Somehow six years have passed since the last update on the cryptomeria below. It’s a great example of how slowly development moves along when the work is irregular. Here is the tree after its first wiring in 2020. First wiring – September, 2020 For the next few years the tree grew freely. November, 2021 August, […]
Styling
Styling bonsai gives trees their charm. Read the posts below to learn about the artistic decisions we make when working on bonsai.
Suggestions for studying bonsai with exhibit books
When I think back to my earliest memories of studying bonsai with Boon Manakitivipart, I remember there were Kokufu books everywhere. We’d look at them in the workshop, at lunch, and after dinner. They were a constant reminder of what was possible if we kept at it long enough. After studying with Boon for several […]
Juniper design Q&A – identifying next steps on a Sierra juniper
I received some good questions following the previous post about a Sierra juniper. Why aren’t you planning to keep foliage on the upper branches? Why did you decide to graft and where are the grafts? How did you decide which branches to cut? What’s the overall plan for developing this tree and how long will […]
A simple test to evaluate the integration of foliage and deadwood
A trick for evaluating the design of bonsai with prominent deadwood features.
Rocky Mountain juniper – first wiring
The initial branch work comes after four years of working on the roots and reducing unnecessary branches.