Language isn’t a barrier in bonsai as art is universal. Pavel was a top bloke and a true artist.
Burrs Artists In Action – Pavel Slovák
Category Bonsai Events
Burrs Artists In Action – Terry Foster
This gallery contains 12 photos.
Back To Reality
After a weekend away at Burrs I finally made it back to home at 11pm last night. I wish I had booked today off work but sadly I had to trudge in this morning. I’m only now able to wade through about 800 photos and video clips taken over the 3 days. I’ll be posting some of these during the week to show some of the exploits, wonders, weirdos, and even a few trees for the event 🙂
Tony invited me as a guest to Burrs back in March, an offer I’d be silly to turn down. I had heard a lot about Burrs from many sources, some were great reviews but some were not so complimentary. I’m a great believer in making my own mind up. My own verdict, I can truly state that Burrs is a great environment for bonsai learning, one of the best I have experienced in 20 years. As you know I count friendship as a major part of bonsai and Burrs has also added to that experience. I have made many new friends, some old ones met for a catch up and a few folk who I talk to on a weekly basis on the net that I was able to finally meet in the flesh. Looking back the nay sayers, in the main were those who had never been to Burrs, I think that says it all! Make your own mind up, sign up for 2015.
To Mr & Mrs T, thank you yet again for a great weekend, your hospitality was second to none and I truly enjoyed every second of it, well maybe not the early morning noises coming through the wall of Burrs room!!, but you know what I mean. 🙂
Here are a few sample photos but many more to follow as I wade though the folder. I think these capture a little of what the weekend was all about.
British Shohin Bonsai (BSB)
As a BSA now BSB member, I just wanted to share the information below with you.
Last Saturday saw the official “launch” of British Shohin Bonsai and interest in the group is already taking off well.
We have used “launch” in inverted commas as it is more a case of revamping of an older familiar face. BSB has arisen from the British Shohin Association which was the first and only Shohin and small sized bonsai society in the UK for nearly eight years. Sadly, as with many clubs and societies, the BSA was finding it difficult to get people to take on the administrative functions necessary to run an organisation.
But rather than let the momentum of the BSA fizzle out, a group of members took it upon themselves to progress the group in a manner that involved an entirely new way of doing things.
Accepting that a sizeably large number of people wish to source their bonsai knowledge and indulge their bonsai passion online, the BSB decided that they would relaunch using an internet presence as the main method of reaching the bonsai public. A new Facebook group has been established to front this process, along with a new website.
As with the BSA, the aim of the new group is to promote the smaller sizes of bonsai, and while the online presence allows us to this through discussion, we will also be retaining the best bits of the BSA – namely the Exhibition and the Journal. These, along with occasional workshops and demonstrations, will allow us to develop people’s practical skills.
The name change is simply because we felt that a slight change of “branding” was needed. This is mostly to give due respect to the sterling work done by the officers of the previous incarnation. It is truly good that most of them are coming with us on our new journey and we hope that freeing them up from the shackles of a committee position will allow them more freedom.
Although there is no formal membership for BSB, we will be introducing a Supporters set-up whereby in return for a small one-off donation, you get access to the Journals and reduced price entry to BSB events.
Shohin bonsai has certainly taken off in the past few years and the former BSA was instrumental in that happening. We hope to continue that momentum and to take smaller sized bonsai to even greater , erm… heights.
To see more please use the links below:
http://britishshohinbonsai.com/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1389090284673009/
Capel Manor 2014
Thanks to Dan for sharing these photos from the Capel Manor Show last weekend. The exhibition is hosted by the Enfield Bonsai Group.
Here are some of the winning trees, displays, club displays and even a few from the John Armitage demo. John did a demo on 2 trees, Juniper was made from £25 material showing what you can achieve for not much cash. The 2nd tree was a cork bark elm, again affordable material – work was done with an aim to air layer into a clump in the spring.
A final note to pass on my condolences regarding Ray Ward from Sussex Bonsai who was also Vice chair of FOBBS, who sadly passed away on Wednesday this week. He did an amazing job creating their club display at the show and was a prominent and much liked man in the British bonsai community.
Best in Show
Winning Individual display.
Dublin Bonsai
Leinster Bonsai Club had their first workshop on Saturday with myself and Phil trying to keep them in line. A great bunch of guys. Two of the Munster Club members came up for the day as well even though we had a workshop with them three weeks ago! We must be doing something right 🙂
We are a tough lot, an open air workshop in October in Ireland, great when the sun was out but Baltic when it dropped behind the house.
A big thank you for John for hosting the day and to Owen for organising it. Owe was gutted when he had to miss the session due to something called work on some remote Scottish Island!! Unlucky mate but we survived without out you. [Stop it Ian that’s cruel, he feels bad enough as it is 🙂 ]
Busy Day….
I played host to the Clubs Bonsai School Session today. All very enjoyable with good friends and bonsai learning at the top of the agenda. Just how many times can Ben photobomb!!
Youth to the right age to the left 🙂
Munster Weekend in Photos
Here’s our exploits from the weekend in photos. A great atmosphere for bonsai, fun but hard work getting done as well.
Crossing the Boyne in the dark
Misty morn
Catching up
Ray raw Pine
Kieran’s Juniper before
Piotr’s Juniper before
Work begins
Mark starting a wiring frenzy
wee doomed heed
clean clean clean
Kieran’s Juniper after
Piotr’s Juniper after, top to be removed in stages
Ray’s larch in for advice
camera shy
there he is
Another Ray Pine for work
Marks Pine after
Mark looking board
Motley crew
another Mark Pine
Piotr’s mame juniper
Ray’s Pine after
Kieran’s pine after
garden shot
Mark’s Gingko Autumn colour
Amazing dogs
Mark’s display
guard dog
Autumn
Cilling before the end
wired out…
good craic
That it, Piotr has left the building
Capel Manor Autumn Show
Thanks Chaps
Just a quick thank you to the Munster Bonsai Club guys for a great weekend, it was special 🙂
Especial thanks to Mark and Valerie for putting us up for the weekend and to Piotr for organising everything. I’ll post more when I get a chance but for now you can just look at our ugly mugs.
Bonsai Eejit 