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bonsai Living Art photography by Randall Moring

A collection of bonsai trees exhibited at the Appleton Museum of Art Presented by Marion Bonsai Society and Hayashi Study Group Foreword by Mary Miller

Š2014 photos, Randall Moring, design, Jackie J. Barrett All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher.

bonsai* Living Art

*pronounced bone-sigh, meaning ‘tray planting’

On the one hand,bonsai represents man’s eternal struggle to control his environment...

On the other, it reflects his deep reverence for nature in all its immeasurable beauty.

Foreword

by Mary Miller*

Bonsai was formally introduced to the United States at the Pan Pacific Exposition in San Francisco in 1915. In time, the Japanese community in California furthered the American bonsai experience.

Yuji Yoshimura’s 1958 book The Japanese Art of Miniature Trees and Landscapes, was one of the first written in English. In 1967, a small group of Americans were invited to study bonsai in Japan.

Upon their return, the concept of bonsai, as both an art form and hobby, was introduced in this country.

In the 1970s, additional bonsai literature in English slowly became available. Containers and tools were still difficult to find. Many considered bonsai a mystery and even “plant torture.”

Those of us who cherished bonsai, respected and learned from our Japanese and Chinese predecessors. We soon discovered new types of trees, styles and techniques. We also began to understand bonsai as both horticulture and art.

Today almost every state in the United States has a permanent public exhibit. The most spectacular is the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum, in Washington, D.C. This national museum was created when Japanese bonsai enthusiasts in the Nippon Bonsai Association donated 53 bonsai trees and 6 viewing stones to our country commemorating the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976. The collection has expanded, and has more than 200,000 visitors annually.

Bonsai recognized and exhibited at such a prestigious repository as the Appleton Museum of Art expressed the ultimate respect for bonsai as an art form.

I was honored to be part of The Living Art of Bonsai program, coordinated with the museum’s Celebration of Japan exhibit. My congratulations to the members of the Marion Bonsai Society, the Hayashi Study Group, and the staff and directors of the Appleton Museum for an awe-inspiring accomplishment.

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Mary C.Miller

* Mary presented the “Bonsai Myths, Bonsai Magic” powerpoint program during this event. She also returned to walk through the bonsai exhibit, answering questions from Appleton guests. Please visit her website, www.BonsaiMary.com. photos by Linda VanBuskirk

Introduction

by Cindi Morrison

It was a pleasure for the Appleton Museum of Art to host The Living Art of Bonsai exhibit during January 18-April 13, 2014.

The exhibition of bonsai, on display in the museum’s courtyard, featured trees on loan from the collections of members of the Marion Bonsai Society and Hayashi Study Group. They provided an “art in nature” element to our Celebration of Japan exhibit of wood block prints, tsubas, yatates and netsukes.

Over 6,000 visitors to the museum during this time were provided with opportunities to learn about this art form from the exhibit brochure, the Story of a Bonsai scrolls, and the bonsai artists who gave guided tours and presentations.

CindiMorrison

We appreciate these bonsai artists and thank them for sharing their art with us.

Cindi Morrison Director

Appleton Museum of Art/College of Central Florida

The members of both bonsai groups worked closely with museum staff to plan the exhibit, design the display stands, install and deinstall the trees and to monitor the watering of the trees. The collectors also incorporated several spring flowering trees that added a touch of color to the museum’s courtyard during the months of March and April.

photos courtesy of the Appleton Museum of Art

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ConnieMangrum

Dwarf Boxwood (Buxus microphylla), Age: 9 yrs, Height: 10 inches, Artist: Connie Mangrum

This twin-trunk Dwarf Boxwood was my first boxwood, purchased as a pre-bonsai from D&L Nursery. Its small leaves and rough bark make it a great bonsai specimen. It was styled to resemble the old Oak trees we have in Florida. All it needs is some Spanish moss.

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Chinese Trident Maple (Acer buergeranum), Age: 19 yrs, Height: 13 inches, Artist: Ron Weiss

RonWeiss

A forest of 15 trees, these trees range in age from five to 19 years. All were rooted from cuttings, the oldest in 1994, from a small leaved cultivar of maple. They require a fine textured soil mixture to hold more moisture, through capillary action, to prevent drying out. Over time, as the branching develops, the leaves will become even smaller.

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David Cutchin

Juniper (Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’), Age: 40+ yrs, Height: 15 inches, Artist: David Cutchin

This juniper has a thick trunk with great movement and lots of foliage, making it an ideal candidate for a bonsai.

The use of “jin”, a deadwood technique, creates the perfect balance and adds to the illusion of age. A time-lapse video of this styling, provided by the artist, was on display in the lobby of the museum.

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Weeping Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria ‘Pendula’) Age: 18 yrs, Height: 27 inches Artist: David VanBuskirk The weeping variety of Yaupon Holly can reach 25-30’. This tree was 15’ tall when collected, but was sawn down to 18”. It took five years to grow the branches which form the tree. The carving on the trunk creates taper to cover the fact that the tree was cut.

DavidVanBuskirk

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Prostrate Juniper (Juniperus prostrate), Age: 15 yrs, Height: 15 inches, Artist: Charlotte Undercoffer This collected tree has been in training for about five years. Members of Marion Bonsai Society helped me style it, originally, into a full cascade. Over the years, the descending branch grew so long that early this spring it was cut back about eight inches, creating a more manageable semi-cascade style.

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Charlotte Undercoffer

Florida Elm (Ulmus americana ‘Floridana’) Age: 35 yrs, Height: 21 inches Artist: Ron Weiss Rooted in 1978, as a cutting from a tree collected near Tampa, this elm has developed an interesting root spread. It is styled in the typical elm “broom” style. All major branches originate about one third the way up the trunk, and radiate evenly upward and outward.

RonWeiss

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Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica ‘Rokokudo’) Age: 18 yrs, Height: 29 inches Artist: David VanBuskirk The Weeping Willow has always made quite the statement along a lake shore.

This tree is a dwarf Japanese variety that was started from a cutting and grown for 13 years before being styled. It has been in training for the last five years. May it whisk you away to that lake shore.

DavidVanBuskirk 10

Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) Age: 29 yrs, Height: 31 inches Artist: Ron Weiss Obtained in 1994, as a 10 foot sapling, this tree was cut to about 16 inches tall to fit in the car. Branches that sprouted were trained to resemble a massive cypress at the entrance to Silver Springs Park. Faux knees are created by bending large roots into hairpin shapes when periodically repotting.

RonWeiss

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Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii) Age: 10 yrs, Height: 20 inches Artist: Peter Wood The ancestors of this tree are from Japan’s colder climate, naturally growing to 25’ in height with a spread of 20’-35’. To create the correct proportions, the needles are pinched to about half normal length. A phoenix graft** was added to the original trunk for a more aesthetic appeal.

PeterWood

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Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) Age: 36 yrs, Height: 20 inches Artist: Richard Chesler My first bonsai, this elm was bought in Orlando more than 30 years ago.

It began its training six years later. My second tree was a piece of root from a 200 year old crape myrtle, which died eight years ago. Still beautiful, it was mounted to the root of the elm, using two screws which are now hidden. The result is a sum greater than its parts.

Richard Chesler

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Yew Podocarpus (Podocarpus macrophyllus) Age: 35 yrs, Height: 38 inches Artist: David VanBuskirk This Podocarpus has been around a long time.

Being a collected specimen, one can only estimate the age. The initial carving and styling was done by bonsai artist Dan Robinson three years ago.

Since then, many hours have been spent refining the carving and branches.

DavidVanBuskirk 14

Korean Boxwood (Buxus microphylla ‘Koreana’) Age: 65 yrs, Height: 34 inches Artist: Ron Weiss Collected in 1985, from a storefront in Ocala, this tree is estimated to be over 60 years old.

Boxwoods resemble miniature oak trees and are often styled like oaks. This tree has triple trunks and a windswept aspect, a characteristic of oaks near the shoreline.

RonWeiss

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Serissa (Serissa foetida ‘Tree of a Thousand Stars’) Age: 26 yrs, Height: 23 inches Artist: David VanBuskirk My story, the various stages of a bonsai’s growth and culturing, from cutting to what I am today, is told in scrolls which were hung on the museum’s courtyard walls, and included at the end of this book.

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DavidVanBuskirk v

Juniper (Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’) Age: 10 yrs, Height: 37 inches Artist: Tom Brantley One of the goals of bonsai is to create a planting that looks much older than it really is. The ultimate in this illusion is the phoenix graft**.

The large old trunk is a dead cedar stump with a ten year old juniper planted behind it. This combination looks hundreds of years old. The planting was completed in 2009 and has been in training ever since.

TomBrantley

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TomBrantley

Japanese Boxwood (Buxus microphylla ‘Japonica’), Age: 15 yrs, Height: 28 inches, Artist: Tom Brantley

These trees were collected from old yard landscapes in 2006, and styled into an inviting forest. The scene was on display at a retirement community in western Marion County for a few years and now returns there for a four-day exhibit every year. After a few more years of growth, work finally started on it, and now 12 years of training later it has the appearance of an old oak tree.

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Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) Age: 25 yrs, Height: 50 inches Artist: Tom Brantley This planting started as part of the landscaping at Orlando’s theme park Splendid China Florida, which closed in 2004.

Training began in 2005. Some of the branches were removed, and others wired, to paint a picture of a mother tree with children all around her.

TomBrantley

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Catlin Elm (Ulmus parvifolia ‘Catlin’) Age: 35 yrs, Height: 45 inches Artist: Ron Weiss A small leaved variety of Chinese elm, this tree was rooted in 1978, planted in the ground, dug up 11 years later, and cut off to a stump. The bottom three branches were thread grafted, and will be allowed to grow longer and heavier than the upper limbs.

RonWeiss

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Schillings Holly (Ilex vomitoria ‘Schillings’) Age: 35 yrs, Height: 32 inches Artist: David VanBuskirk The Schillings Holly is found in landscapes, usually as a hedge. This one was collected from an old home site in Lake Weir, 15 years ago. It was estimated to be about 20 years old at that time.

DavidVanBuskirk

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Fukien Tea (Carmona microphylla), Age: 85 yrs, Artist: Tom Brantley

TomBrantley

This planting was originally styled in 1984 by bonsai master Yuji Yoshimira of New York Botanical Gardens, and purchased in 1995 from Moyogi Bonsai in south Georgia. The largest tree is 90 years old, the no. 2 tree is 40 years old. All smaller trees were from 6-10 years old at time of planting. Understory trees include Kingsville Boxwood, and Kyota Serissa.

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Korean Boxwood (Buxus microphylla ‘koreana’) Age: 85 yrs, Artist: Ron Weiss This boxwood was collected from a house built in 1934. It was as close to instant bonsai as you can get.

The artist was able to pot it up after only one year. It’s estimated to be approximately 85 years old. It makes one imagine a Florida black bear denning in an old hollow oak.

RonWeiss

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Willow Leaf Fig (Ficus salicaria), Age: 10 yrs, Artist: Tom Brantley

TomBrantley

There are some 900 species of figs worldwide. It is a very hardy species that easily adapts to many growing environments. The artist envisioned a natural setting with a tree emerging from a crevice in a rock, then recreated it here. This tree has been in training since 2005.

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Brazilian Rain Tree (Pithecellobium tortum), Age: 30 yrs, Artist: Bob Paladini

BobPaladini

This tree belongs to the Paladini Estate. It is on exhibit in remembrance of Bob Paladini, past president of Marion Bonsai Society, who unfortunately passed away in 2009. D&L Nursery will honor his memory and the significant contribution he made to our living art by continuing to care for his tree.

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Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina) Age: 20 yrs, Artist: Marion Bonsai Society This tree was donated to the Marion Bonsai Society by Tom Brantley in 2008, when the initial styling was done by Clif Pottberg.

Subsequent styling and training has been done by Bob Paladini, Jon Lowry, and David VanBuskirk. It is trained in the Banyan style, typical of its natural growth.

MarionBonsaiSociet y 26

Ficus (Ficus microcarpa ‘Tiger Bark’) Age: 15 yrs, Artist: JoAnn Good Ficus is a species of fig native to Asia. This species is endemic to Southern Africa, growing in coastal and inland forests. The artist won this tree in 2006, at a raffle sponsored by the Gainesville Bonsai Society, during their Bonsai Bridges exhibit. It has been in training for eight years.

JoannGood

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Honeysuckle (Lonicera Japonica), Age: 32 yrs, Artist: JoAnn Good

JoannGood

Japanese Honeysuckle is a vine covering fences and hillsides in Virginia. This tree grew from a seedling collected in 1980 from the yard of the artist’s mother. It has been in training for 32 years and now has the appearance of a windswept tree.

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Ficus (Ficus salicaria) Age: 20 yrs, Artist: JoAnn Good

JoannGood

Ficus(Figs) are resilient plants suitable for many tropical and temperate bonsai styles. This ficus was purchased as a potted bonsai eight years ago. Its actual age is unknown. As part of its re-design, 10 inches were removed from the top. Training continued with wiring and pruning to develop the tree you see today.

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Chinese Banyan (Ficus microcarpa) Age: 20 yrs, Artist: JoAnn Good Also known as the Common Fig, this tree grows naturally in Southwest Asia. This ficus was purchased in 2001, as a pre-bonsai. This means someone else had grown and shaped the plant to some extent.

Training continued under the artist’s guidance for the next 13 years.

JoannGood

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Willow Leaf Fig (Ficus salicaria) Age: 20 yrs, Artist: Tom Brantley

TomBrantley

This planting was done in 2004, during a workshop with tropical forest master James Smith, in Vero Beach. At planting, the trees ranged in age from 2-10 years. The forest grouping is a favorite style of bonsai design, because it is such a challenge to make all the pieces fit into a pleasing whole.

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Water Jasmine (Wrightia religiosa) Age: 18 yrs, Artist: David VanBuskirk This species of tree is sacred among Buddhists.

You will find many planted around temples. Its roots are also used medicinally to cure skin diseases and other ailments. This particular tree has multipetaled flowers instead of the much more common five-petaled flowers.

DavidVanBuskirk

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Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea glabra) Age: 22 yrs, Artist: David VanBuskirk The Bougainvillea has been a staple for flowering bonsai, mainly due to the variety of colors you can find. The colors you see are not the actual flowers, but modified leaves. The flowers are small and mainly white. This tree was passed over at a workshop in 2008. Now it has come into its own.

DavidVanBuskirk

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Dwarf Powder Puff (Calliandra haematocephala ‘Nana’) Age: 25 yrs, Artist: David VanBuskirk The most rewarding part of this tree is its display of flowers, which are in proportion to the scale of the tree. Most flowering species of trees are not used for bonsai, because their flowers are too large.

We can reduce, through pruning, the size of leaves but not flowers or fruit.

DavidVanBuskirk

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photos by Linda VanBuskirk & Connie Mangrum

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from the Artists

The members of Marion Bonsai Society and Hayashi Study Group wish to express their sincere gratitude to all who made this adventure possible. We thank Cindi Morrison and Ruth Grim of the Appleton Museum of Art, for their foresight regarding the value a display of living art could bring to their Celebration of Japan exhibit. We thank Russell Days and James Hesse for their help building support structures and installing trees. Crucial to the presentation and wellbeing of the trees, we thank our volunteers who so diligently monitored and watered them during the exhibit, helping all to weather both heat and cold. The busiest of these were Tom Brantley, Ron Weiss, and David VanBuskirk. We thank David Cutchin for his fun time-lapse video of a tree styling. We thank Mary Miller for her wonderful “Bonsai Myths, Bonsai Magic� presentation, and later a very informative critique of the trees, which drew many attendees. A special thanks to Peter Wood who first proposed the idea of showing our art in an art museum. And, we are appreciative of every club member, every enthusiast, and each newcomer who came to spend a little time with our trees.

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Scrolls created by David VanBuskirk and designed by Jackie Barrett lined the courtyard wall, helping viewers understand the development of a tree.

The Story of a Bonsai

My Life as a Bonsai...

Who I am...

Where I started...

My family originated in the warm regions of southern China, which is believed to be the birthplace of bonsai (pronounced bone-sigh, meaning “tray planting”), over 2000 years ago. It was not until China and Japan started to make social and spiritual contact, that bonsai was introduced to Japan, where it was refined and became what we know it to be today.

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I am a Serrisa foetida, my common name is ‘Tree of a Thousand Stars’, for in full bloom I display myriad tiny white blossoms.

After World War II, American Soldiers brought home memories of the bonsai they had seen, and a few miniature trees. Now, 70 years later, we have developed our own style of bonsai, which, in its own right, rivals the Chinese and Japanese. Bonsai is becoming more appreciated, all around the world, as a living art.

I begin my journey...

I begin life as a cutting from an older tree. I concentrate on growing roots, and getting strong. Just one year later, even at this young age I show a little character. I will grow for two more years, getting my branches pruned every month.

I am now a 3 year old...

At 5 years old...

I am starting to look like a tree. I will now be root pruned and potted in a bulb pan so my roots can grow wide, instead of deep. This will give me a nice big base so I can look like

At this stage in my life I will be potted up into a larger pot so I can grow even bigger. My bonsai training will be a little more intense now. I might get my trunk wired to give me a little more movement (curves for the eye to follow) or I might even be cut back very drastically.

an old and stable tree. I will continue to be pruned, and I may have some of my larger branches removed so I can grow lots of new ones for my artist owner to choose.

Even at this age, I can be a nice little bonsai tree for beginners.

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I am getting old now at 7years...

My trunk is getting pretty big now and showing lots of character, which makes a nice bonsai tree. You know, it is not the actual age that really counts, it is the apparent age.

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I will be root pruned again and potted up into yet a larger bulb pan. When my roots are pruned, I can grow lots of new little feeder roots, which keeps me a very healthy tree.

I have lived the first decade of my life...

I am really looking like an old tree.

My trunk is thick and has rough bark. I have a nice big base, good branching and all the attributes

I need to become a very nice bonsai tree. I am again root pruned and potted up and will still get my monthly prunings.

I am in my teens...

I am ready for my first styling. Some of my branches will be removed and others will be wrapped with wire, so they can be bent to give them movement. When my styling is complete, I will be potted into a carefully chosen bonsai pot, one

that fits the style of tree I have become.

Over the next couple of years, I will be wired a few more times and my branches will be carefully pruned to make me appear very old and to tell the story of my life.

I am now 20 years old...

I have become a nice, established bonsai tree. I may appear complete, but there are still many years of thoughtful pruning to be done.

I will never truly be finished.

A bonsai is a dynamic art form, constantly growing and evolving along with the artist. It is this journey that makes this living art so rewarding.

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I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.

–John Burroughs, naturalist

This book is published by the Marion Bonsai Society, as a souvenir for The Living Art of Bonsai exhibition at the Appleton Museum of Art, in Ocala, FL. It is available in the museum’s gift shop, or from the Marion Bonsai Society. Please visit their Facebook pages for current contact information.

Š2014 Randall Moring. All rights reserved. Design by Jackie J. Barrett No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher.