Potomac Bonsai Association Show this weekend

[rockm]

The PBA show and sale is this weekend Fri-Sun at the National Arboretum in D.C.

If you're within two, or even four, hours' drive, looking for stock trees, developed trees, pots, tools, soil, or just want to look at excellent bonsai (from the sprawling permanent National Bonsai and Penjing Museum exhibits--to PBA club trees in competition) etc. this is the place to go. Supposed to be sunny and nice all weekend too.

Schedule of Events – Potomac Bonsai Association, Inc.

potomacbonsai.com

Vendor list:

• Bonsai Learning Center
• Hollow Works Ceramics
• Meehan’s Miniatures
• Nature’s Way
• Osiga Company
• Red Tail Pottery
• Tandamiti Bonsai

 

[rockm]

Bump

 

[Wood]

Suthin Sukosolvisit is the guest artist this year and will be running a handful of demos!

 

[PerryB]

The PBA show and sale is this weekend Fri-Sun at the National Arboretum in D.C.

If you're within two, or even four, hours' drive, looking for stock trees, developed trees, pots, tools, soil, or just want to look at excellent bonsai (from the sprawling permanent National Bonsai and Penjing Museum exhibits--to PBA club trees in competition) etc. this is the place to go. Supposed to be sunny and nice all weekend too.

Schedule of Events – Potomac Bonsai Association, Inc.

potomacbonsai.com

Vendor list:

• Bonsai Learning Center
• Hollow Works Ceramics
• Meehan’s Miniatures
• Nature’s Way
• Osiga Company
• Red Tail Pottery
• Tandamiti Bonsai

I'm going Friday morning, hoping to beat the crowds and find a nice JBP and more conifers. I also need more tools!
I may return on Saturday.

 

[rockm]

Went up on Saturday morning. Had a great time. The vendor tent was a little light, but had some great things. Went to the Suthin opening and critique of the PBA display. A lot of fun hearing some of the finer points of display and trees. Also got to visit the collection and see some of my favorites.

 

[rockm]

Went up on Saturday morning. Had a great time. The vendor tent was a little light, but had some great things. Went to the Suthin opening and critique of the PBA display. A lot of fun hearing some of the finer points of display and trees. Also got to visit the collection and see some of my favorites.

FWIW, the photo of the large trident in the middle is interesting because it is an old root over rock planting. The dark areas are what is left to see of the rock as the tree enfolds it. The tree has been in training since 1918.

The first and second photos are two of my favorite forest plantings in the collection. First one Chinese elm (Catlin) by Marybel Balendonck, second one is Chinese juniper (foemina) by Mas Moriguchi. Both have been in the collection since the early 90's. Fourth pic is of one of the club show trees. Very nice little elm. Fifth is the Suthin walk-through of the display competition. Lots of really good trees in it--although Suthin was excellent at pointing out goods things and bad things on each. He worked pretty hard as he lead several workshops--The beginner workshop in the studies building was packed in the morning.

 

[mj_barb]

Had to miss it this year, had a baby Wednesday. Looks like it had a good turn out!

 

[rockm]

Had to miss it this year, had a baby Wednesday. Looks like it had a good turn out!

Congratulations! Hope everyone is doing well!

There was a great turn out judging from the walk-though with Suthin. Hard to find a place to stand in front of the exhibits.

Curious as to what folks think of this display. It was one of a dozen or so in the competition. I stole the photo from the PBA FB feed...It's a collected yew and pretty large

 

[markyscott]

Congratulations! Hope everyone is doing well!

There was a great turn out judging from the walk-though with Suthin. Hard to find a place to stand in front of the exhibits.

Curious as to what folks think of this display. It was one of a dozen or so in the competition. I stole the photo from the PBA FB feed...It's a collected yew and pretty large

I caught Suthin’s demo on Saturday afternoon, but missed his critique in the morning. Among the club trees, this yew was that I returned to a number of times. I think it was my favorite among the member trees on exhibition. Good deadwood with a contrasting and excellently placed live vine. With a great nebari, dynamic movement in the trunk, well placed branches and mature ramification, it was, for me, easily the best quality tree in the member owned collection. But since you’re asking about the display particular, I have a couple of observations (these are just details - it was a very good display overall):

1. The tree was full and appeared to be in good health. The main branches were well placed. It could have benefited from a bit of clean and unobtrusive detail wiring to clean up the foliage pads.
2. In terms of dimensions, the stand is a really good size and great quality. To me, however, it felt a bit heavy for this tree. I might have gone with a stand the same size but with a bit less wood (thinner legs and a less obtrusive apron below the table top).
3. It’s a matter of taste, but I wasn’t a fan of the pot (a rather plain oval) particularly. Given the amount of deadwood and the styling, I think I would have preferred it in an unglazed rectangle with more masculine lines.
4. I liked the jita on which the kusamono was placed and I liked the distance the jita was positioned from the tree. The tree and the jita, however, were placed at the same distance from the front of the table. The exhibitor might consider focusing on distance from the table edge as the third dimension - it would give them some ability to work with depth as an additional display element.
5. The kusamono was nice, appropriately sized, and I appreciated the fact that it was exhibited in bloom.

I’m curious to hear what was your and Suthin’s impression of this display.

S

 

[rockm]

I caught Suthin’s demo on Saturday afternoon, but missed his critique in the morning. Among the club trees, this yew was that I returned to a number of times. I think it was my favorite among the member trees on exhibition. Good deadwood with a contrasting and excellently placed live vine. With a great nebari, dynamic movement in the trunk, well placed branches and mature ramification, it was, for me, easily the best quality tree in the member owned collection. But since you’re asking about the display particular, I have a couple of observations (these are just details - it was a very good display overall):

1. The tree was full and appeared to be in good health. The main branches were well placed. It could have benefited from a bit of clean and unobtrusive detail wiring to clean up the foliage pads.
2. In terms of dimensions, the stand is a really good size and great quality. To me, however, it felt a bit heavy for this tree. I might have gone with a stand the same size but with a bit less wood (thinner legs and a less obtrusive apron below the table top).
3. It’s a matter of taste, but I wasn’t a fan of the pot (a rather plain oval) particularly. Given the amount of deadwood and the styling, I think I would have preferred it in an unglazed rectangle with more masculine lines.
4. I liked the jita on which the kusamono was placed and I liked the distance the jita was positioned from the tree. The tree and the jita, however, were placed at the same distance from the front of the table. The exhibitor might consider focusing on distance from the table edge as the third dimension - it would give them some ability to work with depth as an additional display element.
5. The kusamono was nice, appropriately sized, and I appreciated the fact that it was exhibited in bloom.

I’m curious to hear what was your and Suthin’s impression of this display.

S

Suthin noted the good health of the tree and its well-done deadwood. He also didn't like the pot-which I really did. He noted the color and shape, as a bit off for the tree. The jiita for the kusamono was adjusted (flipped over) so it flowed toward the tree. Before it didn't do that as well.

Positioning of display items was a theme Suthin kept returning to in his critique. Display items, he said, should more directly emphasize the tree--"point" towards it. That included the direction of shoots and flowers emerging on accompanying kusamono and other complementary trees. There were some displays that were kind of confusing to me, particularly the dual trees displays--some were shown on stands that were at the same height--which emphasized neither. Others had mountain image scrolls with mountain suiseki--which is redundant.

The stand, from what I understand, was built by the owner of the tree. I kind of liked it. It is a bit heavy.

FWIW I liked the pot by itself, not necessarily with the tree. It "goes" pretty well, but a pot with a bit more "masculine" feeling unglazed rectangle would have worked better.

 

[Wood]

I liked the jita on which the kusamono was placed and I liked the distance the jita was positioned from the tree. The tree and the jita, however, were placed at the same distance from the front of the table. The exhibitor might consider focusing on distance from the table edge as the third dimension - it would give them some ability to work with depth as an additional display element.

Are you looking at the front edge of the jita compared to the front edge of the pot? The front edge of the table was closer to the display edge than the jita, if I recall. There definitely was more space behind the jita to play with though

The color and texture of the tree-pot-stand combo felt very similar to me in person. They're all a relatively medium brown and a satin surface. Maybe adding more contrast between them might heighten the display?

 

[markyscott]

Are you looking at the front edge of the jita compared to the front edge of the pot? The front edge of the table was closer to the display edge than the jita, if I recall. There definitely was more space behind the jita to play with though

Yes - I mean the bonsai and the companion plant appeared to be on the same plane relative to the front of the table. One can add depth to the display by breaking the plane - positioning the jita closer to or further from the table edge than the bonsai.

- S

 

[markyscott]

Suthin noted the good health of the tree and its well-done deadwood. He also didn't like the pot-which I really did. He noted the color and shape, as a bit off for the tree. The jiita for the kusamono was adjusted (flipped over) so it flowed toward the tree. Before it didn't do that as well.

Positioning of display items was a theme Suthin kept returning to in his critique. Display items, he said, should more directly emphasize the tree--"point" towards it. That included the direction of shoots and flowers emerging on accompanying kusamono and other complementary trees. There were some displays that were kind of confusing to me, particularly the dual trees displays--some were shown on stands that were at the same height--which emphasized neither. Others had mountain image scrolls with mountain suiseki--which is redundant.

The stand, from what I understand, was built by the owner of the tree. I kind of liked it. It is a bit heavy.

FWIW I liked the pot by itself, not necessarily with the tree. It "goes" pretty well, but a pot with a bit more "masculine" feeling unglazed rectangle would have worked better.

That’s a better way of putting it. I liked both the pot and the stand, though not necessarily paired with that tree. It’s possible that the stand might have looked more in scale if the tree were in a rectangular pot.

But these are criticisms in minutia. This was a great tree.

S

 

[Carol 83]

Had to miss it this year, had a baby Wednesday. Looks like it had a good turn out!

Congratulations on the new baby!