Late summer displays

On Sunday 6th of September 2009
Dragon Bonsai Society held a very well attended and hugely supported late summer show at their home base, Bonllwyn Garden Centre Near Swansea.
Combined with the show was a Bonsai boot sale and bonsai auction. Many a good deal was had by all attending.

Thank you all for making Dragon's first late show, auction and bonsai boot sale a great success. We will be doing it all again next year.

As part of the day many members of other societies brought trees to display.
Here is a small selection of the trees on show.
John Pitt's blackthorn.

A few trees from Swindon bonsai society.

Close up.






North Devon,

Dragon's






A few of the welsh stones on view.






Thanks for your amazing support, the fun, the great deals and bonsai chat from newly made and renewed good bonsai buddies.

Looks like a fun day had by all Jerry. WIsh I could have been there, but hirpling around Glasgow Green in the rain with my sore leg seemed so much more fun!

Very, very nice displays. I especially like those whit what appear to be smaller trees.

My only quibble is that the dark background on that one long scroll totally pulls your eyes away from the trees and, in fact, the entire display. If possible, I'd try to mount that on a more neutral-tone background.

Yes i had a great day and looking forward to going down there again.

It was a great day, everything went well and even the weather was on its best behavior. Everyone made a great effort, special thanks to all the Society members for making this a day to remember. There are a lot of photos to be procesed and I,m sure Jerry will work his magic as soon as he gets them, he was to busy boot saleing to take many. It was good to see friends from all over the country . This was one of the days that us Bonsai nutters dream about, my thanks to all.
Regards Chris

Very nice displays. All with the peace they should have. I just stumbled upon a few of the displays having the bonsai leaning away from the scroll, instead of pointing towards it, as I see it. But else it was all very beautiful put up, with the simplicity a display requires.
Must have been a good day. Thanks for the inspiration.

Regards
Morten

Thank you all for your comments.
Morton,
We had extended discussions regarding the placement of each tree as part of the photo session. Each owner presenting their tree as they felt showed it best.
Some interesting and thought provoking ideas / thoughts ensued.


Through such discussions we are developing and challenging our own ideas. Over time perhaps an accepted approach to our displays might starts to evolve.

Having spoken to many experienced and knowledgeable individuals regarding the placement and direction of the scroll and it's chop, it has presented me a few conflicting ideas, based on who has your ear at that time and which school they follow.

Very often the artist who created the scroll placed their mark to the left, right or central to indicate the scrolls direction.
Despite this, I conclude the bonsai artist should follow their feelings when presenting their displays and then leave it to others to either enjoy the presentation, or not.
Through sharing our ideas, challenging our preconceptions and having friendly, open and thought provoking banter, I feel must be a good and positive step. I enjoyed the session very much and look forwards to helping to host / taking part in another one soon..

Smithy wrote:Yes i had a great day and looking forward to going down there again.

Hi Smithy,
Thank you for your support on Sunday.
It's good to put a face to an fellow IBCer. , and good to see you in action at the auction.
Hope to see you before the next auction / bonsai boot sale.
Dragon hold workshiops at Bonllwyn every Wednesday eve. and Sunday 10 til darkish... check out our site.
http://www.dragonbonsai.co.uk/

Hi Jeremy and others

Truly, there are many schools teaching different ways of displaying. One basic rule though, shared by all, is the direction of the bonsai that always leans/point towards the scroll. Both because this balances the display, and because your eye is leaded towards the middle. This brings in the peace and harmony by unifying the display.

What is free, and makes many schools teaching differently ways of displaying, is how expressfull and more or less formal a display should be; what is shall express, and how.

It is a joy to see the efforts made at your event, showing good understanding, skills, and love for bonsai displaying. If anyone are interested I have a section at my website concerning some of the display issues with offset of the teaching I have from my Japanese teacher in these matters, as well as my own preferences: www.shohin-europe.com/DISPLAY-index.html

Regards
Morten

Well, I guess one could say the blackthron goes both ways

It really is pretty, and it looks like y'all had a nice show. What is the second tree, the one with the small leaves and purple berries?

And what the heck is a "boot sale"? Something tells me you're not selling shoes...

Russell

morten albek wrote:One basic rule though, shared by all, is the direction of the bonsai that always leans/point towards the scroll. Both because this balances the display, and because your eye is leaded towards the middle. This brings in the peace and harmony by unifying the display.

Hi Morton,
Thank you for your reply.
I agree, but... sometimes the creator/owner of a tree feels the tree goes one way and the viewer feels it goes another.
I posted the blackthorn for that very reason. The owner felt it needed to be to the right of the display, but many viewing felt it should be to the left, so I took pictures of both.

What is your criteria for deciding? Is it the direction of the trunk? The direction of the foliage ? The overall direction of the weight of the whole tree?
I feel, (perhaps it is just me ), literati are a challenge to display as the "guidelines," "your eye is leaded towards the middle", can't always be applied with satisfaction.

Russell Coker wrote: What is the second tree, the one with the small leaves and purple berries?
And what the heck is a "boot sale"? Something tells me you're not selling shoes...
Russell

Hi Russell,
Yep, personal I had a great day.
The second tree is a privet, standard hedging material here in the UK. Terry Adams the owner has created a fine and credible image. Undoubtedly over a few few years of skilled input on his part was needed to produce this powerful image.
Terry told me he is considering rotating the tree a little in the near future to show a better hidden nabari. But he is not one to rush into these things without a great deal of thought.

A boot sale is, as already stated earlier in in the announcement thread, A sale from a car boot/trunk.
elroy, " like trunk of the car, boot. think flea market. "
http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/announcements-f5/dragon-bonsai-show-and-boot-sale-t946.htm

Hi Jerry . Another outstanding display. Well done. Are you sure its a Privet? Looks like some sort of Lonicera Nitida? Are you going to Capel Manor? Prefer the Sloe on the left hand side of the scroll, seems better balanced.

will baddeley wrote:Hi Jerry, Are you sure its a Privet? Looks like some sort of Lonicera Nitida? Are you going to Capel Manor? Prefer the Sloe on the left hand side of the scroll, seems better balanced.

Hi Will,
Yep it's a Lonicera.
We can make Capel this year, I'd love to, but if we can get a space next year, we'll be there.
The owner perfered the right, most of the viewers perfered the left as well. Go figure.

Jerry,

Sorry to make you repeat the "boot sale" info that was in your announcement thread. I'm sure you'll understand that I missed it because there is little point in taking time to read about a show happening half a world away from me.

Thanks for the identification, Will. I had wondered if it may be Lonicera, we don't have the shrubby ones here, just the vines - one native and the other an imported invassive.

Russell