​Announcing Shohin Bonsai Danmark

​​We are glad to announce that the national organization Shohin Bonsai Danmark is now established. We look forward to see you at our events and workshops, were everybody are welcome. The website www.shohin-bonsai.dk is on air, with all content in Danish and English language.
A Danish and English language electronic newsletter will be send out regularly to members. Join us and be part of Shohin Bonsai Danmark through the website.
The interest for Shohin bonsai in Denmark has grown considerably through the later years, and today more people have a special interest in this part of bonsai. We find the time right to help developing this further through workshops, exhibitions, online information i.e., and taking part in bonsai activities.

An international network also has pushed this from idea to realisation, and we now look forward to exchange knowledge and enjoying the beauty of Shohin in a friendly community.

First activities planned in spring, and next autumn our main event will take place. We look forward to a future gaining more interest in Shohin bonsai both nationally and internationally. We look forward to corporate with you, and share the beauty of the seasons with Shohin-bonsai.

Chairman
Morten Albek
Shohin Bonsai Danmark
shohin@shohin-bonsai.dk
http://www.shohin-bonsai.dk

Looking interesting    

Kind regards Yvonne

You are welcome :-)

I'm a fan !

There is a shohin bonsai exhibition in France, it was only its second year in 2014. I couldn't attend, and I think that the turnout is not as important as other shows, but I do hope it will continue.

I think your work on this "branch" of the bonsai culture is worth of praise.

Congratulations, Morten. Hope that the new organisation goes well for you.

Thanks. It already had a good start with new members joining. When I am back from Brazil next week after my shohin demo here, I look forward to catch up on it. Warm regards from Joao Pessoa, Brazil.

To be honest do I think it is a sad serius step backwards for friendship to seperate shohin from bonsai... They are all bonsai, and all who like bonsai should be one organitation....
Shohin and bonsai has the same good conditions in the Danish Bonsai Assosiation, and should not be seperated if you ask me....every Club in Denmark can make a shohinexhibition without any problems if they wish to...as often as they wish to.

Kind regards Yvonne

Yvonne Graubaek wrote:To be honest do I think it is a sad serius step backwards for friendship to seperate shohin from bonsai... They are all bonsai, and all who like bonsai should be one organitation....
Shohin and bonsai has the same good conditions in the Danish Bonsai Assosiation, and should not be seperated if you ask me....every Club in Denmark can make a shohinexhibition without any problems if they wish to...as often as they wish to.

Kind regards Yvonne

Interesting, but a bit disturbing, viewpoint and a comment I first considered not answering. But as Chairman of Shohin Bonsai Danmark I feel obliged to, and I felt the comments should not stand alone.

The above comment must apply to organisations in Japan and the UK too i.e., where specialized Shohin organisations develop this part of bonsai. I see these organisations strengthen the bonsai community, not weakening it. Locally there are a number of clubs organising different levels of events in Denmark, and I can not see how these are different from the Shohin Bonsai Danmark organisation. Also the national organisation can continue unconcerned. We support these activities, and have specially informed the board of the Danish bonsai association from the beginning of our planning to ensure our support and friendship.

Friendship in bonsai by the way, has to do with good relations and positive approach. This has no context with the number of clubs.

Having a specialised organisation does not separate Shohin from bonsai in other clubs or associations, but is an addition to the activities in general. I find it positive to have a specialised organisation, that can heighten the levels of Shohin bonsai. This will also, hopefully, have a positive effect on the Shohin displayed in other clubs, locally or national.

Yes, any club can do any activity as they wish too. So can we, and we seek do to it in a friendly, positive atmosphere and we will happily cooperate with anybody who like. Anyone interested in joining are welcome.

Best wishes for a friendly and positive future of bonsai.

Regards
Morten Albek
Chairman
Shohin Bonsai Danmark

Inspiration is a good thing, I totaly agree to this....and had a wish to do more for shohin in Denmark been out in the open...like mails/conversations between the Clubs with the shohinpeople, could something fruitfull and  vibrant have been created under the wings of the "Dansh Bonsai Association", like shifting leadership ( 1 year at the time) done by the tiny handfull of the most devoted shohinpeople in Denmark who would feel inspired to do  the extra, I can quikly mention 3 people, and maybe there are 5 who would do this, and I am sure working together would have been a natural thing, when the years leader came up with an idea, and brought it to hes/shes part of the country.
It would have been a nice boost for our association.

Kind regards Yvonne

Yvonne Graubaek wrote:To be honest do I think it is a sad serius step backwards for friendship to seperate shohin from bonsai...

Hi Yvonne,
I think it's good that Morten a new Shohin group have to established.
Here in Germany we have the same problem.
Shohin is already a onw theme in Bonsai and from all other accepted but not encouraged.
The design is already a different than normal bonsai.
You can not simply compare.
The requirements are already different.
This does not mean that there are no similarities are only the other way but like together.
Regards Reiner

This is true what you say Rainer

But I in Denmark do we not have a problem with having shohin accepted...DBS is very small, as only few peopel make bonsai in Denmark, and united makes strong....I gave a recipi on how shohin and DBS could have had a boost in Denmark, in my  resent reply....But reading the DBS FB page do I see the will to do something extra for DBS is no longer realy there...so I better just rest my case.

Kind regards Yvonne

And thanks to DBS, will there be found a shohin Winner next year, and in the future at the EBA.

Kind regards Yvonne

I think this is destined for an internal politics debate that probably isn't appropriate on the forum. The issue of whether it is necessary, we will leave up to you guys.

I will however say this, having been involved for eight years or so with the original British Shohin Association and now its new incarnation as British Shohin Bonsai: when we set these organisations up there was absolutely no intent to clash with any other bonsai association - local or national. Far from it. The intent was to complement other groups by providing an additional "resource" for those whose primary bonsai focus (and indeed the many whose only bonsai focus) is Shohin and other smaller sizes of bonsai. If you go to major exhibitions in Europe and, based on what I've seen reported on the forum, in the US, there is still a heavy focus on larger bonsai and in some cases it appears (though possibly that was not the intention) as if shohin etc have been tacked on as a bit of an afterthought. The shohin association over here in the UK was a means of addressing this by promoting shohin as a valid sub-genre of equal merit. That way everyone gained and I think the very fact that shohin is now pretty much established is proof that the separate group worked.

I am sure Morten's group has a similar purpose in mind and I personally wish him and the group well - just as I also wish the Danish national association well. Irrespective of amount of people doing bonsai in any one geographical area, the key to success is in all associations respecting each other and working together.

We all do have a common aim after all.

I agree with Fiona. Shohin and smaller bonsai get short shrift at most of the large shows here in the USA.

And, so far attempts to create a national shohin organization have fizzled, though I think there's an active group and show in California.

fiona wrote:I think this is destined for an internal politics debate that probably isn't appropriate on the forum. The issue of whether it is necessary, we will leave up to you guys.  

I will however say this, having been involved for eight years or so with the original British Shohin Association and now its new incarnation as British Shohin Bonsai:  when we set these organisations up there was absolutely no intent to clash with any other bonsai association - local or national. Far from it. The intent was to complement other groups by providing an additional "resource" for those whose primary bonsai focus (and indeed the many whose only bonsai focus) is Shohin and other smaller sizes of bonsai.  If you go to major exhibitions in Europe and, based on what I've seen reported on the forum, in the US,  there is still a heavy focus on larger bonsai and in some cases it appears (though possibly that was not the intention) as if shohin etc have been tacked on as a bit of an afterthought.  The shohin association over here in the UK was a means of addressing this by promoting shohin as a valid sub-genre of equal merit. That way everyone gained and I think the very fact that shohin is now pretty much established is proof that the separate group worked.

I am sure Morten's group has a similar purpose in mind and I personally wish him and the group well - just as I also wish the Danish national association well.  Irrespective of amount of people doing bonsai in any one geographical area, the key to success is in all associations respecting each other and working together.

We all do have a common aim after all.

Thank you Fiona. Precisely. It was not my point to have this internal discussion added, but it happened. :-) I, and Shohin Bonsai Danmark, supports the Danish Bonsai Association too. No discussion needed.
Yes, Jim. I have been just slightly involved a few years ago with the American effort setting up a Shohin organisation. I hope it will be real some day.

Kind regards
Morten

on behalf of shohin practitioners (i have but a few only), thanks morten and i hope it goes well

if any english speakers visit the site: http://www.shohin-bonsai.dk/index.htm and can not find the english language version, just click the round flag symbol at the left end of the navigation bar to switch from danish to english...

i hope to see a north american shohin organization in the future.

Thank you. It goes very well, and we already have members from Denmark, Holland, Germany, England, Austria and Australia. I am glad receiving mostly positive and encouraging supportive feedback.
I hope we may inspire others to do the same, in the spirit of friendship in bonsai, shohin bonsai enthusiasts have good benefit of this.

Direct link for English language http://www.shohin-bonsai.dk/ENGLISH/index.htm

Kind regards
Morten



Photo from the first large Shohin bonsai exhibition in China, September 2014.

Hi Morten

All though I would have prefered a anothother concept under DBS....Am I confident you will represent us well abroad, and I will ofcourse be a member to support too.

Kind regards Yvonne