Decked-Out: From Scroll to Skateboard, is an exhibit at the Pacific Bonsai Museum featuring skateboard decks and bonsai. If you haven’t seen it, there’s still time – the exhibit runs through Sunday, October 2. And if you’re interested in owning the decks themselves, they’re being auctioned for the benefit of the museum. The auction ends Sunday – check out the bidding on eBay.
The idea behind the exhibit is the swapping of scrolls for skateboard decks in bonsai displays. Sixteen decks spread throughout the garden appear with some of the more impressive trees from the museum’s collection.
Some decks go for maximum contrast while others work with aspects of the trees they complement. My favorites tended to be the more colorful decks. I’ve seen plenty of trees displayed with subtle, monochrome scrolls so I appreciated the opportunity to see and think about how bonsai looks next to more colorful display items.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Decked-Out artists, see the bios on the exhibit’s home page. On to the decks!
Korean yew
Japanese beech
Sierra juniper
Japanese white pine
Catlin elm
Chinese elm
American larch
Blue atlas cedar
Creeping hydrangea
Shore pine
Southwestern white pine
Tucker oak
Hinoki cypress
Oregon white oak
Staghorn sumac
Coast redwood
Midori Bonsai Club Annual Exhibit this Saturday, October 1st
The Midori Bonsai Club will be holding its 55th annual exhibit at the Quinlan Center in Cupertino (10185 N. Stelling Rd.) this Saturday from 10:00am to 5:00pm. A demonstration by Peter Tea will begin at 1:00pm. I’ll be there with pots, trees, tools and supplies. Hope to see you there!
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Sharon Hoffman says
Living on the East Coast of the United States, it is hard for me to understand the relationship between skateboards and bonsai. I guess that is because skateboards are not commonly seen here. We have one or two in our garage that our children tried to use when they were in their early teens. Perhaps that is due to our weather, having snow covered roads in the winter, making skateboarding not a particularlly easy or safe activity year round. I know it is a popular activity on the West Coast.
The artwork on the boards is very creative, well done and beautiful.
Sometimes, however, the boards seem to out shine the bonsai as the focal point of the above exhibits. Is that the intent?
I am not sure boards can replace scrolls in creating a complementary bonsai display.
Perhaps I am missing something here?
Chris says
Yeah, I don’t know…I saw the sumac display last month at the National Exhibition, and my thought was “why a skateboard?” That was the feeling of several other attendees I talked to about it. Seems like a solution looking for a problem. An appeal to the younger generation? A forced attempt to create something “American?” For the most part, the boards seem to distract from the trees. Especially that giant bird hovering over the yew in the first photo.
Zack Clayton says
I like the boards. It is not “traditional”, but very few American exhibits are. I think it is exploring what works for our culture. I like scrolls, but access is limited. Painted backdrops have been used, photographs, and other theings, so why not skateboards. I did not find them distracting.
I really liked the play of light and shadow since most of the pictures were taken in early morning or late afternoon. That was outstanding.