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The Master is in the House C C C ALIFORNIA ALIFORNIA ALIFORNIA A A A ISEKI ISEKI ISEKI K K K AI AI AI Volume 27, Issue 7 July 2009 Stone of the Month July Program July 22: Al Nelson will show step by step procedures for building any size jiban (flat slab) and shoku (low table) for your stone display. Some larger stones in a daiza or suiban seem to display much better on a low table (shoku) than on a flat slab (jiban). As you all know, Al is an accomplished woodworker and always provides for an educational evening. He is generous with technical advice and woodworking tips. You will not want to miss his program! For those unable to build your own, you may order any size jiban or shoku in kit form at various stages of completion for you to finish yourself. ALERT: There are 5 Wednesdays this month. Please join us on July 22. If you show up on the 29th, there will either be an echo in the room or you will be chatting with strangers. Wil, checking in from Japan Wil would like us to know that his article on pages 8-10 was written in an attempt to clarify a number of questions that have been asked of the Nippon Suiseki Association over the years. On many occasions people have written to ask questions about details like those provided here, particularly about the judging or cutting issue. He has tried to address most of the main questions that people seem to have speculated on over the years.... Okay, we are really into summer now and the temperature is rising. Let’s bring in a stone that evokes coolness. This could be any stone that includes water or suggests a landscape in or near water. Of course, snow is always cool. Ahhhh…. Past editor, Jack Dennis has recently begun a series of radiation treatments. He and Sachiko are in our thoughts. continued on page 11 Jim Greavesprogram last month, “Behind the Black Mountain”, was stunning. “Behind - the slide show” chronicled the weeks of preparation, packing, the journey, unpacking, Alice washing windows and the two of them creating the elaborate “theme displays” filling the International Pavilion with their stones. This was not a stone display as we know it. Every inch of this show had a deeper meaning beyond the stone. Clusters told stories and placement revealed the laws and habits of nature as Jim explained each display. You can see many of their stones and similar displays in Jim’s book, Beyond the Black Mountain, and one gets a glimpse of the magnitude of their exhibition in Washington, D.C. on www.bonsai-nbf.org , click “exhibits”. A few of the “Behind” photos are presented on pages 3, 4 and 5 in this issue. Studying the museum photographs can explain why our shows at the Huntington change for the better after the initial setup. After we leave, Jim studies each display and works his magic. Often he will return before opening and bring accessories to complement an otherwise good display. That’s great that he can do that but should he have to? Members that have been involved for more than a couple of years should have the proper items and knowledge to create a display that doesn’t need fixing. We improved our show last year. Planning ahead, many of you acquired a better quality of sand. It’s not too early to begin preparation for our next show. Begin by noting what you showed last year. Experiment by setting up some new displays, single or table top (with an accent). If you still don’t have the right size table (shoku) or base (jiita) start looking for one that is suitable for your stones. You can build your own to fit your daiza or suiban. Join Al Nelson’s woodworking program for daiza and table building. Coincidently, this months meeting, Al’s program, is on table construction. I built one, with his help, and it is perfect for our needs. If that’s not your idea of fun, antique stores and the web (Google bonsai tables or Ebay, etc.) are good places to search. I just Googled bonsai tables and found several styles ideal for small stones in daiza but there is also a lot of junk. Look for simple styles made of very dark wood only and avoid some of the massive

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Page 1: CALIFORNIA AISEKI KAInewsletter+09.pdf · The Master is in the House CALIFORNIA AISEKI KAI Volume 27, Issue 7 July 2009 ... bonsai-nbf.org under Collections and Exhibitions: Exhibits

The Master is in the House

CCCALIFORNIAALIFORNIAALIFORNIA A A AISEKIISEKIISEKI K K KAIAIAI Volume 27, Issue 7 July 2009

Stone of the Month

July Program July 22: Al Nelson will show step by step procedures for building any size jiban (flat slab) and shoku (low table) for your stone display. Some larger stones in a daiza or suiban seem to display much better on a low table (shoku) than on a flat slab (jiban). As you all know, Al is an accomplished woodworker and always provides for an educational evening. He is generous with technical advice and woodworking tips. You will not want to miss his program! For those unable to build your own, you may order any size jiban or shoku in kit form at various stages of completion for you to finish yourself.

ALERT: There are 5 Wednesdays this month. Please join us on July 22. If you show up on the 29th, there will either be an echo in the room or you will be chatting with strangers.

Wil, checking in from Japan Wil would like us to know that his article on pages 8-10 was written in an attempt to clarify a number of questions that have been asked of the Nippon Suiseki Association over the years. On many occasions people have written to ask questions about details like those provided here, particularly about the judging or cutting issue. He has tried to address most of the main questions that people seem to have speculated on over the years....

Okay, we are really into summer now and the temperature is rising. Let’s bring in a stone that evokes coolness. This could be any stone that includes water or suggests a landscape in or near water. Of course, snow is always cool. Ahhhh….

Past editor, Jack Dennis has recently begun a series of radiation treatments. He and Sachiko are in our thoughts.

continued on page 11

Jim Greaves’ program last month, “Behind the Black Mountain”, was stunning. “Behind - the slide show” chronicled the weeks of preparation, packing, the journey, unpacking, Alice washing windows and the two of them creating the elaborate “theme displays” filling the International Pavilion with their stones. This was not a stone display as we know it. Every inch of this show had a deeper meaning beyond the stone. Clusters told stories and placement revealed the laws and habits of nature as Jim explained each display. You can see many of their stones and similar displays in Jim’s book, Beyond the Black Mountain, and one gets a glimpse of the magnitude of their exhibition in Washington, D.C. on www.bonsai-nbf.org , click “exhibits”.

A few of the “Behind” photos are presented on pages 3, 4 and 5 in this issue. Studying the museum photographs can explain why our shows at the Huntington change for the better after the initial setup. After we leave, Jim studies each display and works his magic. Often he will return before opening and bring accessories to complement an otherwise good display. That’s great that he can do that but should he have to? Members that have been involved for more than a couple of years should have the proper items and knowledge to create a display that doesn’t need fixing.

We improved our show last year. Planning ahead, many of you acquired a better quality of sand. It’s not too early to begin preparation for our next show. Begin by noting what you showed last year. Experiment by setting up some new displays, single or table top (with an accent). If you still don’t have the right size table (shoku) or base (jiita) start looking for one that is suitable for your stones. You can build your own to fit your daiza or suiban. Join Al Nelson’s woodworking program for daiza and table building. Coincidently, this months meeting, Al’s program, is on table construction. I built one, with his help, and it is perfect for our needs.

If that’s not your idea of fun, antique stores and the web (Google bonsai tables or Ebay, etc.) are good places to search. I just Googled bonsai tables and found several styles ideal for small stones in daiza but there is also a lot of junk. Look for simple styles made of very dark wood only and avoid some of the massive

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ANNOUNCEMENTS: Cliff & Jean have a new itinerary for the trip to China & Tibet. Shipping will be arranged from several points, maximum of 16 folks, 21 days in China and 5 in Tibet, about $4,000. Good hotels and food in Sept. 2010. Call Cliff for more information. Jim said that the Golden State Bonsai Federation convention in Riverside, Nov. 5-8, wants CA stones to display if the club is interested. Jim will coordinate. The stones will be displayed on pedestals.

Stone of the Month (Stones with a story ): Ken found gifts “from Alice” on his last rock hunting trip: a red and black dragon, a Jurassic fish, a green mountain and a jade & matrix stone. On his last day in Alice's favorite site he found a large black stone with 3 flowers

June Meeting Notes by Linda Gill

The 1 inch wide inner m

argins are designed for use with a 3 hole punch.

VOLUME 27, ISSUE 7 CALIFORNIA AISEKI KAI

on it and a moth. Ken is donating the stone to the American Viewing Stone Resource Center in Alice's memory. Joe Gaytan visited Jim & Alice just before Alice went into the hospital. They were washing stones and she gave him a lovely cherry blossom stone with a trunk and branches, buds and flowers and good color. Don Kruger had a black stone from Juan de Fuca with steps and 2 humpback whales playing offshore. Cliff's visit to Indonesia in 2004 took him to the island with Komodo Dragons. He was diving while the tsunami was going on and the water turned cloudy but he didn't know why at the time. He brought back a piece of marble that he dug out of the road. Don Mullally showed a whitish, botroidal jade that was like his kids - all good on just one side like Ying and Yang. Bruce had a hut stone

PAGE 2

Ken McLeod Ann Horton Sandy Josephson

Ken’s donation to the AVSRC Phil Chang Toy Sato

Toy Sato Lois Hutchinson Charlie, granddaughter of Cary & Steve

Don Mullally Ken McLeod Nina Ragle

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from the Eel found downriver from Dos Rios. He was befriended by a boxer (dog) whose armed owner accused Bruce of trying to steal. Bruce would like to avoid that scene in the future! Joe James showed a green turtle from a tributary of the Eel that he walked over and saw when he turned around and the sun shown on it. Lesson for you here, folks. Buzz's stone came from Los Osos that he bought in a store while his cousin was trying to find where he had left his credit card and this was the place. Richard Turner brought a stone that he bought in the 4 Corners area and is making a daiza to reflect the area. Linda found a black stone on her first trip to the Yuha that looks like a stormy winter sea and started her love for the Yuha. Phil and Janet took a tour bus to Las Vegas that stopped at Stateline. While others ate and gambled they looked for stones, hiking out about 1/2 mile. He found his stones about 100 yards from the bus: a 3 peaked mountain, an

abstract column with layers and an arch made up of 2 different stone types. Toy’s nozoki-ishi (window stone) was light colored and came from the east side of Dumont Dunes. Barry & Sandy were in Viet Nam and found a stone near a woman's mud house. He offered to buy it but she gave it to him. It was covered in mud and he had to clean it with muriatic acid; it is a figure stone of a condor. Ann & Jean’s stones were a butte with windows from China, a

VOLUME 27, ISSUE 7 CALIFORNIA AISEKI KAI

light gray stone with arches and windows and a 7 step stone from the golden triangle area in Laos. Nina’s new spot yielded her a stone that almost got her run over by an ATV. Lois 's Indian blanket stone with the tree was found when she went down in a 10 foot ravine to find a stone and as she was climbing out she spotted this stone in front of her face. She tossed the other one. Harry remembers the bright sunny days when he found his Eel River stone and one of his Murphy's stones. Steve was with Mas Takanashi at Lake Hill and was sick the day he found his figure stone of a seahorse or dragon. Cary brought their granddaughter Charlie's stone which was one of 2 that she picked up and washed in a water glass in a restaurant in Viet Nam. Seeing that, the owner who also had stones gave her one. Everyone had interesting stories to relate of the day they found the stone they showed at this meeting.

Jim Greaves presented a behind the scenes look at some of what it takes to put on a first class exhibit 3000 miles from home. “Behind the Black Mountain” was a visual tour of the show that Jim and Alice staged at the National Arboretum last fall. We are going to let the pictures tell the story.

PAGE 3

June Program Notes

Buzz Barry

Steve Valentine Cary Valentine

The Greaves’ home was chaos for months preparing for the show.

Organization was key. All the boxes are numbered not just to get to D.C. but home again! They managed to save a resting spot for Taka but little room for “personal” items.

NOTE: Additional photos and text can be found at bonsai-nbf.org under Collections and Exhibitions: Exhibits.

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Black Mountain poster

VOLUME 27, ISSUE 7 CALIFORNIA AISEKI KAI

PAGE 4

“Autumn Kimono” in Tokonoma

The single case of Black Mountains, the traditional suiseki

Monolith with garden view Treasure boat set against a Chinese screen

Introductory gallery with five touchstones, classic examples and cases representing the four seasons

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VOLUME 27, ISSUE 7 CALIFORNIA AISEKI KAI

PAGE 5

“By the Sea”, gallery view

Island, coastal rock and sandbar stone “Beyond Landscape” gallery overview

Tora ishi, 4th of July, Waiting to be Discovered

Abstract color and pattern

Celestial group: setting sun, rising moon, starry night

“Desert Visions” gallery overview

Partial gallery overview

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PAGE 6 CALIFORNIA AISEKI KAI VOLUME 27, ISSUE 7

Ask GuyJim In May I attempted to answer Joseph Gaytan’s question regarding the upper size limit for suiseki and viewing stones. As promised, I will now present more observations on the acceptable parameters of stone size by examining the other end of the continuum, small and very small stones.

Dear Readers, We have all seen small, even tiny stones under an inch that present amazing miniature landscapes. Intimate desert mountains delight everyone, especially devotees of ‘fractals’ who see the eroded shapes endlessly repeated by the smallest details. Several of the founding members of California Aiseki Kai collected small desert stones. Bob Watson and Melba Tucker could not resist their infinite, intriguing forms. Gail and Dorothy Middleton were renowned for their small and very small mountain range stones. Dorothy’s idea of perfect collecting was to find a spot near Dumont Dunes and simply sit down and sort for mini-treasures among all the stones within reach. Fortunately for her, Gail was a superb wood carver so, unlike our drawers full of un-mounted miniatures, many of the Middletons’ stones were actually displayed with appropriately-sized daiza. Alas, for the rest of us, getting a daiza of appropriate scale is a difficult task.

This brings us to a fundamental problem with small stones that ultimately makes them generally unsuitable as viewing stones: when a stone becomes too small (the actual size depending on subject and detail) it is simply not viewable in a formal way. It may be a masterpiece in the hand, but it is not an acceptable viewing stone if it requires the viewer to become a contortionist or employ a magnifier ... it is a glorious curiosity! Don Kruger has long called these little gems ‘shots’. In the hand they allow the imagination to run unfettered; the horizon limitless; but when presented on an oversized daiza or worse, an ill-proportioned suiban, they become awkward, poorly defined objects – the crafted daiza may actually become the focus!

Miniature landscape stones are virtually impossible to present in public without ‘cute’ becoming the overwhelming reaction. They are first and foremost curiosities. As a general rule, landscape stones less than 3” become difficult, less than 2” become very problematic and less than 1” become impossible to display as individual stones. First, such small stones scream ‘security problem’. Such concerns can only be overcome with a dedicated ‘docent-guard’ in place or by creating a physical barrier. A ‘barrier’ might be as simple as keeping the display a sufficient out-of-arms-reach distance, but in practical terms, this also keeps the viewer from getting close enough to appreciate the very details that make the stone successful in the first place. Glazed display boxes, either Plexiglas or the unfortunately encountered overturned aquarium, usually isolate the viewer and emphasize that one is looking at a precious, rare object ... objectifying the stone, rather than experiencing it! This remains a problem when stones are displayed within museum vitrines/cases; however, the isolation may be somewhat mitigated if the case is sufficiently large to leave some atmosphere around the display.

Whether on open tables or within secure cases, small stones can be presented most effectively in groups. Through the years, the Middletons, Alice and Nuncie Destro, Chuck Kantzer, Lee Roberts and Sarah Gyer specialized in presenting groupings of small stones on multi-level display stands. [Interestingly, the preponderance of smaller stones displayed was desert stones with vertical orientation, either figural, abstract, or desert formations such as hoodoos. Horizontal landscape stones of only a few inches length become especially difficult to display because they lack sufficient height to compete with daiza forms or minimal suiban depth.] Within larger exhibitions, a few such displays might be judiciously included to use the universal fascination with anything miniature to ‘connect’ with the general public.

Desert Mountain, Elmer Uchida; (3 13/16” L x 5/8” H) daiza by Gail Middleton

Desert Mountain Range, Jim Greaves (5 1/8” L x ¾” H, cut) daiza by Gail Middleton

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GuyJim The views expressed in this column are personal, perhaps irreverent, irrelevant or just plain wrong and do not reflect the consensual view of California Aiseki Kai. Send your viewing stone questions (or comments) for GuyJim to [email protected] or 1018 Pacific Street, Unit D, Santa Monica, CA 90405 (310) 452-3680

The second approach to presenting small stones is within the context/space of a miniature environment. A well-conceived miniature tokonoma display may present a quick visual explanation of how suiseki are traditionally used. In early Huntington shows Lee Roberts presented a micro-miniature room setting with inch-sized stones that was always a favorite of the public. Nina Ragle has more recently presented small tokonoma demonstrating keido principles. Still, the feeling of cute can easily prevail so it is probably best to confine such usage to peripheral or didactic areas – we are ultimately admiring a ‘model’ of a room feature, not a suiseki.

In conclusion, just as over-sized stones may have a place in establishing a ‘presence’ for a museum gallery exhibition, a careful usage of very small stones can contribute to the publics understanding of traditional context while drawing them in for a closer look. Of course, in your own home or hand, the only limit remains your imagination.

VOLUME 27, ISSUE 7 CALIFORNIA AISEKI KAI

I ended my previous answer regarding larger stones by saying that “I first think of suiseki as stones of a more intimate size, at least in part because of the appealing vision of an ancient Chinese scholar keeping his favorite stone within his sleeve.” I now amend that thought to say that the stone must be large enough to find within that sleeve!

PAGE 7

Desert mountain range (1 3/16" L x 1/2" H, cut). The coin is a dime!

Desert Mountain, Elmer Uchida; (1 7/8” L x 5/8” H) daiza by Gail Middleton

Desert Mountain Range, Jim Greaves (4 ¾” L x 15/16” H, cut) daiza by Gail Middleton

Un-mounted mountain range, Eel River (2” L x 7/8” H, cut) – in the hand the view is unrestricted

Miniature desert mountain forms (all less than 5” L)

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On the brink of its 50th anniversary, the Nippon Suiseki Association’s Nihon suiseki meihin-ten (literally, Exhibition of Japanese Suiseki Masterpieces), has long been considered one of the best exhibitions of its kind in the country, and is one of the few large scale shows with nationwide participation that still survives from its inception during the so-called “stone boom” that began in the 1960’s. Having been established in the capital of Tokyo at a time when certain influential politicians too enthusiastically collected stones, the Association was fortunate enough to receive government sponsorship from the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and continues to do so to this day, which is no doubt one of the reasons for its sustained success. It is also one of the only organizations to have had members and exhibitors from abroad, and while every club’s way of doing things is different, a look at the operations of the Japan Suiseki Association and its Meihinten offers a number of insights into how suiseki exhibitions are conducted in Japan.

A foreign exhibitor who came to Japan to see his stone on display in the Meihinten was once told by Mr. Matsuura, unfortunately without the aid of an interpreter, that while his stone was not perfect, if 100 were the mark of perfection, Mr. Matsuura would have given it about a 90. With the intention and nuances of the particular Japanese phrase used to complement the stone lost somewhere in translation, the idea was born that suiseki considered for the Meihinten were judged on some kind of point system, which consequently became the subject of a great deal of curiosity and speculation. The judging and evaluation process, however, is in fact not carried out as such.

Members who would like to participate in the exhibition are not allowed to bring their stones to the judging themselves, but rather must go through one of the directors or Mr. Matsuura himself, and send their stones in for evaluation at least two months before the actual exhibition. Bringing the stones they have been sent for consideration, the directors then meet and line them up for the others to evaluate. In order to avoid discrimination, the application forms accompanying each stone are overturned so the owner’s name is not visible, and a number is assigned to each one. When these preparations have been completed, the directors begin to make their rounds, taking notes, talking amongst themselves, and cracking the occasional joke or two. The atmosphere is at this point quite casual, as the directors have known each other for a great many years and have been through the process together just as many times.

VOLUME 27, ISSUE 7 CALIFORNIA AISEKI KAI

During the board meeting that follows, the directors are given the opportunity to raise any objections they may have regarding particular stones, and the floor is opened to discussion. Check lists, score cards, or point systems, however, have never been tools employed in this process, and decisions have always been made based on consensus amongst the directors during this meeting. Acceptance is based purely on a pass/fail system, and considering the years of experience that each director brings to the table, ineligible stones tend to be eliminated long before they reach the judging process, as directors will consult and advise individual members along the way and ensure that only stones likely to be accepted ever make it to this stage. Still, particularly in the past when suiseki reached the peak of its popularity amongst the general public, many other-wise eligible stones were refused simply due to space limitations at the exhibition venue- application numbers sometimes doubling the number of spaces available for display according to older board members. Such space restrictions have been an issue since the Meihinten began to be regularly held at the Meiji Shrine in 2000, numbers being consistently below ninety since then,

PAGE 8

Inside the Meihinten Wil, checking in from Japan

Before the judging begins

A common choice in Japan, a blue toned material is used to cover the display surface as it is easy on the eyes and does not distract attention.

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while numbers were almost without exception above one hundred while the exhibition was held at the Green Club in Ueno and the Mitsukoshi department store in Nihonbashi, the largest exhibition in the series, the 4th Meihinten of 1964, being held at the latter featured an impressive184 stones.

For some time the Association experimented with a rule that no worked stone would be accepted, though they found that application numbers dropped dramatically and that such strict rules could only result in very small and unsustainable exhibitions, so the rule was dropped and stones with worked bottoms came to be accepted, providing that the work had been done well and the bottom had been given a natural appear-ance to lessen the visual impact of human intervention. Officially, no stones with clean-cut bottoms or work done anywhere on the top are accepted, though it seems that over the years certain special exceptions may have been made to accommodate enthusiastic members who have wanted nothing more than to see their stones featured in the show.

With the judging complete, photography for the catalogue begins and the directors are free to pack up the stones they brought and return home when finished. They now inform each applicant of the judging results, and begin the process of selecting shoku, or display stands, for each stone. Some members have their own shoku for display, but it is often the case that the directors or the Association itself provides for them. Particularly with stones that have been sent from abroad, the Association does its best to provide suitable shoku and even suiban when required, though with a limited selection of material and the virtually unlimited range of stones that may be displayed, finding the perfect match can be a challenge. As a result, some combinations are less ideal than others, but for the majority of viewers and exhibitors alike, this particular exhibition is more about the stones themselves and less

VOLUME 27, ISSUE 7 CALIFORNIA AISEKI KAI

about any formal expressions of a display ideology. Having said that, however, analyzing each combination of stone, shoku, and suiban, and considering ways in which they might be improved upon is certainly an enjoyable exercise for those interested in looking beyond the stone, and among the greater pleasures of seeing the show first-hand.

The stones are split between two different categories: those which can be displayed within a one meter space, and those which require more than one meter. These measurements include the shoku to be used, and determine not only the location of the display, but also the expense of entering the stone. As larger stones consume more of the available space, these “A” category stones require a 50,000 yen entry fee, though to help compensate exhibitors in this category for the additional expense they are also generally displayed in the outdoor area with greater public exposure, and tend to receive preferential treatment in the catalogue, though these are not steadfast rules per se. Smaller “B” category stones are displayed indoors at a cost of 30,000 yen to the exhibitor, and while the fees may seem excessive, they are put immediately to use in covering the staggering rental charges of the downtown Tokyo exhibition venue, the production costs for the photography and catalogue, and not to mention compensation for the unusually high number of man hours required of the professionals involved in organizing, setting up, and taking down the show. When all is said and done, producing this exhibition ends up costing a considerable amount, but the results are always well worth it.

Also noteworthy when considering the display concept of the exhibition, is the use of accent plants and the idea of an exhibitor’s “individual space.” Unlike certain other shows, the Meihinten does not employ bamboo dividers between each stone to create a separation between one person’s space and another’s.

PAGE 9

Glass cases are occasionally used to protect smaller and more valuable stones, while books and catalogues are available for sale.

Preparing for the catalogue

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VOLUME 27, ISSUE 7

Organizations that do this tend to do so with the idea of giving each exhibitor an area in which to choose their own plants or accessories to complement their particular stone, creating a single, cohesive display, distinguished from the next by a simple shaft of bamboo. This idea of creating small, isolated displays is not the practice employed here, however, and accent plants are generally provided by two or three of the bonsai professionals on the board of directors rather than by individual members. The plants are not meant to be attached or viewed together with either of the stones they may be placed between, but are rather there to provide pause for the viewer and add, literally, life to the show.

In this more contemporary style of display, Nippon Suiseki Association administrator Koji Nagasawa uses a ceramic toban and a relatively small amount of sand, a technique which is only occasionally used for smaller stones, but is nonetheless considered acceptable in this particular exhibition.

Returning to the theme of space restrictions, it seems that further discussion of the Meihinten, its long history, attached ceremony and execution, say nothing of a detailed look at a few of the stones present any given year, will have to be taken up another time. Again, while this exhibition cannot be considered indicative of the way in which all organizations conduct their shows in Japan, it is easily the most important exhibition of its kind and enjoys the greatest global exposure, making it not only the subject of a great deal of attention and discussion abroad, but also the source from which many lessons are ultimately learned. And though it may have left some questions unanswered, the purpose of this brief look at the show will have been accomplished if even one reader has learned a bit more.

Friends from Spain, Jose Manuel Blazquez (L) and Rafael Monje (R) have their stones displayed side by side.

An excellent summer display– well balanced in dimensions, orientation and color combination.

A Little more from Wil….

Jim and Alice in Washington pictured with Mr. Morimae in front of their monolith display.

A closer view of the Greaves’ monolith display at the National Arboretum last fall.

[ED NOTE: We could not help but notice the similarity of this display below, to the non traditional one on the right.]

PAGE 10 CALIFORNIA AISEKI KAI

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Programs: Larry Ragle 949.497.5626 [email protected] Treasury/Membership: Nina Ragle 949.497.5626 [email protected] Annual Exhibit: Jim Greaves 310.452.3680 [email protected] Exhibit Set Up: Marge Blasingame 626.579.0420 [email protected] Refreshments: Lois Hutchinson 714.964.6973 [email protected] Historian: Ray Yeager 760.365.7897 [email protected] Webmail: Bill Hutchinson 714.964.6973 [email protected] Newsletter: Larry and Nina Ragle 949.497.5626 [email protected]

July Contributors: Linda Gill, Jim Greaves, Wil, and Larry Ragle. Mailing: Flash Partch Editor: Nina Ragle

Contact People

PAGE 11 CALIFORNIA AISEKI KAI VOLUME 27, ISSUE 7

Newsletter Committee

We hope you will participate. Please send any submissions to [email protected] no more than 10 days following our monthly meeting. Thank you!

California Aiseki Kai meets on the 4th Wednesday of each month at 7:30 pm at the Nakaoka Community Center located at 1670 W. 162nd St, Gardena, CA. Second floor. We do not meet in Nov-Dec.

“busy” styles with thick legs and wide margins on the top, that is, the frame that reduces the display area..

This year’s GSBF Convention will be held in Riverside, November 5 to 8, 2009. There will be a sales area (free) with material such as accent plants, viewing stones and often, suiban and sometimes tables. And they have planned two rock hunting trips, one to the Yuha and one on private property in the Palm Springs area. For more information about the convention, the GSBF magazine and convention news can be found on line at GSBF-bonsai.org.

All of us should strive to be as meticulous as Jim, mechanically and emotionally, when we “build” our displays.

Larry Ragle

Chiara Padrini and Michele Andolfo are planning an amazing bonsai & suiseki event to be held in Puerto Rico, January 2-7, 2010. For more detailed information, please email Chiara at [email protected] To see the program and cost, go to website http://www.padrini.it/zen/index-en.htm

The Master is in the House continued from page 1

This shoku is 13 3/4 wide, 10 3/4 deep, 2 2/3 high. I saw it on line.

This one is good but has far less usable display space.

Page 12: CALIFORNIA AISEKI KAInewsletter+09.pdf · The Master is in the House CALIFORNIA AISEKI KAI Volume 27, Issue 7 July 2009 ... bonsai-nbf.org under Collections and Exhibitions: Exhibits

Ragle P.O. Box 4975 Laguna Beach CA 92652

Coming Events

Leaves no stone unturned

ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED

aisekikai.com

HAWAIIAN BONSAI ASSOCIATION Bonsai Ohana II Convention, September 25-27, Pacific Beach Hotel, Waikiki. Demos Tohru Suzuki and Mel Ikeda. The bonsai exhibit will include viewing stones. For more info: hawaiibonsaiassoc.org

REDWOOD EMPIRE SOCIETY 26th Annual Bonsai Show, August 29-30, Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Bldg., 1351 Maple Ave., Santa Rosa. Sat 10-5 Sun 10-4. Demos 1:30 both days. Yasuo Mitsuya and Kathy Shaner. 200+ trees, sales, raffle. For more info: Bob Shimon 707.884.4126 or email [email protected]. Website: rebsbonsai.org

SAN DIEGO BONSAI CLUB 44th Annual Fall Show, Sept 19-20, Balboa Park, Casa Del Prado, Rm 101, San Diego. 10-5 Demos. Sales area. For more info: Joanie Berkowitz 760.431.1014

GOLDEN STATE BONSAI FEDERATION “A Southwest Bonsai Journey”, Convention XXXII, November 5-8, Riverside. Marriott Hotel. Suiseki convention within a convention. www.gsbfconvention.com

KO FU BONSAI KAI Bonsai Exhibit at the Orange County Fair, July 10 - August 9, OC Fairgrounds, 88 Fair Dr., Costa Mesa. Wednesday-Friday, noon to midnight, Saturday-Sunday, 10AM to midnight. Admission to the Fair: adults $10, seniors (60+) $7, children (6-12) $5 and kids (5 or less) free. Each Friday, seniors (60+) admission is $4. For more information: Paul De Rose 714.637.4592

Refreshments Thanks to Buzz Barry, Steve & Cary Valentine, Tom & Apinya Culton, Harry Hirao and Yau-Suen Farn for the June break table. It was yummy. The July snacks will be provided by Kyra & Warren Haussler, Joseph Gaytan and Sandy & Barry Josephson.

Always check Golden Statements Magazine Calendar section for additional coming events