MILWAUKEE BONSAI SOCIETY ANNUAL EXHIBIT

the milwaukee bonsai society annual exhibit was this past weekend.
the guest artist was Ted Matson.

rather than post a picture of just my exhibit, or all the MKE AAC exhibits, or just random trees, i decided to whip through the exhibit real quick (in between vending) and grab a quick picture of just the trees that Ted discussed at length in his critique of the show.

i thought it would be fun to invite the IBC folks to offer your own critiques or comments on these entries
(sorry for the rushed quality of some of the photos... didnt have alot of free time for camera play and just used my pea-shooter)



















as an aside:
of the trees discussed, 3 were AAC members individual trees, along with the group shohin display by the AAC.

I've never shown a tree. Thinking about a few next year though.
Were you nervous Kevin?
Did you have to have a stand and scroll?
All I have is maybe a log for a stand and my favorite picture of Sasquatch for a scroll to go with a Jack pine bonsai.
I have a deep love for Bigfoot.

nervous ?
about what ???

either the judge likes it or they dont...
judging being so subjective, it doesnt matter much either way, but it is gratifying if they "get it" and throw a ribbon at you...

stands and scrolls aren't mando at the milwaukee show, but accents do help...
even if it is barely a "wink & a nod" to the traditional scroll (as mine was)

and if you are serious about your deep, deep, stinking-of-musk love, you will go with the log and bigfoot...
seriously... that would be rad and speak to what appeals to you...

I liked the first cascade line, but think the foliage pads need a bit more development - but not too much.

The juniper that looks like a cryptomeria is interesting and has seen a bunch of work.

You asked for comments/critique so here are mine.

The larch is well done, but far too pointed for my taste - looks like a Christmas tree with lots of room for presents.

Yours is an interesting political statement. I would really like to see the tree being in the flat top style with the giraffe reaching for the foliage - perhaps even really reaching and not able to eat to tie to the picture. Or with his head in the foliage and gorged. Might as well go for the full statement one way or the other.

The dropping branch on the literati is too straight and the wire is distracting. It has good potential in a few years.

I don't like the kink in the second trunk form the left in the larch group. The fact that is is four does not bother me because it is well unbalanced.

The pine is nice, but the needle lengths are inconsistent.

The shohin display does not do much for me - either as an assembly or individual trees.

i liked the willow. The suiban with water was a very nice complimentary piece. I didn't even see the grass in the suiban until the third look - I like that it is the subtle third element.

marty... about 1/2 of what you said echoes Ted's comments... great minds and all that

re: mine, Ted also said something about the giraffe being more interacted with the foliage at which point i leaned in during his comments and stage-whispered "pssst... hey Ted... its not a real giraffe... it cant really eat any of the foliage..."

everyone enjoyed the levity in an otherwise somber setting

(also the giraffe was metal so not bendable...)

You of course all know, that Giraffes will never eat Spekboom. ... mmmmm never thought of that did you! hihihi hih hii

In the first place they don't occur in the same fields, usually, that is Spekboom and Giraffes, and secondly, they will never bent down so low to eat, its already difficult for them to drink water. Spekboom never grows high enough for them.

But..... Elephants have trunks.... Who knew! hi hi

Is that a township? Your scroll? it actually looks more Brazilian than African?

Thats my cents worth..

O, great exhibit, congrats to all and hoera to the Prize winners, you rock!

Love and light

One of the comments Ted Mattson made about the AAC group shohin display was that the chosen trees all had their movement in the right directions, and were arranged appropriately in the stand. He did mention that all were rather young, all needed further development, but for a local, club show they were a nice assembly of shohin. Each item has its faults, but over all, it made a pleasing display.

No ribbons or awards to the display, just a kind word of encouragement from Ted to keep developing the shohin trees used, and a compliment on how they were assembled.

In our local Arbor Arts Collective, most of use have only recently begun developing shohin. Even the 2 most experienced members have only one or two shohin each. So this display reflects the fact that we are just beginning to grow and learn shohin. If was fun, even though my particular offerings for this display didn't "make the cut". I enjoyed the process of doing the trial assembly at a couple weeks before the show.

Andre Beaurain wrote:You of course all know, that Giraffes  will never eat Spekboom.  ...  mmmmm never thought of that did you!

actually i did know that, and i of course knew that you knew that, but i figured no-one on this side of the pond would know that

Andre Beaurain wrote:and secondly, they  will never bent down so low  to eat, its already difficult for them to drink water.  

thats why i raised it up... so it wouldnt have to bend down to eat...
and it also then would not be vulnerable to attack by the fake lion that was stalking it from behind the screen

Andre Beaurain wrote: Is that a township? Your scroll?  it actually looks more Brazilian than African?

busted ! damn you and your sharp eye !!!    
i couldnt find a high enough resolution picture of a hillside SA township so i had to go with the favela...  

same message though:
CAN NATURE RISE ABOVE ?