Kodai art of Bonsai

About

I am on the road to learning the art of Bonsai,
I am walking in ancient footsteps

Story

I have made this page as a log of my bonsai journey, so I have it all in one place and I can share it with my friends that like my hobby and would like to see what I have been doing, and how it all evolves over time.

Bonsai was always something that I knew I was going to do, and I was amazed by the art since my first encounter, way back in 1984 when Mr Miyagi showed ‘Daniel sun “the way in the movie The Karate Kid.

I told myself that I would wait until I was mentally ready, and at the right time of my life, I would meet my Mr. Miyagi.
In March of 2016, I found him, at a flea market selling all sorts of second-hand things and in the middle of the table was this beautiful Red maple bonsai,
I bought it and so the door opened ....

Over the next year I joined Auckland bonsai society and through them, I have been able to do workshops with some of the best bonsai professionals from all over the world. And the members of the club are always willing to give everyone advice, no matter what level you are at.

One of my biggest help has been a friend up in the mountains that prefers to stay out of the limelight, but thank you “MR B” for all your help and guidance on my journey so far.
In Sep 2016 I got to do a workshop with Mr Tony Bebb - one Australia’s top bonsai artists
Tony and Lindsay Bebb, Tony’s dad where both on the main stage at the world bonsai convention in Japan this year styling a big Pine .
In November 2016 we had our national bonsai convention and Mr, Peter Warren from the U.K
Peter spent 8 years in Japan learning the art of Bonsai from Master Kunio Kobayashi
Aswell as being the author of Bonsai –by Peter Warren
Peter was the main demonstrator at our convention

I did two days at the Auckland 2016 convention watching and actually ended up on stage with him helping bending a tree.
And then two days of workshops with him working on some of my trees at one of our clubs member’s houses.

Next, in April 2017
I got to do a workshop with Mr. Jim Doyle of Nature’s way bonsai from the USA, a good friend of Walter Pall one of Europe’s biggest bonsai names.
It was a really fun day and Jim sees trees in a spiritual plain, and that made for great conversation and all his years of doing bonsai,
He is just a wealth of info, I especially enjoyed his statistics on how the trees he has studied in Japan don’t always conform to the rules we read in books
and this was on some of the most prestigious trees in the world.

I wish we could have spent a few days talking, maybe next time
Jim was also on his way to the world bonsai convention in Japan.

Most recent was Kathy Steyn, one of South Africa’s top bonsai artist -from Bonsai Magic also came to spend a day with us on her way to the convention in Japan, she showed us her skills with carving, quite impressive how she finds the tree within the tree, hope to spend some more time with her next time she comes over to NZ.

I believe that I will never stop learning, but the best way to learn is with your hands on the trees, and that you for watching as I learn more
All the best
Rob