Two Pines Before & After, plus a Short Treatise on Bunjin

After. Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora) by Naoki Maeoka. Not to be confused with our native Red pine (Pinus resinosa) which are common here in Vermont, but alas, are not great bonsai subjects (unlike the Japanese red pine). If you look at the trunk it’s obvious why they call them red pines (the same goes for our native red pine). On a more frivolous note, I can’t help but think of a ski jumper every time I see this remarkable tree. A talented new kid on the block. Both of the trees shown here are from Naoki Maeoka’s face book … Continue reading Two Pines Before & After, plus a Short Treatise on Bunjin

One Ficus, Two Taiwanese Junipers, One Literati Japanese Black Pine & One Shohin Bonsai Display

Great tree. Great pot. Great photo too (the uncropped original is below). I’m guessing the tree is a Taiwanese juniper. Here’s the translation: This and the other photos in this post are from 2014, with Chinese-style bonsai Exhibition prize categories: bronze medal for species: Cypress bonsai collection: Lin Minghui All the photos in this post are from one person’s facebook feed. I can’t say who the person is (can’t read Chinese), but I know he’s Taiwanese and his photo does look familiar. Fortunately the trees have captions with translations that include the artist’s names. Feel free to do your own … Continue reading One Ficus, Two Taiwanese Junipers, One Literati Japanese Black Pine & One Shohin Bonsai Display

A Happy Accident

The original caption from Milan Karpíšek reads “Sabina of my friend ready for a show.” He doesn’t say who the friend is. We might assume that the tree belongs to a friend and was styled by Milan, but we know about assumptions. Maybe someone can clue us in. The three trees shown here are from Milan Karpíšek’s facebook photos (Milan is from the Czech Republic). Like many of the bonsai featured here, these were discovered by accident (aka stumbled upon). A very happy accident indeed. I decided to show all three photos just the way Milan presents them on facebook … Continue reading A Happy Accident

A Fascinating Mix of Insight & Opinion

Unfinished, but wild and wonderful. I wonder what this Scot’s pine bunjin beauty looked like before it was collected somewhere in the wilds of Sweden. It belongs to Muaro Stemberger. It’s from his facebook page. Mauro also has a website. It’s called Italian Bonsai Dream. Traveling once again, so we’ll resume our archival explorations. This one, originally titled Bunjin Bonsai Bliss is from October, 2011 (with some current editing and elaboration), though any Bark discussion of Bunjin warrants a mention of Moving Out of the Bonsai Mainstream with a Deft and Delicate Touch (from December 2012), whose comments are the longest … Continue reading A Fascinating Mix of Insight & Opinion

An All-Time Favorite

After. Finished for the moment. The challenge was for Masahiko Kimura to style a bunjin (literati) bonsai with only one branch (see below for where he started). Its uniqueness lies in its striking simplicity. It’s a Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora). From a December 2009 post and before that from our Masters’ Series The Magician, the Bonsai Art of Kimura 2 (before that it appeared in Bonsai Today issue 69). This tree and its story are among our all-time favorites . Though it’s hard to say what Kimura would have done with this tangled-up bunjin had he not been challenged … Continue reading An All-Time Favorite

Getting Out of the Way

This Ponderosa pine was no doubt collected somewhere in western North America. Europeans are lucky in that regard; it’s relatively easy for them to import plants from around the world. Here in the U.S. restrictions are much more onerous. The tree belongs to (or belonged to?) Walter Pall. The photo is from The Art of Bonsai Project, as are all the photos in this post. All of the bonsai in this post are by Walter Pall in collaboration with Mother Nature. Walter is a proponent of the ‘getting out of the way’ school of bonsai. Not that we want to … Continue reading Getting Out of the Way

There’s Bunjin and Then There’s…

Recognize this planting? It was posted day before yesterday, though now there has been some changes. Andy Rutledge did the digital pruning and repotting to enhance its bunjin-ness, though I’m not so sure he’d say it quite that way (here’s what he did say about it: Even with a very few, but vital adjustments (mostly reduction), the pines begin to take on the bunjin quality). Wabi Sabi Our previous post elicited one of our best discussions yet. Thanks in large part to Andy Rutledge‘s comments. Here’s a quote from Andy that goes to the heart of the matter: “Bunjin is … Continue reading There’s Bunjin and Then There’s…

A Quick Potpourri: Gede, Crespi, Fuku, Carlos & Kyoto

This spectacular Pemphis acidula was collected and styled by Gede Merta. You can usually spot Gede’s bonsai immediately; there’s something about the convoluted trunks and branches and the way he carves deadwood. This photo was recently posted on his facebook page. Better hurry if you want to make this year’s Crespi Cup. Robert Steven (and others) will be there, and, it’s in Italy (great food, exciting bonsai and other good things await you in Italy). September 14th to the 23rd. A theory of pruning by Fuku Bonsai. Two of eight illustrations that show how to create different bonsai … Continue reading A Quick Potpourri: Gede, Crespi, Fuku, Carlos & Kyoto

Lithe Literati: Another Great Bonsai Exhibition part 2

Not exactly a traditional literati pot, but who cares? Lissome literati I’ve seen hundreds if not thousands of literati bonsai (photos, that is) but very few quite like these. Enough said though (getting sucked back into work isn’t any way to enjoy a vacation). Part 2 All three photos in this post are from the Malaysia Bonsai & Stone International Exhibition 2012. I found them on Robert Steven’s facebook page. Even though this post says part 2, it’s actually our 3rd post from the Exhibition (including Robert’s demo). Here’s a link to part one. Again, not your traditional literati … Continue reading Lithe Literati: Another Great Bonsai Exhibition part 2

A Bunjin Story

I borrowed this unusual Bunjin style Sierra juniper from Michael Hagedorn’s Crataegus Bonsai. The article is titled Developing an Unpromising Sierra Juniper Bunjin – student work from Seasonal. There’s something about threes It often works to divide things into thirds to better understand them and for discussion sake. In this tree’s case, you might be struck by the fact that it has three distinct sections: 1. The base. The lowest part starts with a radical slant then takes an abrupt twist. This sudden change of direction is both fluid and abrupt and tells much of the tree’s story. It’s a … Continue reading A Bunjin Story