The Art of Bonsai Project: Gallery Shohin Bonsai.

Introduction by Ted Matson:

As an artist, I respect those who can express the most with the least.

Shohin bonsai, with their small size and limited structures, offer this challenge. To me, they are more difficult, not just because they are harder to grow in very small pots, but because the limited number of usable elements force the artist to become very careful and deliberate with how they build the tree's structure. An analogy would be impressionist painters who, just by the way they load a brush with pigment and apply it to the canvas with a very deliberate, controlled gesture, can present something that the viewer is able to "see" in the composition. In that way, a simple brush stroke conveys so much information.

Shohin is like that. You have a limited number of strokes (branches, twigs, etc.) to convey the impression of a much larger, older, more complex tree structure. It offers a challenge and reward that is almost an inverse proportion to its size. The smallerthe tree, the harder it is to make it work, and the greater the accomplishment when it does. - Ted Matson

Special thanks to Heather Hartman, Michelle Dougherty, and Ted Matson.

We hope that you find the following photographs as inspiring and enjoyable as we do.

Acer palmatum.

 

Morten Albek - Denmark
Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)
Height: 7cm / 3 inches
Pot: Housen (Japan)

Walter Pall
Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)
19 cm, shohin
30 years old, from general tree nursery

Morten Albek
Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)
Height: 5 in, 13 cm
Pot: Bikoh (Japan)

Bucida spinosa

Enrique Castano
Bucida spinosa
25 cm
Pot: Klika and Kuratkova

Enrique Castano
Bucida spinosa
25 cm
Pot: Klika and Kuratkova

Carpinus turczaninovi

Mario Komsta
Carpinus turczaninovi
Shohin 18 cm
Pot: Tokoname

Mario Komsta
Carpinus turczaninovi
Shohin 18 cm
Pot: Antique Chinese

Celastrus orbiculatus

Mario Komsta
Celastrus orbiculatus
Mini 11 cm
Pot: Tokoname

Celtis sinensis

Robert Kempinski Chinese hackberry (Celtis sinensis) Shohin, Japanese pot

Chaenomeles japonica

Morten Albek
Japanese Quince (Chaenomeles japonica)
Height: 5 in, 13 cm
Pot: Elsebeth Ludvigsen (DK)

Chamaecyparis obtusa

Karl Thier
Chamaecyparis obtusa
from garden nursery
25 cm
about 23 Years
Pot Ingrid Kralovec

Conocarpus erectus

Robert Kempinski
Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus)
9 inches wide, pot by J. Baccus

Cotoneaster horisontalis

Morten Albek
Rockspray Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster horisontalis)
9.5 cm, 3.7 inches
Nursery stock in training since 1998
Age app. 18 years (1990)
Pot: John Pitt

Crataegus laevigata

Karl Thier
Hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata)
Height: 8.27 in, 21 cm
Pot: Josef Mairhofer
Categories: Shohin

Ficus

Robert Kempinski
Willow leaf Ficus (Ficus nerifolia 'Wasabi')
8 inches wide, signed Japanese pot

Robert Kempinski
Golden Gate Ficus (Ficus microcarpa retusa 'Kinmen')
Shohin, Japanese volcano rock, Chinese pot

Gymnopodium floribundum

Enrique Castano
Gymnopodium floribundum
25 cm
Pot: Klika and Kuratkova

Hisbicus

Min Hsuan Lo
Hisbicus (Hisbicus)
Height: 4.72 in, 12 cm
Pot: Japanese

Ilex serrata

Daan Giphart
Ilex serrata
Height: 10 in, 25 cm
Pot: Okuruyama

Juniperus chinesis

Robert Kempinski
Simpaku Juniper (Juniperus chinesis shimpaku/sargentii)
Itogawa foliage grafted on to J. San Jose trunk
7 inches high, pot by Robert Kempinski

Juniperus procumbens

Thomas Mozden
Juniperus procumbens
10" h (25 cm)
Pot: Tokoname

Thomas Mozden
Juniperus procumbens
9" h (23 cm)
Pot: houtoku

Thomas Mozden
Juniperus procumbens
7" (18 cm)
Pot: Tokoname

Malpighia coccigera

Min Hsuan Lo
Malpighia coccigera
12cm

Lagerstroemia indica

Robert Kempinski
Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica 'Pokomoke')
Shohin, pot by Horst Heinzreitler

Lonicera nitida

Morten Albek - Denmark
Shohin-bonsai summer display.
Main tree: Honeysuckle (Lonicera nitida)

Olea europea

Carlos Brandão (Portugal)
Olive (Olea europea)
Height: 7.08 in, 18 cm
Pot: Yixing

Mike Page
Olive (Olea europaea)
Height: 5 in, 12.7 cm
Pot: Dick Ryerson

Pinus Mugo

Marinko Beg
Mugo Pine (Pinus mugo)
Height: 5 in, 13 cm
Stone: Ibigawa

Pinus parviflora

Morten Albek - Denmark
Japanese White Pine (Pinus parviflora)
Height: 15 cm / 6 inches
Pot: Isabelia, Czech Republic

Pinus rigida

Christine Hayward
Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida) 9" (22cm) H
Pot by Nick Lenz
Collected 18 or so years ago as a seedling growing in a dirt parking lot on Cape Cod, with her lunch spoon.

Pinus thunbergii

Hans van Meer
Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii)
Height: 9 in, 23 cm
Pot: Brian Allbright

Premna mycrophyla

Robert Stevens
Zhou Niang Zhi (Premna mycrophyla)
Height: 1.18 in, 3 cm
Pot: Chinese

Prunus

Morten Albek - Denmark
Danish Cherry (Prunus sp.)
Height: 19 cm / 7.5 inches
Pot: Elsebeth Ludvigsen (Denmark)

Psidium Guava

Rudi Julianto
Psidium Guava 14 cm

Pyracantha

Robert Kempinski
Firethorn (Pyracantha sp)
8 inches high, Chinese pot

Robert Kempinski
Firethorn (Pyracantha sp)
8 inches high, pot by Sara Rayner

Rhododendron

Morten Albek - Denmark
Rhododendron lysolepsis
Height: 18cm / 7 inches
Pot: John Pitt (England)

Morten Albek - Denmark
Satsuki Azalea 'Hakurin' (Rhododendron indicum 'Hakurin')
Height: 12cm / 5 inches
Pot: Kimiko (Japan)

Robert Kempinski
Azalea
Shohin in a hand signed Tokonoma pot
"This bonsai started out as $2.99 cutting from Home Depot landscape department in 2000."

Wolfgang Putz Azalea "Nisho no Hikari" 19cm (7.5 inches) Imported from Japan (styled since 2002) Pot: Horst Heinzlreiter (Austria)

Salix acutifolia

Morten Albek - Denmark
Willow (Salix acutifolia)
Height: 7.5cm / 3 inches
Pot: Elsebeth Ludvigsen (Denmark)

Serrisa foetisa

Rudi Julianto
Serrisa foetisa 18 cm

Rudi Julianto
Serrisa foetisa 10 cm

Taxus baccata

John Pitt
Shohin English Yew (Taxus baccata)
8" tall
Pot: John Pitt (UK)
in training since 2000

Triphasia trifolia

Budi Sulistyo
Jeruk Kingkit (Triphasia trifolia)
25cm (10 inches)

Ulmus

Valentin Scordaliu (Romania)
Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia)
Height: 9.84 in, 25 cm
Pot: Mizutani (Japan)

Thomas Mozden
Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia)
10" h (25cm)

John Pitt
Shohin Ulmus sp.
7" tall
Pot: John Pitt (UK)
In training since 2003

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