2014 BIB Display planning

[Eric Schrader]

I'll be exhibiting this weekend at the Bay Island Bonsai show in Oakland, CA. For the exhibit I have three trees, one is a large juniper that I posted earlier this week and the other two are in a display together. The theme for this year's exhibit is "Born in the USA" so there will be no imported trees in the exhibit and many members are planning to show more native species than is typical for BIB.

The plan for display:

Island Scrub Oak, Quercus pacifica in an old Japanese pot on a low root stand. I've trained this tree literally from a small stick in a pot to what I think is a nice oak shape, approx. 12" high.

Bristlecone Pine exposed root cascade, in an American pot, about 8" top of roots to bottom of the foliage.

Accent plant: Coast Rock Cress in a pot by Bonsai Fusion.

Hope you all enjoy the photos, I'm open to your thoughts and critique.

Some details shots so you can see more:

 

[Poink88]

Love everything but specially that oak and the pot.

Sorry cannot critique...I am clueless with display.

 

[tmmason10]

What a cool theme to the show, I really like the idea. Nice work on these two trees as well as the juniper on the other thread. The bristlecone is certainly unique.

 

[kakejiku]

Schrader様へ

I would reference a previous post. Particularly points 2 and 3 in the last post of the critique of this link. http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?13051-First-Formal-Shohin-Display
Is there any repetition among the elements in your display?

Whenever I set to create a display, I first define the main tree or item of the display and that determines the formality of the entire display.

I think naturally your bristlecone kengai should be the main tree of the display because of its strong flow. If that is the case...then we have a Shin no Sou display (Formal Tree in an Informal Styling). The pot should match as Shin no Sou, which is an unglazed round pot. (Reread the original question I posed.)

I will post a picture at a later time of a display that has a similar structure as yours is set up.

 

[Smoke]

Neither of these trees is formal. They are both informal.

 

[Dan W.]

I love it!

I'm no good for critiquing your display, but I love the elements.

A bristlecone pine on a high stand representing the old bristlecone's up in the mountains of California. And an oak representing the lower regions of CA. Great idea!

 

[johng]

Outstanding! It talks to me!

John

 

[nathanbs]

Schrader様へ

I would reference a previous post. Particularly points 2 and 3 in the last post of the critique of this link. http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?13051-First-Formal-Shohin-Display
Is there any repetition among the elements in your display?

Whenever I set to create a display, I first define the main tree or item of the display and that determines the formality of the entire display.

I think naturally your bristlecone kengai should be the main tree of the display because of its strong flow. If that is the case...then we have a Shin no Sou display (Formal Tree in an Informal Styling). The pot should match as Shin no Sou, which is an unglazed round pot. (Reread the original question I posed.)

I will post a picture at a later time of a display that has a similar structure as yours is set up.

When doing a 3 point display with 2 trees like in this case typically done when neither can hold their own size wise is there necessarily a main tree? I think it's more about the relationship between two trees and an accent. Kakejiku or smoke please correct me if I'm wrong

 

[kakejiku]

Neither of these trees is formal. They are both informal.

In the Gadou system of display Evergreens, such as Bristlecone are alwaysformal. It is a formal tree with an informal styling....Shin no Sou...

Now the picture...This is a Black Pine in a Moyougi style. It is a Shin no Shin display. (Formal Tree with a Formal Styling.) In Gadou Moyougi is a Formal styling...so bear with the fact that others have taught otherwise. This is without the revision by Yamamoto...which can be discussed later.

 

[Eric Schrader]

So far two things have been brought up that I thought are potential problems:

First, the pot on the bristlecone should be round, likely the type of pot with a outward curved profile and cloud feet would be best. I had about 5 other candidate pots for this tree but none of them were perfect. For now this is not something that I have the capacity to correct.

Second - there is a lot of negative space in the display because both trees are on the small side for a 3-point display. Does that mean that there should be another element?

Personally, I'm not a fan of scrolls because I frequently dont understand the symbolism. My cultural heritage is not Japanese and putting a scroll behind two American trees seems odd to me. What I could see instead is a tasteful and understated photograph as part of it. Still, there are Japanese elements to the display, so perhaps the right scroll would work.

 

[bonsaibp]

I like it. The trees are awesome the only thing I think could be different is the oak could do with a slightly taller stand.
How long have you had the pine?

 

[nathanbs]

I don't think a scroll is the answer either. I think as Bob said or a slighter shorter cascade stand will close the distance and give less negative space

 

[Eric Schrader]

How long have you had the pine?

I think about 5 years. I bought it from a guy who had started it as a seedling, it was in a 1-gallon nursery container. When I went to repot it the roots were all at the bottom, probably from a lack of regular watering. So rather than try to correct the long roots I just exposed them. I have an affinity for exposed root trees, but this is my only Bristlecone, exposed root or otherwise.

 

[kakejiku]

So far two things have been brought up that I thought are potential problems:

First, the pot on the bristlecone should be round, likely the type of pot with a outward curved profile and cloud feet would be best. I had about 5 other candidate pots for this tree but none of them were perfect. For now this is not something that I have the capacity to correct.

Second - there is a lot of negative space in the display because both trees are on the small side for a 3-point display. Does that mean that there should be another element?

Personally, I'm not a fan of scrolls

Just understand that all of this is from the Gadou perspective...and there are different ways of doing...I am just pointing out some points that would be discussed in the Gadou display.

Ok, the first point you understand, and I understand that it would probably not be possible to change out the pot...Just something for you to understand for the future. Hankengai & Kengai stylings, whether on a fruiting, flowering, deciduous or evergreen are informal...Tall tables, square tops and round pots. The lip of the pot should also line up with the sides of the table.

You are exactly correct about the negative space in this display. Doesn't it feel uncluttered and that your eye can take in all pieces but also focus on the individual pieces as well. No, you would never want to add another piece to the display...

I was not asking you to add a scroll to the display, but it is a beautiful uguisu (Japanese Nightingale)
My main point was to show the competition between two trees...And if you are showing a high/low geographic region, that is not a technique encouraged. Trees and plants should come from the same close proximity in nature.

This is the revised display...Ignore the scroll. Look at the trees...Is it improved? Where does your eye focus on when looking at the display?

 

[Shima]

I think about 5 years. I bought it from a guy who had started it as a seedling, it was in a 1-gallon nursery container. When I went to repot it the roots were all at the bottom, probably from a lack of regular watering. So rather than try to correct the long roots I just exposed them. I have an affinity for exposed root trees, but this is my only Bristlecone, exposed root or otherwise.

The provenance of both bonsai is remarkable. A stick and a seed. This reflects a high level of creativity and patience. Bravo!

 

[Eric Schrader]

My main point was to show the competition between two trees...And if you are showing a high/low geographic region, that is not a technique encouraged. Trees and plants should come from the same close proximity in nature.

This is the revised display...Ignore the scroll. Look at the trees...Is it improved? Where does your eye focus on when looking at the display?

Your display example doesn't seem analogous to my eye but then I've never made a concerted study of formal display. I do appreciate your feedback though. I typically look to make the best displays that are possible with my limited collection of trees.

To your comment about geography - I'm not sure of my intent to be truthful, but the scrub oak is pervasive in California. Although it does not extend into the high areas of the White mountains where the most famous bristlecone live, it does extend into the mountainous regions of the great basin which are quite close by distance, if not by elevation, to the Bristlecones that inhabit the high ridges of that region. You could find a scrub oak less than a couple miles from a bristlecone in some areas.

 

[Eric Schrader]

The provenance of both bonsai is remarkable. A stick and a seed. This reflects a high level of creativity and patience. Bravo!

Thanks for your comment. Not sure if anyone noticed, but the oak is the same tree as my avatar, although that photo was taken in 2010. I have a couple other old photos of the tree, the oldest is hard to make out because it's in front of another plant; this is December 2003:

Late winter 2007:

January 2010:

 

[Dav4]

Fwiw, I like everything about the display. I think it clearly tells a story and is very understandable. Individually, the trees are quite nice. That little Bristlecone is really cool...never, ever thought I'd see an exposed root bristlecone cascade. The oak is great as well...very impressed with the development and relative maturity it has for being such a young tree.

 

[kakejiku]

Your display example doesn't seem analogous to my eye

Maybe it does not, because with two trees, perhaps you are trying to put both in the spotlight. It just seems with the space you have available, it would be better to only use one tree...or can you get a longer section of space at the show? Would further separation between the two trees heighten the feeling of the bristlecone at the higher altitude?

I guess it may be best to translate portions of the critique from Japanese...I am only translating the sections pertinent to those of the accent tree in relation to the main tree.

Furthermore, just looking at your Himeshara accent as one point is a very wonderful part of the display, but its role as a support to the main tree if you look at it in the overall scheme of the display it feels a little too big.

Also the accent a field plum with three flowers to view at 15 cm and round glazed pot seeks to refine the overflowing feeling of season.

 

[dick benbow]

Hey Eric,
Earlier you had commented about how you don't "get" the use of scrolls.

I thnk the easiest way to grasp the concept is to think about looking out at the landscape.

What you might see depending on your placement, is the view right before you. Might include a lawn or landscape bushes, flowers...that's your companion plant.

In the middle ground might be a stately tree at the curb of your lawn or across the street at the neighbor's, that's your bonsai

In the background might be the rolling hills, Mountains etc, that's your scroll

I realize this is a very simple way of looking at the scroll's use and there is a lot more that it can be sued for, time of year, time of day, moods (fog, rain etc.)

But hopefully, the concept may help in coming to terms with it's use. Most westerners have a framed picture in their house that stays the same irregardless of season, because it's a favorite. Scrolls in Japan were used as something that can be immediately changed to help portray the season or occasion while constantly changing, so i think culturally we need to understand the differences in the way we use art.