Bonsai tree

The young, excellent and very tall Matt Reel has been apprenticing in Japan under Shinji Suzuki since 2006, and he might be there a while yet. Matt is from Portland, Oregon, and those of you here who know him have been asking me how he’s been doing… and there’s no better way than to SHOW you—

Matt was featured in the November issue of Kinbon, and as few of us get this magazine, I’ve copied a few pages so that you all can ‘read’ it… or at least view the photos of him creating a very nice juniper. Matt left Portland a tall quiet young man of 18 and is if anything is taller yet, bolder, and his work is as thoughtful as he is, as this article shows. His refinement is very skilled, and the last photo here is of Matt standing behind the black pine he was asked to work on for the Kokufu show, before he began with it…

For those who have not heard yet, Matt is planning on returning to Portland, Oregon to be a part of our growing band of brothers which includes the remarkable Ryan Neil, slightly shorter than Matt, to form our ‘Portland Bonsai Village’—Inspired by the century long tradition of professionals supporting one another in Omiya Bonsai Village, Japan.

Bravo, Matt! We look forward to your return!