Bonsai tree: Your Fate is in Their Hands

Michael Hagedorn (our alphabetically first judge) worked on this Japanese white pine before his teacher, Shinji Suzuki entered it in the famous Kokufu show. You can visit Michael’s Crataegus Bonsai (one of my all time favorite bonsai blogs) for the whole story. Michael is the author of Post-Dated – The Schooling of an Irreverent Bonsai Monk.

Bonsai from Scratch Contest: it’s time to meet the judges

All the images have been sorted and sized and sent to the judges. Now it’s their turn, so I thought it might be a good idea to introduce them. In alphabetical order, they are: Michael Hagedorn, Colin Lewis, Teddi (Theodora) Scobi, Robert Steven and Bill Valavanis. I would like to extend a hearty thanks (in advance) to each of them for taking the time to help us along with this contest. I look forward to the results of their efforts.

This very muscular Elm is from a gallery of Colin Lewis’ trees. Colin is a well known bonsai artist, teacher and author (and, I suspect, a genuinely literate gentleman – though that might just be his English accent), and is our second (in the alphabetical sense) judge. Colin’s home and bonsai studio is located in the snowy wilds of Maine. Way back in 2010, we featured an interview with Colin.


This cascading Japanese black pine is from Teddi Scobi’s (and Hitoshi Kanaegae’s) New England Bonsai Gardens. Teddi is the warm heart of NEBG, and, on a personal note, a long time dear friend.

This now famous Premna, is one of dozens of my favorite Robert Steven trees. Robert is one of the most prolific and daring bonsai artists, teachers and authors in the world, and is always a great pleasure to work with. Robert’s critiques frequently appear here on Bonsai Bark.

Bill Valavanis must occasionally grow tired of being last or near last in the alphabet (but in no way last in the art of bonsai). But not to worry, we feature Bill, his excellent bonsai and his world class bonsai events (the 2012 US National Bonsai Exhibition is coming up) here on Bonsai Bark regularly. This Seigen Japanese maple is one of Bill’s most famous and most wonderful trees.

Source: Bonsai Bark Read more!

Bonsai tree: Improving a Less-Than-Beautiful Design

Robert Steven’s simulation of a Chinese elm root-on-rock bonsai submitted by Ikhsan. The original (before) photo is below.

Still impressed

No matter how much I try, I don’t see nearly as much as Robert Steven sees when he does his critiques (it’s not even close). So, once again, I am left to sing the praises of Robert’s bonsai wisdom. If you’d like proof of that wisdom, just read on. Or, you can check out Robert’s books and search his name on this blog and read through dozens of his earlier posts. It’s time well spent.

Robert’s critique

How can two nice components create a less-than-beautiful design?

We can all agree that this bonsai and the natural container are very nice (see photo below), but we still feel there is something wrong in the overall composition, which make the design less beautiful than it could be. How can two nice components (container and tree) create a less-than-beautiful design?

It’s about our cognitive sense and our sub-conscious. Our background, experiences, culture, education, social value; what we see and what we learn, all are stored somewhere in our brain. Then, when we see something that doesn’t accord with the data in our brain’s folder, our cognitive sense rejects it and our sub-conscious reacts to the discrepancies and perceives it as less than beautiful. 

Here’s the original photo that Ikhsan submitted.

So, what’s wrong with this bonsai?

The problems have to do with natural phenomena, the plant’s physiology and morphology, which have not been logically applied in the creation of this bonsai.

-      The tree grows in relatively symmetrical manner with slight movement to the right and  with the roots spread equally around the base of the trunk.

-      The natural container depicts a generally rocky area with the tree growing beside a big rock on its right.

-       Logically, in such growing conditions, the tree’s roots system will not spread equally around, but tend to grow to the left for the water source, and grow away from the barrier on the right. Physiologically, the tree will never grow symmetrically or with movement to the right when the roots in the ground are growing to the left

-       These are the reasons we feel the design is not as beautiful as it could be, even though the two main elements are nice.

Correcting the flaws

So, to correct it, simply follow the plant physiology and plant morphology. In most case, this just means that you can use common sense when it comes to natural phenomenon. This is the element we sometime overlook in our bonsai design process.

1. I would correct the shape of the container by cutting it to make it shorter and to create a downward slope. The objective is to create more natural look that fits the shape of the tree.


2. Reposition the tree to lean to the left, cut some of the roots on the right, so that they are slightly one-sided to the left.


3. Shorten the right branches and lengthen the left branches to create movement to the left that follows the direction of the roots.

Now, when you look at the simulated image, you see a better composition with more a logical design: a tree growing on a sloping rocky area. When it’s more logical, you feel it’s more beautiful…

General comments

There is more than one way to design any bonsai and my critiques and recommended solutions might not always fit your taste and personal preferences, but I always try to give my opinion based on artistic and horticultural principles.

To understand my concepts better, please read my books Vision of My Soul and Mission of Transformation which are available at Stone Lantern.

Source: Bonsai Bark Read more!

Bonsai tree: What About Deciduous Bonsai?

You can find this magnificent elm and other seriously stupendous deciduous bonsai at Andy Rutledge’s The Bonsai Journal in an article by Andy with photos by Boon Manakitivipart.

In a bonsai world dominated by conifers and tropicals…

…it’s a good idea to remember the wonder of deciduous bonsai. Okay, this may be an overstatement, but still, how many top notch elm bonsai do you see on the internet?

Warehouse vacation

Our warehouse is on vacation until July 12th (it needs a break, not to mention a new paint job). Orders placed before then will be shipped on, or soon after, the 12th (that very week at least).

Raft style Japanese beech. You occasionally see someone commenting that North American bonsai has caught up with Japanese bonsai, or other related comments about the limitations of Japanese bonsai (overly stylized is a common one); I think this is wishful thinking by people who aren’t fully paying attention (this is not to say that North American and other Western bonsai -if it makes sense to speak in such generalizations – hasn’t come a long ways in the past few years). This strikingly superior tree is also from Andy’s site.

Our new Bonsai Aesthetics wire

We are virtually out of the 1 kilo size of our new Bonsai Aesthetics wire. Over 200 rolls sold in just under a week took us by surprise. However, we still have plenty of the 100 gram size.

Source: Bonsai Bark Read more!

Bonsai tree: Calling all Ceramicists: Can Anyone ID this Mystery Frit...?

Towering tree or a very strong bonsai? It’s from our $100 Photo Art Contest and it’s by Christian Hansen. It didn’t finish in the money, but I wonder if it might have, had people known it’s a bonsai (a very large bonsai). I didn’t realize it was until Christian sent me the photo below. It’s one of only two photos that were actually of bonsai, even though the whole name of the contest was: $100 Bonsai Photo Art Contest.

From top to bottom. I think it’s a Chinese elm. It’s a very powerful tree and there’s a lot to like about it, but does it need but do you think those two lowest small branches should be removed?

Source: Bonsai Bark Read more!

Bonsai tree: What About Refining Bonsai?

 
One page of a sixteen page article on refining branches, from Bonsai Today issue 13 (long out of print, but we’ve bought back a few old issues and are offering them at antique prices at Stone Lantern).
Years ago I heard an old Japanese master say that the primary difference between Japanese and Western bonsai is refinement. I concur; at the time, most Westerners we not taking the time and trouble to develop fine branching (and other things) to the extent that the Japanese were.
Now, though much has changed and Western bonsai is alive with creative energy, I think the willingness to do the tedious and time consuming work of refining branches is still, for the most part, lacking. I’m basing this mostly on my facebook and other web experience. More and more photos of bonsai are being posted. Some are excellent but precious few show that fine filigreed branching that you see on so many Japanese bonsai.

An excellent example of a bonsai with fine, filigreed branching. It’s from a flyer from the Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection. Unfortunately, neither the tree nor the artist is identified. My best guess is that it’s a Chinese elm and it was donated by a Japanese artist, though I could be wrong on both accounts.

Source: Bonsai Bark Read more!