I brought my hinoki to a Bay Island Bonsai workshop last weekend. It was the first time I’d thought much about the tree since I worked on it last year. It had filled in quite a bit and I wanted to give it some attention. I also had yet to decide what tree I’d be […]
Styling
Styling bonsai gives trees their charm. Read the posts below to learn about the artistic decisions we make when working on bonsai.
Kondo critique at Bay Island Bonsai
This month’s Bay Island Bonsai meeting was devoted to a bonsai critique by Akio Kondo. Kondo discussed the good and bad points of each tree, making suggestions for improvement and answering questions along the way. Occasionally – to our general encouragement – he pulled out scissors and made a few cuts. Here are some of […]
Finding the front – Japanese red pine
A number of readers provided suggestions for Jeff’s Japanese black pine this week. Front #1 is the closest to the current front. It’s a great selection based on the current style – one that features balanced branches on both sides of the trunk. The second and third options were both popular, possibly because they present […]
Finding the front – Japanese black pine
The Japanese black pine pictured below hasn’t been re-styled in a long time. It’s healthy now, and ready for a change. Currently, the foliage is heavy on both the left and right sides. The owner is hoping to emphasize one side over the other. The two outstanding questions: which front is the most effective? and […]
Peter Tea styles Japanese black pine
Bay Island Bonsai workshops are always a lot of fun. Good atmosphere, good people, and plenty of good trees. Really good trees. At a recent workshop I sat next to Peter Tea who spent the day wiring a Japanese black pine. He finished just in time for some glamor shots with the tree. Peter Tea […]