the Switch & Some Bonsai Events

I’m not so sure this planting would attract much attention when contrasted with the higher caste bonsai that you see in top exhibitions, but there’s something uncontrived and natural about it that seems almost wholesome (is that the right word?), especially its lush green canopy. It’s from Bonsai Do. Unfortunately unattributed and unidentified. There is however, this accompanying quote by Chief Seattle that is attributed: “Every part of the earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every clear and humming insect is holy in the memory and experience … Continue reading Chief Seattle, Dragon Pot, Asleep at the Switch & Some Bonsai Events

Weekly Wire: Bonsai Train, Deadwood in Deadwood, Russian Bonsai & More

Vive bonsai! Ever wonder why European bonsai events are so well attended? Thanks to Rosade Bonsai for this great photo. Deadwood in Deadwood. If you’re ever near Deadwood South Dakota, visit Andy Smith at Golden Arrow Bonsai. Andy is known for his yamadori bonsai (bonsai collected from the wild) among other things. I consider Andy to one of a small handful of genuine collectors; people that collect with deep knowledge and respect and, as a result, a very high success rate. If you can’t make it to Deadwood, you can at least enjoy Andy’s excellent DVDs. Tony Tickle. … Continue reading Weekly Wire: Bonsai Train, Deadwood in Deadwood, Russian Bonsai & More

Weekly Wire: Marco’s Before & After, Our Favorite Book & A Fabulous Fake

Before and after. It helps to start with great stock. Still, it takes a skilled hand to successfully tackle such powerful tree. The artist is Marco Invernizzi.and as you may have noticed, the after is just right. It’s a Japanese black pine. It’s from the ‘before and after’ section of Marco’s website. Whatever it is, it’s wonderful. We just featured this ‘bonsai’ in our last post. Turns out it’s a fabulous fake. Or, maybe fake isn’t the right word. Perhaps it’s more accurate to say that it’s a wonderful clay representation of a bonsai. The artist is Paul … Continue reading Weekly Wire: Marco’s Before & After, Our Favorite Book & A Fabulous Fake