BONSAI FOCUS 2016-2 EN PREVIEW

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2/2016 March / April
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Noelanders Trophy XVII

Bonsai Focus
EDITORIAL
3
Who we are
Publisher
Bonsai Europe Publications
Houtrustweg 96,
2566 GJ The Hague
The Netherlands
The studio of Michael Hagedorn and the three demo artists. From left
to right: Boon Manakitivipart, Matt Reel and Bobby Curttright
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Office hours: 9am - 5pm (East Coast)
E-mail:
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Website:
www.bonsaifocus.com
Chief Editor:
Farrand Bloch
editor@bonsaifocus.com
Editorial staff:
English edition: Ann Scutcher
French edition: Patrick Bosc, Matthieu
Mavridis
German edition: Jörg Derlien
Dutch edition: Hein-Dik Barentsen
Italian edition: Erika Lakin
Spanish edition: Ana Ricart
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© Copyright 2016
Bonsai Europe, world rights reserved. No
part of this publication may be reproduced
in any form without the written
permission of the publisher.
Bonsai Focus has a co-operation with
Kinbon magazine, Kyoto, Japan
Three in a row
So here I am, once again writing my
introduction to the latest edition of our
magazine. I have just returned from the
Nöelanders Trophy XVII, which proved
to be a mega event. Our large stand was
sited in the main hall, just across from
the entrance – the perfect place for the
wonderful meet and greet we had with
many of our readers. The smile on my
face just got bigger and bigger as we were
showered with wonderful compliments
for the last issue which was received
enthusiastically. The Nöelanders Trophy
show is really the opening event of the
new bonsai season and this edition was
even bigger than before; it has become
the largest show in Europe. You will find
the full report in this issue.
During our visit to the US last year for
the Artisans Cup in September, we made
a stopover at Michael Hagedorn's studio.
He very kindly hosted the day of demos
we planned with Boon Manakitivipart,
Matt Reel and Bobby Curttright, Michael's
apprentice. Michael has a great collection
and garden and also a huge studio with
white walls, just perfect for photography.
So I ended up with three demonstrating
artists in a row, which is a kind of record
for me taking the shots and a video. Boon
Manakitivipart is the first of the artists
to be featured in this new series. See him
working on a Rocky Mountain juniper.
We had featured him some time ago in
2009. He is an admirable man, always up
for some jokes to lighten the atmosphere.
This really helped to smooth the way and
made the photo shoot so much easier for
me to manage.
Another impressive item which came
about from our Portland adventure is the
group of bonsai images by photographer,
Chris Hornbecker. These were printed
poster size and hung in the exhibition
hall of the Artisans Cup. I was fascinated
by those images and got to talk to Chris,
asking about his motivation. Further on in
the magazine he shares his thoughts and
we show you some of these prints.
Enjoy the read.
Translations:
Peter Warren
Farrand Bloch
Chief editor

4 Bonsai Focus
THIS ISSUE
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Beginner
Advanced
Expert
On the cover
The Nöelanders Trophy XVIII. Winning
trees: Picea glehnii (Luis Vallejo) and Acer
palmatum (Warren Radford).
Photo: Bonsai Focus Studio
31
6 News
Various events and reports, agenda of coming events
8 The Nöelanders Trophy XVII
The full report of the Nöelanders show in Genk, Belgium
18 Artists unite
Chiharu Imai and his team work on a huge juniper
26 Interview
Sandro Segneri is a very remarkable artist
36
29 The displays of the Taikan-ten
Award winning displays of bonsai, scrolls and suiseki
31 Pots from Sweden
Thor Holvila from Sweden has a different
approach to pot making
34 The sea of colour
Tony Tickle travels to India
36 Top without top
Hotsumi Terakawa re-models a small juniper
8

Bonsai Focus
44 Expert opinion
François Jeker analyses Jurgen Steven's juniper
18
46 The root dentist
In Japan roots are corrected just like dentists do it
54 Webshop
A variety of products at special prices for subscribers
56 Rocky 2
Boon Manakitivipart works on a Rocky Mountain juniper
66 Reality cast in bronze
Miniature bronze sculptures for bonsai
68 Garden visit
A peek in Henk Grob's bonsai garden
69 Tony's column
The desire to show your bonsai
46
72 Sowing the seeds
The challenge to grow a beech from seed
78 Floating bonsai
The photographic works of Chris Hornbecker
56

NEWS
6 Bonsai Focus
The cryptomeria man
By: Andrés Álvarez Iglesias.
The 'cryptomeria man', Jose Ontañon,
has recently passed away due to a heart
attack. As well as being a very good and
honest friend, he was a guy with lots of
good positive vibes — a perfectionist with
a very distinctive way of creating great
bonsai. The soul of Jose has been so great
and everything he had always created so
magnificent that we will never be able to
forget him, nor do we want to. We enjoy
our memories of him, we miss him and
dream that we'll meet again some day.
We had one of his Cryptomeria displayed
during the last edition of the Nöelanders
Trophy to honour his work.
Museum quality bonsai in
Rochester: the 5th US National
Bonsai Exhibition
This coming September the best bonsai
can be admired in Rochester New York
(USA). The bi-annual show initiated and
organised by Bill
Valavanis continues
to improve with every
edition. This year
special demos will
be held by Minoru
Akiyama (Japan), Tony
Tickle (UK), Enrique Castano (Mexico),
Sean L. Smith (US) Peter Warren (UK), Ryan
Jose Ontañon and his famous cryptomeria, at
the 14th edition of the Nöelanders Trophy
The three students of Masahiko Kimura
come to Saulieu
There are still many months to go before one of
the top shows will again be held in Saulieu. The
European Bonsai San Show 2016 takes place on the
weekend of 15th - 16th of October. This time there
will be a special edition with the three disciples of
Masahiko Kimura coming for demonstrations. More
information: www.european-bonsai-san-show.com
Michael Bell (US). Total Sports Experience,
435 W. Commercial St, East Rochester NY.
Promoting bonsai in India
Sanjay Dham, one of the organisers of the All India
Convention held last November, 2015 in Vadodara,
received from Ms Solita Rosade (Chair of the event) a
Certificate of Merit, signed by all the international and
national artists. It said 'In appreciation for organising
and promoting bonsai in India'. 'This is in reward for
the two years' hard work in promoting the convention
and its execution,' Sanjay Dham explained.
30 April - 3 May
National Bonsai Exhibition, Poland
Guest demonstrators: Sae Won Kim, Seok Ju Kim,
Walter Pall, Václav Novák, Bjorn Bjorholm, Milan
Karpisek. Where: Ksiaz Castle, Piastów Slaskich 1,
58-306 Wałbrzych, Poland.
Info: www.bonsai-ogrody.com.pl
14 - 15 May
The Rencontres
Internationales de
bonsai
Exhibition, trade stands
and demonstrations by
Jean Paul Polmans (BE)
Enzo Ferrari (CH) and
François Jeker (FR)
Open from 10.00 - 18.00.
At: L'Aronde Riedisheim,
20 Rue d'Alsace 68400
Riedisheim.
13 - 15 May
40th Anniversary of the National Bonsai
& Penjing Museum
Reopening of the renovated Japanese Pavilion.
Where: 3501 New York Ave NE, Washington, DC
20002, USA
20-23 May
The 29th Australian National Bonsai
Convention
Where: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. Info: www.
bonsai-southern-tasmania.org.au/convention.php
20 -22 May
EBA (European Bonsai Association)
Where: Székesfehérvár, Hungary
28 - 29 May
French National Congress
Demonstration by Koji Hiramatsu, at: Pallacium
Villeneuve D'Ascq, France.
Info: 0033 6 22 03 17 42 or www.ffbonsai.com
28 May - 6 June
45th Kanuma Satsuki Festival
Exhibition, Contest and Sales. Where: 2086-1 Moro
Kanuma-shi Tochigi 322-0026 Japan.
Info: t-sanjo@kaboku.or.jp.

30 DISPLAY
Bonsai Focus
Stone: Kamogawa stone 'Hira
Renpou / Hira mountain range'.
Length: 58 cm / 22¾" Width 30 cm
/ 11¾" Height 9 cm / 3½"
Douban: Kibundou
Displayed with a five needle pine
in a Japanese eight-sided pot and a
bronze boat
Stone: Kamogawa stone (previously seen in the Suifu Sanjin
collection) Length: 19 cm / 7¼" Width: 11 cm / 4¼"
Height: 9 cm / 3½". Suiban: Rectangular Celandon ware.
Displayed with red pine in a Nanban round pot
The semi cascading pine tree looks out
across the mountains and rivers while
over head, migratory geese fly off for the
winter. A very well matched scene
Tree: Five needle pine
Height 42 cm / 16½"
Displayed on a Kamogawa itokake
stone with an accent plant.
The natural character of the stone
has been accentuated well and the
height of the display table draws
attention to the image of
the full moon
Using the 160 cm / 63" tall reed as the
main item in this display was a master
stroke. The sense of scale created makes the
large suiban containing the Iyo stone look
like a vast lake. The sense of playfulness in
this display is accentuated by the refined,
but jovial scene represented in the wood
block print
A shohin display created in front of a fusuma (painted screen)
Main Kusamono: Toda reed Height: 160 cm / 63"
Pot: Udei round. Displayed with a stone in a
Japanese suiban

Bonsai Focus
POTS
31
Simple and
stubborn
Thor Holvila from Sweden has a different
approach to pot making
Text and photography: Bonsai Focus Studio
How did you get into bonsai
pottery?
Like most bonsai potters it began by
making pots for my own trees. I started
producing pots for others in 2008 once I
had my own pottery studio. I graduated
from Schillerska Art School in 1989, but I
recently met an old classmate who said
that even then I was talking of becoming
a bonsai potter. I cannot remember
this, but sometimes life leads you to your
dreams.
What is the most important
thing you learned from your
teacher?
My father Berndt Thor Holvila, who was
a judo instructor and also a goldsmith,
taught me how to appreciate Japanese
art and tradition, as well as the simplicity
and stubbornness that was already in my
childhood. Technology and the knowledge
of clay and kilns I received when I was an
apprentice under-potter to Paula Lindfors
(pioneer in the Swedish raku technique).
As a good teacher she would question
everything I did and, above all, she got me
to work with larger sizes. She made me
dare to put small tea pots aside and to
build and think big. The only limitation is
the size of the kiln.
Why ceramic? What do you find
so fascinating about it?
Unlike work as a blacksmith, or crafting
wood, clay has the property that allows
you to work with it until you're satisfied;
after firing, you cannot change anything.
It suits my personality well for I like to
contemplate what I want to do and where
I want to go, consider my choices before
I decide. After that, I seldom turn or look
back.
What is your philosophy of
bonsai ceramics?
I want to stick with simplicity. I stay with
the old techniques, simple tools and a few
quality materials. That way I stay with
tradition and have a relationship with the

34 Bonsai Focus
REPORT
The sea of colour
All India Bonsai Convention & Exhibition, Vadodara
Text and photography: Tony Tickle
Tony Tickle has travelled to many countries throughout the world for the purpose of bonsai. Last year in November he
received an invitation to shows his skills and charm during the Vadodara Bonsai Convention in India — a fascinating
country with a fast growing bonsai scene
Imagine the Prime Minister of the UK
or the President of the European Union
sending best wishes to the organisers
and participants of a bonsai convention.
I somehow don't see this happening, yet
this is just what happened in Vadodara.
Narender Modi, India's charismatic new
Prime Minister did just that, such was the
importance of this event in the Indian
calendar. November 2015 saw the second
All India Bonsai Convention & Exhibition
in Vadodara. The event was held at The
Surya Palace, a large and beautiful hotel
in the middle of the city. The organising
committee was from the Banyan Bonsai
Club Vadodara and our hostess was the
president Chanda Agrawal. The weekend
began with a fabulous display of local
culture and music; colourful and exciting,
the stage overflowed with twirling and
weaving dancers, musicians and sword
fighters. 230 delegates enjoyed the work
of artists from across the globe who were
invited to present their ideas; Peter Chan
(UK) spoke about Zen and its affinity with
bonsai, Lamngoc Vinh (Vietnam) showed
his skill in creating stone landscapes.
Lindsay Farr gave entertaining insights
into his video presentations, Nacho Marin
(Venezuela), Sergio Luciani (Argentina),
Masashi Hirao from Japan
Welcoming dancers
the young Masashi Hirao (Japan), Chase
Rosade (USA), Quingquan Zhao (China),
Robert Stevens (Indonesia), Tony Tickle
(UK), all worked on native material. They
were supported by a group of talented
local artists. The audio/video equipment
was impressive, three giant projection
screens around the room, wireless mics
on all artists, individual spotlights on
demos, three video camera operators, a
production director and a long jib camera
able to sneak in for close ups or dynamic
fly overs of the work on stage. I have
yet to see this at any other show I have
been to —a benchmark for future shows
perhaps?
Oldest civilization
India stands as one of the world's oldest
civilizations and being a multi-cultural
and multi-religious society, it was great
to see this being reflected in some of
the exhibits. More than 75 trees were on
display in one of the lower floors of the
hotel. Well lit and beautifully presented,
the exhibition was viewed by more than
30,000 visitors. Many of the species would
be unfamiliar to artists in the West: Ficus
bengalenses, Casuarina, Operculcaria, Burserra
fagaroides, Murraya exotica, Tamarindus,
Premna obtusifolia, Jaquinia, Pithecellobium
featured in the exhibition. A lot of trees
had clearly been worked over many years,

46 TECHNIQUE
Bonsai Focus
Fagus sylvatica
The root dentist
In Japan roots are corrected and repositioned just as dentists do it
Text and photography: Kinbon magazine, Japan
According to Iemitsu Ooishi repotting is hard work, but very enjoyable. You have the opportunity to study the health of
the root system and to make important corrections to it. Here he shows us how to make these special adjustments using
ropes — sometimes even whips — to improve the roots
Read more:
You will find more on the techniques of
Iemitsu Ooishi in our previous issues: 3/2008
and 6/2015

Bonsai Focus
TECHNIQUE
47
Trees that have already been repotted are lined up in their winter quarters
Many trees with superb nebari are found on Mr Ooishi’s benches
Although the nebari is not bad, Mr Ooishi points out several
faults that need correcting, demonstrating his determination to
achieve perfection. 'You only get the one chance to see and work
on the roots every two or three years. It is essential to make the
most of the opportunity.
'With this material we'll look at procedures for transplanting as
well as the professional techniques and tips for correcting and
improving faults in the nebari.
'This isn't only restricted to the beech, but can also be applied to
most deciduous trees. '
The nebari as seen from the right
Beech: Height: 63 cm / 24¾"
Width: 60 cm / 23¾" Trunk: 11
cm / 4¼"
The nebari as seen from the back
and from above

56 Bonsai Focus
MASTERCLASS
Rocky 2
Boon Manakitivipart styles a Rocky Mountain juniper
Text and photography: Bonsai Focus Studio
Our first visit to Boon in 2009 was at his old garden in the Bay Area of San Francisco. This time we met at Michael
Hagedorn's garden in Milwaukie near Portland, Oregon (USA). A whole team was assembled for the demonstrations
specially carried out for Bonsai Focus magazine, with Michael's student Bobby Curttright, Matt Reel and last, but by
no means least, Boon Manakitivipart. Here he works on a Rocky Mountain juniper showing his approach to a truly
American tree
The team: Boon, Matt, Michael and Bobby are all working on
trees that we will show later on. First, we have Boon's demo
on a Rocky Mountain juniper
A part of Michael Hagedorn's garden; at
the back his large studio is where we did
the demonstration shoots

72 Bonsai Focus
TECHNIQUE
Sowing the seeds...5
Fagus: The challenge is to create a finished tree starting from zero
Text and photography: Kinbon magazine, Japan Illustrations: Kyousuke Gun
One of the ultimate challenges in bonsai is to create a tree from seed.
This time we focus on beech and follow it through the years from seed to a formal upright
Leaf and seed type
In places with strong wind, you will see trees growing into shapes
that defy imagination. 1,700 m / 5,577 ft elevation.
Low elevation trees
Seeds are smaller
High elevation tree
Seeds are larger
Leaves are large,
thinner and
the edge is less
defined
Leaves are small and
leathery, the leaf edge is
finely toothed
Seed shape
Seed
Relatively flat
Leaf starts to twist
slightly
Trees growing at a higher elevation tend
to have more compact growth habit,
smaller leaves and whiter bark
Popular variety
Beech (Fagus) is a deciduous species that
grows up to 30m / 98' tall and has an alternate
leaf structure with oval or elliptically
shaped leaves with serrated edges.
There are several different varieties growing
in Japan, with high and low elevation
varieties showing distinct differences in
leaf and bark characteristics. The most
popular variety used in bonsai is the
white barked high elevation variety found
in more northerly areas.
More specifically, the best trees come
from the Pacific Ocean side of Mount
Fuji or from the Mount Odaigahara area
of Nara Prefecture, both of which have
extremely small leaves. So called 'Fuji-
Buna' are the most popular among bonsai
enthusiasts.
Beech is appreciated throughout the
year for its beautiful white bark, for the
shimmer of the buds as they break in the
spring, the refreshing green foliage in the
summer and the brown autumnal foliage.
No other tree gives the same image of a
high mountain deciduous tree throughout
the four seasons as well as beech.
In terms of shape and style, the traditional
image of large trees is one of a
formal upright, straight trunked tree, but
beeches are often made into forests, too.
It's a species that thickens rapidly and is
a good candidate for growing from seed
as the techniques are not too difficult and
it is relatively easy for beginners.
The most important thing when growing
from seed or seedling is to use a variety
that has good leaf characteristics.

Bonsai Focus
NEXT ISSUE
81
Issue 140 May / June
Workshop with Hiromi
Hiromi Tsukada is a specialist in Satsuki creations. In the next
issue he will show you how to work on a smaller tree.
After the blossom
The aftercare given to Satsuki Azalea is crucial; learn all the ins
and outs.
The eye of the Taiga
Taiga Urushibata is becoming a regular guest here in the West.
He has a sharp eye for detail, which you can see as he works on
a large pine.
Japan in Florida
A visit to Erik Wigert's bonsai nursery in Florida, USA

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