I've been bitten badly!

[MACH5]

Very recently I was bitten badly by the suiseki bug! Not sure how it happened but it did. I started reading books, watched youtube clips and googled any information I could find on the subject. I am now completely fascinated with suiseki. I have a strong preference at the moment for mountain range stones. I have purchased two thus far. One is a Japanese Furuya stone and the other one is from the guangxi province in China. At some point I will post and share pics.

Any help/tips from more experienced suiseki folks here is highly welcomed. For example, who might be one of the best choices to make a custom daiza? One of the names that come to mind is Sean Smith.

 

[AZbonsai]

Carve an X over the bite mark and suck the poison out.

 

[makarovnik]

I didn't make thread on it but I have a lantana growing on a stone I have. It will be a RoR but the roots were long enough to go down a 1 foot rock. I am going to take it out next year and then transfer it a pot or a slab with other stones (and maybe more trees)

 

[Tentakelaertje]

Very recently I was bitten badly by the suiseki bug! Not sure how it happened but it did. I started reading books, watched youtube clips and googled any information I could find on the subject. I am now completely fascinated with suiseki. I have a strong preference at the moment for mountain range stones. I have purchased two thus far. One is a Japanese Furuya stone and the other one is from the guangxi province in China. At some point I will post and share pics.

Any help/tips from more experienced suiseki folks here is highly welcomed. For example, who might be one of the best choices to make a custom daiza? One of the names that come to mind is Sean Smith.

Pics!
Teach a man who carves daizas and he will have empty pockets, but book a man a workshop with the daiza dude and find your house covered in suiseki.

For real! Maybe order a custom daiza, see how it fits, try to do it yourself and when a bit experienced book a workshop!

There's a dude on bonsai auctions (?) Who sells suiseki mountain ranges for like 100 bucks. If I were living in the US he wouldn't even have to post 'em!

Carve on soft wood like pine or so first, that shit is easy compared to the hard stuff. I had a talk with another suiseki enthousiast who had brutally murdered a whole set of bits on a piece of tropical hardwood. At the end of the story there wasn't even carved out enough for a small pebble to sit.

Also look up Carlo Maria Galli, he's awesome and puts a lot of suiseki stuff on facebook.

 

[coh]

I have not yet succumbed to the suiseki bug, so I got no advice for you. But am looking forward to seeing what you've acquired.

 

[MACH5]

Pics!
Teach a man who carves daizas and he will have empty pockets, but book a man a workshop with the daiza dude and find your house covered in suiseki.

For real! Maybe order a custom daiza, see how it fits, try to do it yourself and when a bit experienced book a workshop!

There's a dude on bonsai auctions (?) Who sells suiseki mountain ranges for like 100 bucks. If I were living in the US he wouldn't even have to post 'em!

Carve on soft wood like pine or so first, that shit is easy compared to the hard stuff. I had a talk with another suiseki enthousiast who had brutally murdered a whole set of bits on a piece of tropical hardwood. At the end of the story there wasn't even carved out enough for a small pebble to sit.

Also look up Carlo Maria Galli, he's awesome and puts a lot of suiseki stuff on facebook.

Thanks for the info! I've been looking at how daizas are made. Really interesting! I am quite good with my hands but honestly I don't think I would have the time to make them myself. Just way too many other projects I need to attend to. Maybe one day when I retire??

Yes, I think the same guy you mentioned also posts on EBay. I believe the Chinese suiseki I bought is also from the same seller. Fantastic price and the stone is pretty amazing!! Now I need to get a daiza made for it. The Furuya-ishi is coming from the UK. It was in the collection of Steve Tolley. It should be here in a couple more days.

I'll definitely look up Carlo Galli for sure!

 

[thumblessprimate1]

I like the stones. Just not ready yet, I think. Go @MACH5 !

 

[GrimLore]

Now I need to get a daiza made for it.

I believe @Smoke has a post somewhere here where he has shown the steps to build. It might be a good idea to contact/commission him if he is willing and currently has the time.

Grimmy

 

[markyscott]

Please don't give up bonsai until after the February meeting!!

S

 

[MACH5]

Please don't give up bonsai until after the February meeting!!

S

LOL good heavens never! I may have been bitten hard by the suiseki bug, but the bonsai animal ate me whole!

 

[Vin]

Pest free and you don't have to prune or water them. Sounds like a win win to me!

 

[fredtruck]

That's pretty cool, MACH5. You rock!

 

[JudyB]

I know that a guy from Ohio named Mitch Allen Boatman makes diaza, you can find him on Facebook, he's friends with Dale Cochoy.

I have lots of rocks, some of which could probably be considered suiseki they are all over my house and benches. I think a lot of people have the same obsession for rocks that are into trees... I don't have any diaza for mine.

 

[barrosinc]

I've never really liked suiseki too much. I do find some cool looking rocks some times, but I see the prices online and it really amazes me.

 

[Eric Group]

I think they are really cool looking- just for me, I like the process of creation associated with Bonsai and don't see that with Suiseki... perhaps making the Daizas or whatever...

@William N. Valavanis is as accomplished regarding Suiseki as anyone I am aware of in America- obviously not being as into them I cannot speak to much more than that.

 

[rockm]

Thanks for the info! I've been looking at how daizas are made. Really interesting! I am quite good with my hands but honestly I don't think I would have the time to make them myself. Just way too many other projects I need to attend to. Maybe one day when I retire??

Yes, I think the same guy you mentioned also posts on EBay. I believe the Chinese suiseki I bought is also from the same seller. Fantastic price and the stone is pretty amazing!! Now I need to get a daiza made for it. The Furuya-ishi is coming from the UK. It was in the collection of Steve Tolley. It should be here in a couple more days.

I'll definitely look up Carlo Galli for sure!

Before you get sucked in more, you probably realize that the $100 stuff coming from China really isn't suiseki, but hand carved stone, not naturally formed. It's amazing because it's been worked to impress newbies...Stones that have been worked are big thing in suiseki, especially among the high enders. Stones that have been carved, treated with acid, etc. aren't nearly as valuable, or as desirable as natural stones. Some are very difficult to detect...

 

[chansen]

Very recently I was bitten badly by the suiseki bug! Not sure how it happened but it did. I started reading books, watched youtube clips and googled any information I could find on the subject. I am now completely fascinated with suiseki. I have a strong preference at the moment for mountain range stones. I have purchased two thus far. One is a Japanese Furuya stone and the other one is from the guangxi province in China. At some point I will post and share pics.

Any help/tips from more experienced suiseki folks here is highly welcomed. For example, who might be one of the best choices to make a custom daiza? One of the names that come to mind is Sean Smith.

I've seen some of Sean's work, and he's great. Jerry Braswell carves diazas as well. You can find him on the Viewing Stone Appreciation Facebook group (he's the admin).

There are a number of informational resources available. The Japanese Art of Stone Appreciation by Vincent Covello is a great book that outlines different styles, etc. Sort of like the Naka books are for bonsai. Bill Valavanis sells albums from a show in Japan that are also very good.

Kemin Hu has a number of books published as well, but she primarily focuses on Chinese style stones and not Japanese suiseki.

Tom Elias hosts http://vsana.org/. Lots of good information, including vendors, carvers, articles, etc.

Carlo has some very nice stones, and there are lots of great stones in Italy. Luciana Queirolo has a lot of stones, and has won multiple awards over there. I had the opportunity to go collecting with her a few years ago when I was vacationing in Italy. She was a wonderful host, and we had a great time collecting (and drooling over the stones she had). The Italian palombino limestone are very similar to Furuyaishi.

Sam and KJ have one of the most active suiseki blogs out there (https://samedge.wordpress.com/).

I'd also recommend checking out the Aiseki Kai website (http://www.aisekikai.com/index.html). Their monthly newsletters also have a lot of good info.

 

[chansen]

Just one bit of advice, don't oil suiseki. Ever. I know it makes them look good at first, but this will cause problems long term. Dust, dirt, etc. will stick to the oil giving the stone a hazy look. Since the oil will have filled in any pores in the stone, it's very hard to get off. So the only way to solve the hazy look is to re-oil. And then you're stuck in a perpetuating cycle.

Many stones will develop natural patina over time, but that's dependent on mineral makeup, etc. But not all suiseki are black and shiny . Bonsai requires patience. Waiting for a stone to develop patina takes a lot more.

 

[Lazylightningny]

That's pretty cool, MACH5. You rock!

Pun intended, I assume

 

[sorce]

water them

You do have to water them!

I water 2 rocks every day!

Pics Mach Pics!

Sorce