It all starts early in the morning with the rest of the back drops going up.

By 10:00 it’s all up and judging takes place while we have a coffee. Then it’s back into the room to see if we agree with the judges. Well done to the worthy winners the beech (purple) that was best tree in show was an air layer.

Grandad Geoff on guard!

Here is the best display.

This was my favourite display by John A.

These are the other exhibits.

This was my 3 point display.

Next up will be club display’s

Many of you are now familiar with the prize winners of The Artisans Cup. This week it was found that a fourth tree was a winner as well…scoring the same 50 points as the Third Place winner. Along with Amy Blanton’s Rocky Mountain Juniper, the Japanese White Pine of Konnor Jenson will also be awarded third place.

An accompanying award certificate, plaque, and $3,000 purse will be awarded to both Mr. Jenson and Ms. Blanton. Congratulations to them both!

For a history of the work on this tree, try this post: Revisiting a Raised-Root Cascade White Pine

This is beyond words. This isn’t a photo essay, as I tend to do, but simply photos. I think that if you were not able to come to The Artisans Cup, seeing many photos of it will give you a sense of the magnitude and emotional impact of the design, lighting, and quality of the trees.

I thank my friend Oscar Jonker for use of these photos. He was there in the first couple hours when the Cup was finished setting up, and then he zipped right to the hotel and blogged about it. I was too tired here in Portland to even think of writing, so I begged the use his lightning fast post from Bonsai Empire. Thanks Oscar for all these great photos! (Only two are mine…the first and the last).

The inaugural Artisans Cup Exhibition was held at the Portland Art Museum on September 25-27, 2015. The well attended and dramatic show of 72 exhibits featured nearly 100 individual trees, if all the shohin and three point bonsai are counted. The black unique metal and wood individual tables were professionally designed and installed by a fabricator. The exhibition gallery was darkened and was only lighted by two small lights adjusted by a professional photographer to highlight the focal point of each bonsai display.

The successful Artisan Cup exhibition was organized and tightly controlled by Chelsea Neil. Congratulations to Ryan and Chelsea Neil, sponsors of the Artisans Cup Exhibition.

Like my other blog entries, this is my informal personal report with my amateur photographs. These photos do NOT fairly represent the Artisans Cup Exhibition, which featured numerous large native juniper bonsai, but rather bonsai, which interested and impressed me during the…

On Wednesday I was released from the hospital after a five day visit having “Acute Heart Failure.” I’m feeling good now after being told my left heart bundle is only pumping 14% rather than 55%. Against recommendations I’m making the road trip to Portland for the Artisan’s Cup exhibition. But, I’m not driving the 3,000 miles this time. Good friends Marc Arpag from Rochester and Les Allen from Erie, PA, are doing all the driving. I’m sitting in the back seat “resting” and working on the magazine and articles for my magazine on my MacPro Laptop.

Both Marc and I have two bonsai each accepted for the Artisan’s Cup exhibition. We have been preparing and grooming the bonsai for several months. Many different companion plantings have been created, adjusted and finalized, hoping the best looks good when we set up on Thursday.

The exhibition bonsai are in the car, while…

What: Chishio Japanese Maple in the ground and in the pot
When: ’04 and ’14
Where: right here.