The 2019 National Shohin Exhibition is coming!

[Adair M]

At the end of June, in Kannapolis, NC.

So, it’s never too early to get prepared, right?

I’ll be making a display, exactly which trees it will be, I don’t know yet. But, it’s time to be gathering the resources!

One thing, it’s good to have lots of variety in your display. All different species, a nice mix of evergreen and deciduous, a fruiting and/or flowering tree, varied styles, all different pots, little stands, accent plant, jita...

This will be the 2nd National Shohin Show. The 1st was in 2017, and was absolutely fabulous. All the exhibits were really well done.

Here was my display last time:



I don’t know if I can make another one any better, but I’ll try!

 

[AZbonsai]

Just a beautiful display @Adair M AdI can see why you might think you can not beat that! One thing I do see is shadows on those beatiful trees. Maybe an inverted V display would allow light to shine equally on all your fantastic trees. Just a suggestion.

 

[Adair M]

Just a beautiful display @Adair M AdI can see why you might think you can not beat that! One thing I do see is shadows on those beatiful trees. Maybe an inverted V display would allow light to shine equally on all your fantastic trees. Just a suggestion.

That’s the traditional Shohin box stand. I have no control over the lighting, or even which table I’ll get assigned to.

I was assigned next to Mel Goldstein who always wins best display! Lol!!!

There’s also a category for “small bonsai”. Those under 12 inches. I’ll bring a couple of those, too.

 

[AZbonsai]

Ahh I see. Tough draw. Not sure how anyone can beat your trees!

 

[Adair M]

Ahh I see. Tough draw. Not sure how anyone can beat your trees!

Lol!!!

Oh, there’s lots who do!!! I’m just happy to be there!

I do have one advantage: I have been taught a bit about shohin display by Daisaku Nomoto, who is a Vice President of the Nippon Shohin Association. So, he knows a bit about shohin display.

He started his lesson with these words: “Shohin, there’s no rules. But...” and then he went on for 1/2 hour talking about all the rules!!! Lol.

(And, they weren’t actually rules... just guidelines for what makes a good display.)

One he gave us: on a box stand, don’t put two deciduous next to each other, or one above the other. Put them diagonally across from each other.

 

[AZbonsai]

Shohin my absolute favorite! Will the exhibition always be in NC or will it travel? How many entrants?

 

[Adair M]

Shohin my absolute favorite! Will the exhibition always be in NC or will it travel? How many entrants?

For now, it’s in North Carolina. There’s a venue that’s absolutely gorgeous, and the price is right: Free!

Bill Valavanis helps organize it, and the timing is every other year. The National Show on even years, the National Shohin Show on odd years.

I’m thinking we had about 30 exhibits last time? And since each exhibit has multiple trees, there were about 200 really great shohin on display!

 

[coh]

Really nice display, Adair. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with for this show.

 

[Adair M]

Really nice display, Adair. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with for this show.

Yeah, me, too! Bill has already been pestering me about making an entry this year! Lol!!

Last time, I managed to come up with this:

 

[AZbonsai]

Yeah, me, too! Bill has already been pestering me about making an entry this year! Lol!!

Last time, I managed to come up with this:

View attachment 222231

Did you make the stand?

 

[Adair M]

Did you make the stand?

Are you kidding??? No way!

There’s this dude in Thailand, Wan somethingorother who posts his work on Facebook. He makes them. And other little stands and stuff. He made several that looked like a snake was in amongst the roots. He’s not expensive,either, compared to the equivalent Japanese made item.

 

[It's Kev]

That’s the traditional Shohin box stand.

Is it your own stand? Can you build a different one that has small, dimly lit downlights above each tree to avoid shadows?
I have no idea what the rules are, just spitballing here.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

This form of display doesn’t leave a lot of room for “spitballing”.

 

[Adair M]

Is it your own stand? Can you build a different one that has small, dimly lit downlights above each tree to avoid shadows?
I have no idea what the rules are, just spitballing here.

Lol!!!

While “there are no rules”, the shohin box display is very traditional. It is very challenging as it is.

Now, you could build/develop some other type of display. And I have seen several very nice “non-traditional” shohin displays at the National Show.

Could the lighting have been better? Sure! But I had no control over the venue, I had no idea which table I would be assigned, so designing a display requiring electricity for special lighting is, well, let’s just say it’s impractical.

Let me guess... have you ever entered a tree in a show? A big show? I’m guessing not. If you have, then I think you would understand the realities of what the process is, and more of how you have to “make do” at the venue.

For example, my table was assigned to be against the wall, and while the wall is made of beautiful Carrara marble, there was a permanent sign with “room xyz” on it. And I would have preferred my box stand to have been placed at little further to the left on the table, but that would have placed it in front of that sign. Ugh. So, I had to move it to the right of the sign. Which then meant I had to move the chojubai in CLOSER to the stand on the right because I couldn’t have more negative space on the left iof the table and have the chojubai out near the end of the table. I had to balance it out.

Life is a compromise, and you have to play the cards you are dealt!

 

[GGB]

Going to do my best to attend this year, keep missing all the NC events

 

[William N. Valavanis]

Information is now available for the exciting 2019 2nd US National Shohin Bonsai Exhibition on June 28-30, 2019 in Kannapolis, North Carolina, 30 miles north of Charlotte.

Registration is well under way and the workshops are beginning to fill up. If you have a beautiful shohin bonsai, kindly submit a photo for the selection process. Don’t delay. Vendor sales tables are going quickly too. Let me know if you have any questions.

Here are a few photos of the 2017 1st US National Shohin Bonsai Exhibition in the unique and elegant venue.

Join others interested in the beauty of small size bonsai.

 

[JudyB]

Information is now available for the exciting 2019 2nd US National Shohin Bonsai Exhibition on June 28-30, 2019 in Kannapolis, North Carolina, 30 miles north of Charlotte.

Registration is well under way and the workshops are beginning to fill up. If you have a beautiful shohin bonsai, kindly submit a photo for the selection process. Don’t delay. Vendor sales tables are going quickly too. Let me know if you have any questions.

Here are a few photos of the 2017 1st US National Shohin Bonsai Exhibition in the unique and elegant venue.

Join others interested in the beauty of small size bonsai.
View attachment 223913View attachment 223914

Thanks for this reminder and info! Can you tell me if medium sized bonsai will be part of this show or if it is strictly for shohin size displays?

 

[JudyB]

Never mind I found it on the site, there is an up to 12" category.

 

[William N. Valavanis]

Now is the time to register for the exciting US National Shohin Bonsai Exhibition! We have people registered from Panama, Puerto Rico, California, Oregon, Washington, Florida as well as the states between.

If you have a shohin bonsai you would like to display, kindly send me a quick photo for the selection process.

We have many vendors offering a wide variety of material, not only shohin bonsai sizes.

Over $2,000 cash plus select items will be presented to the winners from this special exhibition.

Join us for a fun, educational event near Charlotte, North Carolina.

Bill
wnv@internationalbonsai.com

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Now is the time to register for the exciting US National Shohin Bonsai Exhibition! We have people registered from Panama, Puerto Rico, California, Oregon, Washington, Florida as well as the states between.

If you have a shohin bonsai you would like to display, kindly send me a quick photo for the selection process.

We have many vendors offering a wide variety of material, not only shohin bonsai sizes.

Over $2,000 cash plus select items will be presented to the winners from this special exhibition.

Join us for a fun, educational event near Charlotte, North Carolina.

Bill
wnv@internationalbonsai.com
View attachment 240724

Bill—I registered about a month ago but still have not received anything in the mail although I did save the online receipt, somewhere, I hope. Will you be sending out something for me to get in with or do I need to bring a printout of my receipt? Looking forward to the event—Larry