Sydney Bonsai Spectacular 2013

I was really happy to learn that Sydney Bonsai Spectacular is happening again. So far, it took place only once in 2011 and it was much better than your average local bonsai club show. At this point, Australia can’t have a national exhibition because of quarantine restrictions between the states. An event like Sydney Bonsai Spectacular is the closest thing we have to the national exhibition. This time, I anticipated it to be just like the last one if not better. To my regret the standard of bonsai this year was less impressive, but the suiseki display was a little better. Images above show some of the trees I liked. All three of them have pleasing shapes, but require further refinement.
 
I know that bonsai enthusiasts in Sydney have some really good trees, but we don’t see them at our bonsai exhibitions. The only way to encourage people to come forward with their best trees is to make it a competition for an attractive price. It can be a prestigious trophy, cash or something else.
  
As for the suiseki, Sydney Bonsai Spectacular had a few interesting ones (see images below). Some of them featured fine daizas or suibans. Some had faults in their display, but suitable display accessories can be hard to find.

Exhibition of Bonsai Society of Australia

Another year, another annual exhibition of Bonsai Society of Australia. Some of the better trees are shown in the images above. They are not perfect, but their owners made some effort to refine them. There were many trees with tremendous potential; however, without a period of frequent wiring, pruning and styling their potential seemed wasted.

Demonstration by Robert Steven

At the beginning of this month, I attended this year’s “Tops Weekend” (Weekend Workshops at Stanwell Tops organised by the Illawarra Bonsai Society). The main demonstrator this year was Robert Steven, a bonsai artist from Indonesia known internationally for his two books. He practices bonsai at his bonsai centre in Jakarta. I was there just for a day and saw his two workshops and a demonstration. Images below show some of the trees from the workshops. Images on the left depict each tree before the workshop and images on the right show them after the workshop.

During the workshops Robert kept on emphasising that ‘bonsai rules’ are only guidelines designed for beginners. Once you understand the rationale behind the rules, you should follow the rationale and not necessarily the rules. As an example he drew two trees. One was a typical bonsai while the other was a tree with the first branch very short and growing at mid-height of the tree (not 1/3). The lengths of other branches of this tree were drawn at random as well. To my surprise the tree that didn’t follow classic bonsai rules looked more interesting and natural.
 

Another interesting observation Robert made is that bonsai represent trees seen from close distance rather than from far away. This is why bonsai with the first branch located relatively high on the trunk are preserved by us as taller trees. To fit the look of a tree viewed from close quarters bonsai must have a sufficient amount of detail. Features such as irregularly shaped foliage pads can provide that level of detail.

He said that one of the common mistakes made by many bonsai practitioners is shaping the canopy of a deciduous or a tropical tree as if it is a conifer in a triangular shape. Bonsai design must always take into account natural growth habits of a species. That way the bonsai will look genuine and will tell a story of its native habitat.

Robert reminded the participants to turn defects into features, but at the same time warned not have too many features: “The more you show, the less people see”.
 

He also pointed out the importance of negative spaces and ‘in-and-out’ spaces in the tree canopy. They make trees look more natural. Robert stressed that asymmetric balance is a very important concept in bonsai design. However, group plantings must have a focal point as well as asymmetric balance in overall composition.
 

Another thing I liked about Robert was that he was full of curious facts. Botanical terminology, plant anatomy, etymology of bonsai terms, etc. He said that he comes by such facts while doing research for his books.

In the evening, Robert did a demonstration. He decided not to do another conifer demonstration, which would produce an ‘instant bonsai’. Instead, he asked the audience to choose a couple of deciduous trees from a small batch of advanced bonsai stock. The first choice was the messiest tree in the batch with a seemingly confusing multitude of trunks (image 1 below). After a preliminary pruning of branches and roots, the number and shape of the trunks became more apparent. The position of the trunks in relation to each other was somewhat symmetrical (image 2 below). To overcome this, Robert changed the angle of the tree (image 3 below). This was followed by the removal of all unnecessary branches, which made the tree look unimpressive (image 4 below). For a finishing touch, however, Robert had a very impressive trick. He pulled out a bunch of artificial brunches made of wire and stated attaching them to the trunks to simulate the future development of the tree. The effect was very convincing indeed (image 5 below). The demonstration was quite entertaining.
 

The second tree chosen by the audience had a single trunk (image 1 below) and the demonstration involved a gradual removal of branches (image 2 below) with the final result shown in the image 3 below. This demonstration was more simple and straightforward.
 

As a whole, it was a fun day.

Annual exhibition of the Bonsai Society of Sydney

About two weeks ago I saw the annual exhibition of the Bonsai Society of Sydney. It was enjoyable. I love the ikebana component of their show. In fact, the standard of their ikebana arrangements is probably higher than the standard of their bonsai. Images above show a tree and a suiseki I liked the most.

二週間前、シドニーの盆栽会の展示に行きました。楽しかったです。展示の生け花の部が大好きでした。実は、彼らの生け花の方が彼らの盆栽より良かったです。この写真は私の盆栽と水石好きなです。

Annual exhibition of Bonsai Society of Australia 2012

I have seen annual exhibitions of the Bonsai Society of Australia every year for the past six years. It’s a short span of time, but sufficient to notice a trend. I wish I could say there is a gradual improvement. Au contraire, year after year these exhibitions are more or less the same. You would probably think I am too judgmental. However, let’s have a look at Noelanders Trophy book (Kunstboek S. (2010) Bonsai: Noelanders Trophy 10 Years, Antique Collectors' Club). It illustrates the best trees from this competition between 2000 and 2009. The progress they have made between 2000 and 2007 is remarkable, and the trees they had on display in 2000 are quite comparable with what we have in Sydney today.


Anyway, back to the exhibition of the Bonsai Society of Australia. This year, my favourite was a forest planting (see the image above). Plus there were things I always enjoy no matter what, like flowering Wisterias, etc.

Sydney Bonsai Spectacular

Last weekend, I saw an exhibition called Sydney Bonsai Spectacular held at Merrylands RSL. This was a joint effort of Sydney’s ten bonsai clubs. It was an interesting show. My favorite tree is shown below. In the past its trunk had no taper. Its owner split the trunk from the bottom and created a shari around the split area. It was a risky move, but it really paid off. It produced desired taper and added a lot of interest to the trunk.

There were quite a few trees with superb potential, which could have been turned from ‘good’ to ‘great’ by a simple change of balance in the branches or just by a greater amount of regular bonsai care. The exhibition also featured a few suiseki some of which are shown below.

 

Annual Exhibition of Bonsai Society of Australia 2011

Once again, I go to the Annual Exhibition of Bonsai Society of Australia. Same place different year. There were very few trees of interest to me. My favorite was the tree shown above. I could see only the demonstration by Pat Kennedy. He showed how to make a free form bonsai pot by making a plaster mold and pressing a clay slab into it. The demonstration was novel, informative and useful. The other demonstrations were by Joy Morton from New Zealand and Pham Bao Khanh Linh.

Bonsai exhibition of Illawarra Bonsai Society

Last weekend, I went to the bonsai exhibition of Illawarra Bonsai Society. It is a very active group of bonsai enthusiasts and this year they held their exhibition in a new venue – Sutherland District Trade Union Club. The photos above show some of the better trees. 
 

Another event I attended this month is was Gardening Australia Expo at Rosehill Racecourse organized by ABC TV. Bonsai was represented by just one nursery. The only plants that caught my fancy were Tillandsias (see the photo below). There was also a good choice of reasonably priced gardening tools.

The annual exhibition of Bonsai Society of Sydney

I mentioned the exhibition of Bonsai Society of Sydney in my last entry, but didn’t say anything about it. First of all, there was a handful of decent trees like the one shown in the picture above (25 years old, 7 years in training). Secondly, it had a strong ikebana presence. In Japan ikebana is bonsai’s big brother and their history is intimately intertwined. 

There was an ikebana display and demonstration as well as calligraphy and origami demonstrations. All this gave this exhibition a genuine Japanese flavor, which was a good change. Unfortunately, an average bonsai grower in Australia doesn’t care much for the historical and cultural context of bonsai. This exhibition attempted to expose us to some of this context.

National Bonsain Convention in Freemantle

A classmate from my bonsai lessons went to this year’s National Bonsai Convention in Freemantle, Western Australia. From the photographs of the trees exhibited there and my photographs taken at the bonsai convention in Sydney last year, I could see that the standard of bonsai in Western Australia is slightly higher. It’s just a handful of trees that made all the difference. I was especially impressed by the fact that some of those outstanding bonsai were Australian natives trained in their natural growth style. It’s an interesting observation considering they have only one or two bonsai clubs and a much smaller number of bonsai enthusiasts.

Bonsai Study Group Show

Yesterday, I saw exhibition of the Bonsai Study Group at West Pymble Community Hall. It was a relatively small show with the emphasis on small bonsai. For me, the highlight of the exhibition was Pat Kennedy’s bonsai pots stall. Bonsai in Australia may have a long way to go, however we already have high quality locally made bonsai pots. The photo of Chrysanthemum is just random.

Bonsai Show of Nepean Bonsai Society

Today, I saw the annual bonsai show of Nepean Bonsai Society held at Penrith PCYC. There were a couple of modest trees, but the display of miniature bonsai pots from the collection of John Marsh stole the show. The photographs say it all.

Mediocrity strikes back / New hope

Last Sunday, I visited the annual exhibition of the Bonsai Society of the Central Coast held at Gosford City Arts Centre. I’ve never been to their shows and this exhibition disappointed me. All trees were mediocre and uninspiring. Some trees were untidy and not properly prepared for the exhibition. Some trees exemplified bad horticultural practices. Some rather average trees were labeled as winners of past exhibitions, which indicated that the society rewards mediocrity.

To me the highlight of the visit was the Japanese garden outside the centre. It possesses a certain charm (see photos) and it has a tremendous potential for further refinement. The pavilion and the pond bridge are the star performers in the garden. It also features a nice tea-garden style arbour and a couple of decent stone lanterns. The most obvious area for improvement is the dry garden.

Australia Day Bonsai Exhibition

Yesterday, I saw Australia Day Bonsai Exhibition organised for the first time and held at Merrylands RSL, Sydney. Members of eight New South Wales bonsai clubs put up their trees for the exhibition. This sort of show never happened in Australia before. A national exhibition like Kokufu-ten in Japan or the US National Bonsai Exhibirion is impossible in Australia due to bio-security regulations enforced by the federal government. However, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia could hold their state exhibitions right now, but for some reason don’t. Anyway, the standard of Australia Day Exhibition was better than at usual individual club shows. Below are some trees. All Australian natives: 1- Port Jackson Fig (≈ 90 cm), Banksia (≈ 50 cm) and Baeckea (≈ 30 cm). Picture 4 shows a suiseki from China.

My first Kokufu-ten album

I finally got my first Kokufu-ten album! Another “boring” coffee-table book avoided by the rest of my family. It is this year's issue No 84. A couple of observations I would like to share. First, the trees looked more interesting and impressive in real life. Second, the album allows a quick glance at the exhibition and enables us to see general trends. Many trees at Kokufu-ten exhibit ancient maturity and suggest an awe-inspiring length of time and the amount of labor it took to produce them. At the same time, such trees may lack artistic individuality. Look through the album and you will find trees that are almost identical to each-other. Is it a “bonsai copied from another bonsai” situation encouraged by the abundance of mass-produced advanced stock? I still love the book and keep going over my favorite trees.

Bonsai talk in Tokyo

During my trip to Japan I met an Italian bonsai enthusiast who was also interested in Japanese garden design. This time he visited some Japanese gardens off the beaten track, went to Nagoya to see Tokonoma bonsai pots and then visited Kokufu-ten. He said that Tokyo region is definitely the leading center of bonsai art in Japan. Masahiko Kimura is considered as No. 1 bonsai master, with Kunio Kobayashi close behind. However, he pointed out that a shohin master Tomohiro Masumi of Koju-en nursery, Kyoto stands out as one of the leaders in the area of small bonsai. He shared his experience of visiting the studio of one of the most revered Tokonoma bonsai pot makers. His name is Gyozan Nakano. The Italian gentleman actually witnessed the master potter working on one of the larger pots. He said that he makes them by coil building and than burnishes them with a wet brush. I am sure there is a lot more to it, but he was certain that he doesn’t use any press molds. He told me that Gyozan Nakano makes pots only to order. If someone orders a bonsai pot he makes three pots and sells the customer the best one among them. I also asked him about Salvatore Liporace who is coming to Sydney to demonstrate at the National Bonsai Convention this year. In his opinion Liporace is one of the best in Italy, however he also mentioned Othmar Auer a German speaking bonsai artist from Northern Italy. He also introduced me to the Secretary of the Unione Bonsaisti Italiani and some guy form the San Marino Bonsai Club (all three were staying in the same hotel as me). Below is the picture of shohin displays at Kokufu-ten.

Ueno Green Club, Tokyo

I also went to Ueno Green Club where they hold an annual bonsai market in conjunction with Kokufu Bonsai-ten. Here are some of the highlights in pictures.

1 – A stall specializing in larger trees.

2 – A stall specializing in medium and small trees.

3 – Advanced bonsai stock from plantation (Japanese Maples).

4 – Advanced bonsai stock from plantation (Japanese Black Pines).

5 – Mame bonsai pots by Heian Kouzan ranging in price between $5,500 and $7,000.

They also had suiseki, books, and lots of different tools including some fancy power tools for carving. Antique bonsai pots were impressive, some are large, more than 100 years old with nice patina, but their prices were shocking.

Opening day of the 84th Kokufu Bonsai-ten

Today was the opening day of the 84th Kokufu Bonsai-ten – the biggest and the most prestigious annual bonsai exhibition in Japan. There were 269 exhibits. To me such large number of absolutely magnificent trees was too overwhelming. I felt that each tree should have been admired alone without other masterpieces overshadowing it. The standard of the trees was so high that I haven’t seen anything like that in any of the Australian Bonsai exhibitions. Unfortunately, taking photos in the exhibition was prohibited and I managed to take only a few snaps, when security personnel weren’t looking. I was lucky enough to have a little Kokufu-ten adventure and it began when I heard someone speaking in Russian. Turns out it was the lingua franca used by a Lithuanian and a Czech. The Litvanian was Kestutis Ptakauskas of Morning Dew Garden, Lithuania and the Czech was Vaslav Novak of Bonsai Centrum, Czech Republic. They introduced me to their friend Mr. Sun You Won, the Chairman of Korea Small Bonsai Association. I told them about my Pictorial English-Japanese Dictionary idea and Mr. Sun You Won kindly introduced me to Mr. Hiroshi Takeyama, the Chairman of Nippon Bonsai Association and Mr. Susumu Nakamura, the Director of Nippon Bonsai Association (the big boss). Mr. Nakamura spoke English and told me that his son might be able to help me to find a partner for this project. His son Mr. Makoto Nakamura was somewhat critical about the project idea, but when I explained that it would be a very visual book with lots of drawings he asked me to send more details by e-mail. Now the ball is in my court!

The Exhibition of Bonsai Study Group

I visited the annual exhibition of Bonsai Study Group today. It is the only Bonsai Club that does their show in autumn. The atmosphere of the exhibition was very nice, a few pleasing trees on display (one of such bonsai is shown in the picture). The demonstration on penjing planting is was interesting too. However, my yearning to see at least one outstanding bonsai wasn’t satisfied. Better luck next time!

27th Annual Show of the School of Bonsai

Three days ago I went to the 27th annual show of the School of Bonsai, Sydney. I understand its primary aim is to showcase the work if the school’s students, but their work is quite uninspiring. Last year’s show was similar, but Ray Nesci’s private collection was opened for public viewing and it has a number of really beautiful trees. This year, a small suiseki display put up by George Reisiss was more impressive than the bonsai trees. The group of trees shown on the picture popped up at this show and at the show of Bonsai Society of Australia this year. It is composed well, but some of its tree trunks have ugly scars which diminish its aesthetic value. Bonsai of this standard is pretty much as good as it gets at Sydney exhibitions this year.