Met Colin Lewis on Friday

berobinson82

Omono
Messages
1,515
Reaction score
441
Location
Central Virginia, US
USDA Zone
7a
Colin came to our club this past Friday. The topic was ugly trees. He was offering advice on some seriously sub-standard material. He said that Richmond certainly did not disappoint when it came to poor material. :)

IMG_5759.jpg

Here, he is discussing how the traditional triangle tree does not a bonsai make. He's very much a Naka fan as he wants bonsai to look like trees rather than trees being made to look like bonsai.

IMG_5765.jpg

He explained how to grow sacrifice branches in order to promote taper. In the same vein, he is on the same system as is Walter Pall in terms of hedging; he never used that term. But his method for growing branches out very long and then cutting back to shape to promote ramification and back-budding was parallel to what we've seen discussed here.

IMG_5773.jpg

PBA President Steve Miller was in attendance and he offered this virt for a pine owner that had been advised to adopt the literati style.

IMG_5757.jpg

All in all, I very much like Colin's style and hope to see him again. I have a bit more thorough a write up on the blog if you're interested. The highlights are here on bnut.

B
 

augustine

Chumono
Messages
755
Reaction score
553
Location
Pasadena, MD
USDA Zone
7A
I met Colin Lewis on Saturday at a seminar held by the Baltimore Bonsai club. A talented artist with a common sense approach. I enjoyed Mr. Lewis and the event very much.

Best,

Augustine
 

Gene Deci

Shohin
Messages
427
Reaction score
336
Location
Northern Michigan
Colin came to our club this past Friday. The topic was ugly trees. He was offering advice on some seriously sub-standard material. He said that Richmond certainly did not disappoint when it came to poor material. :)

B

I have had the opportunity twice to watch Colin Lewis take material that was, by consensus, not really of demonstration quality and do remarkable things with it. He has a talent but there surely are limits.
 

Poink88

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
8,968
Reaction score
119
Location
Austin, TX (Zone 8b)
USDA Zone
8b
Got lucky to spend hours (but in pieces) with Collin almost all by myself and he has lots of good things to share. I didn't know that Bonsai Focus is indirectly started by him (based on his story). Best time to hang around him when he is out smoking (if you don't mind the smoke). He will talk bonsai (any sub-topic) non-stop. ;)
 
Top Bottom