The Bonsai News of H ouston A Monthly Newsletter of the Houston Bonsai Society, Inc.

Naturally literati style shaped by the sun, the drying wind and heavy snow on mountain tops (Photo: Bunjin Parade on Kyriolexy.worldpress.com)

The next meeting of the Houston Bonsai Society will be on Wednesday October 7th, 2015 at the Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion in Hermann Park, off of Hermann Park Drive, Houston, TX 77030. Refreshments at 7 PM, meeting starts at 7:30 PM.

Wednesday October 7th, HBS Monthly Meeting: Planting Bonsai on Rock Slab with Pete Parker. For Show & Tell with Ray, please bring similar works for display.

Upcoming Events

Friday, October 9th - Saturday, October 10th, LSBF Seminar 2015 focusing on bunjin and bonsai display at Kingwood Community Center in Houston, TX. Workshop on bunjin azalea bonsai with Dave Kreutz.

October 16-18th, Kathy Shaner Seminar. See full page advertisement for details.

Saturday, October 24th, Basic Wiring Class at Timeless Trees, 9AM – 1PM, $25. Focus on basic wiring on practice trees to get ready for the winter.

Saturday, October 31st, Houston Bonsai Society Annual Fall Show, Mercer Arboretum, 9AM – 4PM, Exhibit, demos, workshops and vendors.

Wednesday, November 4th, HBS Monthly Meeting: Guest artist Bjorn Bjorholm will do a demo on a large Prostrada Juniper. He is the owner of Bjorvala Bonsai Studio and former apprentice of contemporary Japanese bonsai master Keiichi Fujikaw.

Saturday, November 7th, Saturday Study Group at Timeless Trees, Rosenberg, TX, 9AM – 12 Noon. Free, refreshments provided.

Saturday, Nov 14th, Japanese Black Pine Study Group, 9AM –1 PM, needle thinning and structural wiring/designing for the future. Bring tools, wire, sketch paper and ideas.

Friday, Nov 21st, and Saturday , Nov 22nd – Advanced Bonsai Techniques with Pedro Morales. 9AM- 5PM: Building Kurama’s, Phoenix grafting, deadwood carving, and adding a Prosthesis. Includes all supplies for Kuramas, and all participants will receive a small three speed grinder and several bits.

Volume 44 Number 10 October 2015

IN THIS ISSUE

Upcoming Events

Ficus Rock Planting

Showcase of the Month

Literati style bonsai

0October Bonsai Care

John Miller

President’s

Letter

LSBF 2015 Seminar

October 9-10, 2015

HBS Fall Show

October 31, 2015

Literati or Bunjin Style

Robert Steven

Kathy Shaner Seminar

October 16-18

Literati style bonsai

October Bonsai Care

Time to take a good look at your tropicals. Before going into the dry, low light conditions most of us have for winter quarters, they need to be vigorous, pruned and free of problems. Give them a good feeding preferably with an organic fertilizer. If you use a water soluble type, use a low dilution and feed every 2-3 days. Prune all new growth back to the trees best shape. To increase ramification on developed trees, keep any new growth pinched to 2-3 leaves. Use your desired insecticide and/or fungicide now and again, just before you take them in.

Remember that some tropicals do not like to go below 50 degrees, while others are only semi-tropical and will take a frost but do not want their roots frozen. The buttonwood is an example of the first group and the crepe myrtle would be in the second. Here we will probably not see a freeze until late in November but there may be some cool nights in October. I prefer to leave the tropicals out as long as possible. I want the semi-tropicals to go dormant and then put them in a cool location to stay dormant all winter.

Now is the time to start your outdoor trees toward their winter siesta. If you wait until the temperature drops, you get too rushed and omit some of the little housekeeping duties. Start now by making sure that the area will be free of insects and other vermin.

When the leaves start turning, the sap has quit for the year and you may check the branches and twigs to see if any need to be trimmed. Cutting back any protruding branches will keep them from snagging and possibly breaking other trees when you put them down close together. Don’t cut the buds off the spring flowering plants unless absolutely necessary, if you want flowers next spring.

Kathy Shaner suggests removing the top half-inch of soil and replenishing it with new soil. This will remove weed seeds that have blown in and will make next year’s job easier. Of course if you plan on repotting next spring that isn’t necessary.

Winter quarters: Remember that here in Texas, more trees are lost in the winter due to drying out than to the cold. Of course that does not mean for you to leave the tropicals out or to let the roots freeze on southern trees, like the crape myrtle. Even in a greenhouse or sunny window, the soil can dry out amazingly fast. The wind in winter has amazing drying powers too. (Ask your grandmother about hanging the wash and letting it dry while frozen stiff.) So while you protect the roots, be sure to give it a wind screen and make sure to check the soil for watering needs. (It helps if you know which particular plants dry out faster and so you can situate them together). A lot of winter kill comes because the soil has frozen and the sun or wind is removing water from the tops. The roots cannot obtain water to replenish the loss and the top desiccates to the point of death.

For the beginners, plants like the cedar elm, oak, maple that are hardy much further north, can be set on a clean gravel bed. When the real cold (26 or lower) gets here, cover the pots with 3 - 4 inches of a fairly loose mulch. South of Dallas, crepe myrtle, firethorn and some azaleas need to have more root protection. I like to let them get frostbitten but bring them in before freezing. Of course the tropicals need to be babied.

All this is basically talking about the broadleaf deciduous trees. Evergreens do not go fully dormant in winter and need to be exposed to sunlight. Some

broadleaf evergreen types like boxwoods slow way down but still need sunlight. Some people leave the needled evergreens on top of benches all winter but I prefer to give the roots the same basic winter protection as deciduous trees for they have a higher water need.

Feeding of deciduous trees should be discontinued for the winter. Evergreens and conifers will benefit from a low nitrogen feeding. One such mix might be 70% cottonseed meal and 30% bone meal. Being organic, this will break down into nutrients more slowly as the season gets cooler and the trees activities slow down. The diluted organic spray given below can be used as a soil drench. Kelp is an excellent source of the essential minor elements.

Insects will continue to be present. Cooler (but not cold) days mean a resurgence of the aphids. Mites will also still be around and will jump into action during a warm spell. Scale also can be a problem. Treat with a light horti-cultural oil which will kill the adults and also wipe out the eggs and over-wintering pupae. Be sure to cover all the cracks in the bark to get to the eggs. The organic spray (one tablespoon each liquid kelp, fish emulsion, apple cider vinegar, and molasses in one gallon of water) should still be used on a regular schedule and to give some nutrients to evergreens. The dead scale shell need to be physically removed. A soft toothbrush works after wetting the branch to loosen the scale.

Some may repot in the fall but I feel that it is counter-productive if you can do so during spring bud break. New roots are more prone to freeze damage if we get a bad winter. The key to safe repotting is to minimize root disturbance and avoid severe root pruning. There may be not enough time for the bonsai to grow new roots that will feed the trees in the winter. Hence, poor drainage may result and lead to root rot. No heavy pruning will lead to the lack of refinement and a top heavy tree. I would recommend repotting at the proper time next spring, which is when the buds swell and new growth is imminent.

John Miller

John Miller, who writes a monthly column for the Bonsai Society of Dallas and Fort Worth Bonsai Society, has agreed to share his column with us. We need to make adjustments for our warmer and damper climate, with earlier springs, longer summers, late fall and erratic winters.

Full bodied literati by Carlos van der Vaart. Though the trunk is somewhat heavier than your average literati (bunjin) bonsai, as is the foliage, still, this one aptly represents that unique grouping of bonsai we call literati…

…Bunjin style tree has a number of idiosyncratic features that come together into a surprisingly balanced, dynamic tree. A couple things that caught my eye right away; the little deadwood curlicue that’s stacked up where the trunk turns right, the branch that performs a full loop and then appears to split into the two branches that hang down to just above the curlicue and the distinctively patterned deadwood (shari) that runs most of the length of the trunk (this includes the curlicue). (Excerpt and photograph from BonsaiBark.com with Wayne Schoech’s permission)

President’s Message

Wow, just returned from Portland, Oregon at The Artisan’s Cup. What an amazing event. Seventy two world class trees competing for the $10,000 first prize. I would have loved to own any of them. I was joined by fellow members, Ron Smith, John Denton, Brian Gurrola and Ken Credeur. We had a great time, enjoyed the exhibit, visited the Pacific Rim Collection up in Seattle, and found a few new vendors. I was particularly pleased to meet Sara Rayner and buy a few of her pots. I have owned some of her pots for years. This classy event was hosted by Ryan and Chelsea Neil.

We have the Lone Star Bonsai Federation, holding an Educational Seminar “The Reel Deal”, October 9th and 10th, at the Kingwood Community Center. This will be a Friday and Saturday event focusing on Displaying, and Bunjin Style. The guest artist will be Matt Reel, a terrific up and coming artist, recently completing his apprenticeship in Japan. There will be workshops, lecture/demos, exhibits, an auction, raffles, vendors, and the Emerging Talent Contest. David Kreutz, of Satsuki-en Bonsai in St. Louis, is holding an azalea workshop that was the most very popular workshop we had last year. Make plans to be there, I know we will. You can find more information at the LSBF Website. http://www.lonestarbonsai.org/convention/ This Learning Seminar will be held at the Kingwood Community Center, so the dinner Friday evening, and lunch on Saturday will be provided there. The Emerging Talent winner, winners of the Exhibit, and the annual LSBF Auction will be at the Saturday Lunch.

LSBF State Educational Seminar planners have chosen La Quinta Hotel as the preferred hotel. It still had rooms available when I booked our room. Events will start at 1 PM Friday and run

through a demo ending at 5:30 PM on Saturday.

We will have our Houston Bonsai Society 2nd Annual “Day of Bonsai” on Saturday, October 31st. It will be at Mercer Arboretum and last from 9AM – 4 PM. We will have an exhibit, some demos and vendors. It is free to all. The Board of HBS has decided to present the Best of Show for the exhibit in memory of Donald Green. So Diane and family will be on hand to present the first “Donald Green – Best of Show” award and the $100.00 first prize. Make plans to attend, it will be a hoot.

Thanks again for all of our auction supporters in September. And special thanks to Alan Raymond for being the auctioneer. We raised over $2,000.00 to be used for speakers, demo material, and refreshments in the coming year.

Thanks for all your support. Your participation is always appreciated. Hurley

An intriguing literati Japanese Black Pine with gracious twists and turns

(Photo from Pinterest)

Literati or Bunjin Style by Robert Steven (Indonesia)

I do not agree when someone said: ‘If we

cannot make a good bonsai from poor material,

at least we can make a literati‘. To create good

literati bonsai, one needs to understand the

philosophy, the aesthetic of lines and the skills

needed to create harmony. Literati is very

different from other bonsai styles which

basically portray the tree styled by nature.

Literati is more symbolic, philosophic and very

strong in artistry and aesthetic, rather than just

styles in real life.

If you go through my books, you will find that I

talk a lot about lines as instruments to create

good bonsai. And Literati is the only style in

bonsai that we can and we should combine

different lines’ character to create a harmonious

flow.

Literati historical background and criteria

The literati style is called bunjin in Japanese and

wen-ren in Chinese. The Literati style was first

described in one of the penjing texts from

China. It is an aesthetic that was influenced by

the political and academic conditions in the

Tang Dynasty period, when Penjing was once

reserved only for the elite class.

The Tang Dynasty (618 – 907) was a glorious

and prosperous period for the arts, including

painting, calligraphy, and the well-known Tang-

xe (Tang poetry). During this time, talented

scholars were considered to be the social equals

of government officers. Then, many scholars,

intellectuals and literati secured careers in the

government through a recruiting system where

one’s knowledge of literature, philosophy,

history, and of the arts was important criteria in

social rank and career placement.

Penjing became very popular during that time,

as it had strong ties to Chinese painting, poetry

and calligraphy. Also during this time the

literati style, called Xu hua xe, became popular,

modeled after the characters and philosophy of

Chinese calligraphy.

In one of his penjing texts, Chinese penjing

master, Shao Hai Zhong, defined the following

principals of the literati style:

“Zhong xin bing yun” An asymmetrical balance in composition should

be used to obtain a stable and firm foundation.

There should be a firm anchor point of balance

in the dynamic movement.

“Dou zhong qiu zhen” The principal of optical balance: The energetic

and dramatic physical flow of this style should

present a harmonious optical balance.

“Shang mi xia xu” Literati resembles the grace of Chinese

calligraphy. The top is structured and the bare

trunk descends, celebrating the elegance of

simplicity and slenderness. Such simplicity and

slim character in literati are sometimes

misunderstood as poor, weak, suffering and

helpless.

“Xu mi de yu” The physical composition should demonstrate a

proper balance of visual weight and voids. The

heavy areas should be counter balanced by

empty spaces – evoking the abstract beauty of

Chinese calligraphy.

“Qan qa bian hua” The lines should be dynamic and rhythmic, but

neither chaotic nor monotonous. Literati is the

only style in bonsai that requires a combination

of different lines’ character. Normally in other

bonsai style, we should always keep a linear

consistency starting from the base to the apex in

all physical features; but in Literati, the more we

can play with different lines, the better results

we can obtain.

“Qi jou zhe gang” The structure should employ a balance of bold

beginnings and delicate conclusions. Even the

delicate lines should contain a vigorous energy,

much like the practice of Tai-chi. This same

principal is important in Chinese calligraphy.

So in Literati style, a combination of two or

more contrasting lines is necessary; the delicate

flow with the vigorous stroke or radical curves

in subtle harmony. The power of a strong thrust

is countered by the delicate release; displaying

tension against compression as if describing the

natural equilibrium of the universe — Yin and

Yang. Literati is a very contemplative style in

bonsai, reflecting the spirit of nature, a lyrical

beauty and a testament to intellectual talent.

Following are few of literati from my collection:

Slenderness, charm and the rhythmic movement

of this twin-trunk Pemphis literati are in

harmonious synergy. Although there are many

different lines, the simplicity is still well

illustrated.

This

Pemphis

flows as

dramatic

lines. We

can feel

the initial

vigorous

strokes,

followed

by the

sensual

twists and

finished

by a

delicate

release.

Although this Pemphis looks charming in

simplicity, I do not consider it as good literati

because it lacks a dramatic line.

About the Author

Robert Steven - Indonesia Bonsai artist,

collector and teacher - has been traveling

intensively around the world to give lectures,

demos, workshops and judging. He owns his

permanent bonsai display center in Jakarta,

Indonesia, with over 500 bonsai in his

collection. He has won more than 200 awards in

national and international contests. Robert

Steven is well-known with his uniquely artistic

approaches in bonsai art. His first bonsai book

"Vision of My Soul" had been best-seller and

widely recommended as one of the best

reference sources for bonsai art teaching.

His second book "Mission of Transformation";

can both be ordered through Stone Lanter.com.

His bonsai teachings and collection can be

viewed at his bonsai blog : http://robert-

steven.ofbonsai.org

(Excerpt and photographs are from Bonsai Bark -

reprinted with Wayne Schoech’s permission)

Calendar of Events

2015 OCT 1-3 73rd Annual Bulb & Plant Mart sponsored by the

Garden Club. Info at gchouston.org.

OCT 7 HBS monthly meeting: Planting Bonsai on Rock

Slab with Pete Parker at Hermann Park.

OCT 9-10 LSBF State Learning Seminar, “Bunjin & Display: The REEL Deal”, at Kingwood Community Center, Kingwood, Texas. Workshops, lectures/demos, exhibit and vendors.

OCT 11 Carolina Bonsai Expo at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, NC.

OCT 16-18 Kathy Shaner Seminar . See ad below.

OCT 31 HBS Annual Fall Show at Mercer Arboretum, 9 AM – 4 PM, with Fall bonsai exhibit, demos, workshop, and vendors.

OCT 31 – NOV 1 Golden State Bonsai Federation Convention “Bonsai Fusion: Where Tradition Meets Innovation” at Riverside, CA. http://www.gsbfconvention.org/.

NOV 4 HBS Monthly Meeting: Bjorn Bjorholm lecture-demo at Hermann Park

NOV 7 Saturday Study Group at Timeless Trees Nursery, Rosenberg, TX, 9 AM – 12 Noon. Free, refreshments.

NOV 14 Japanese Black Pine Study Group: Needle thinning and structural wiring/designing for the future. 9 AM – 1 PM. Bring tools, wire and sketch paper with your idea for the tree and its future.

NOV 22-23 Advanced Study Group with Pedro Morales: at Timeless Trees. Focus: Building Kurama, deadwood carving, Phoenix Grafting and adding a prosthesis. 9AM- 5 PM

DEC 2 HBS Christmas Party and Gift Exchange

Check out timeless-trees.com and get on the mailing list for Weekly classes by very knowledgeable artists and masters. Huge selection of bonsai, pots, tools, supplies and soils.

Quality Feed & Garden and Ken stand ready to help bonsai lovers with all bonsai supplies. Ask for 10% HBS discount.

Come stock up on bonsai soils, pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers. Don’t forget to ask for a 10% HBS discount.

Gift giving for the bonsai lovers on your list or yourself is easy with Pineywoods Easy-Care artistic bonsai. Ask Larry and Judy to send you photos to choose from. Check out their collection at the upcoming bonsai events in Houston. Shipping is available.

Fall has arrived at JRN Nursery II. Come enjoy the Autumn flowers and tropical bonsai styled and maintained by an Asian Bonsai artist. Don’t forget to ask for 10% HBS discount.

Visit artist Andrew Sankowski at the Mossrock Studio & Fine Art Gallery for the finest gifts and custom bonsai pots in any shape, form and color. Christmas gifts can be commissioned now.

Andrew Sankowski 26002 Oak Ridge Drive Direct (281) 684-4411

The Woodlands, TX 77380 Fax (281) 363-9032

andy@mossrockstudio.com

Houston Bonsai Society, Inc. P. O. Box 540727, Houston, Texas 77254-0727

www.houstonbonsai.com

HBS Board Members President Hurley Johnson hurley@all-tex.net

1st Vice President Scott Barboza markyscott@me.com in charge of Education 2nd Vice President Dean Laumen drlaumen@bechtel.com Secretary Barbara Adams adams.barbara1@embarqmail.com in charge of Membership

Publicity Eldon Branham elmo4635@aol.com

Treasurer Wayne Malone wayneamalone@gmail.com Webmaster Quyen Tong quyenctong@gmail.com

Member at Large - O Nandita D’Souza ndas27@gmail.com

Member at Large - O Vern Maddox vmaddox1@comcast.net

Member at Large - O Anthony Cutola acutola@gmail.com

Member at Large - O Clyde Holt cmholt11@comcast.net

Member at Large - E Brian Gurrola bgurrola@gurrolareprographics.com

Member at Large - E Ron Ahles carolahles@sbcglobal.net

Delegates Past President Alan Raymond amraymond@suddenlink.net

LSBF Delegate Peter Parker peteparkerbonsai@yahoo.com

LSBF Alternate Terry Dubois tdubois1@comcast.net

BCI Ambassador

TTSBE Representative Alan Raymond amraymond@suddenlink.net

Refreshments C.J. Everson c.j.everson@comcast.net

Website/email Gary Teeter houstonbonsai@gmail.com

Newsletter editor Shawn Nguyen hbs.news@yahoo.com

The Bonsai News of Houston is a monthly publication of the Houston Bonsai Society, Inc. Copyright © 2011. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the editor or a member of the Board of Directors. Exceptions exist, however, for certain not-for-profit and non-profit bonsai organizations or associated bonsai and bonsai nursery newsletters, including without limitation the American Bonsai Society. HBS participates fully with reciprocation of contents and material between other LSBF member organizations and others. Authors who submit articles for this newsletter thereby give permission to such organizations to reprint, unless they expressly state otherwise.

Space for advertising in The Bonsai News of Houston can be requested by contacting the newsletter editor or a member of the HBS Board. The rates for a business-card-size ad (approximately 3 1/2" x 2") are $6 per month, $30 for 6 months and $50 per year (12 issues). A full-page ad is $25 per month. Rates are subject to change without notice. 3½" x 2" classified ads are run free of charge for one month once per 12-month period for non-commercial members. For special requests or questions related to The Bonsai News of Houston, contact the newsletter editor or a member of the HBS Board.

Kathy Shaner Seminar October 16th 18th, 2015

Please join us in a seminar with one of the most exciting, knowledgeable and personable bonsai masters—Kathy

Shaner. Kathy completed a full five year apprenticeship in Japan under bonsai master Yasuo Mitsuya and is the

first non Japanese and first woman ever certified by the Nippon Bonsai Association. She is the curator of the

GSBF Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt in California and advisor to The Texas State Bonsai Collection. Kathy is a

fantastic teacher with the ability to make you part of everything, not just a note taker. Her seminars increase

bonsai knowledge, raise skill levels and make the wonderful world of bonsai even more enjoyable. Kathy’s

seminars are ideal for beginning and veteran bonsaists alike and are informal from beginning to end.

This year’s Friday workshop will be all about wiring. The wiring workshop is available on a first come basis and

is limited to eight participants. The wiring workshop will be hands-on and you will be wiring practice material in

addition to material you bring. Practice plant material will be available, and workshop participants should bring

wire and at least 1 tree to wire. If you currently use aluminum wire, consider changing to copper wire. This would

be a great opportunity to learn to use copper wire. More details will be provided in the registration

acknowledgement. Observation of the wiring workshop is not available.

Kathy’s themes for this year’s seminar are:

Literati

Cascade and Semi Cascade

Participants are encouraged to bring up to 2 examples of any of the above styles. The more refined the material

you bring in, the more beneficial Kathy’s advice will be. However, you may bring in material at any stage of

development. The material should exhibit the basic characteristics of one of the above styles. As in previous

years, Kathy will select at least one tree from each person and discuss the tree, and possibly style or wire the tree,

depending on the material.

Kathy’s optional Sunday afternoon workshop is limited to six participants on a first come basis. Work on any size

material you like...styled or rough. Kathy asks participants in a prior workshop to bring a tree she has worked on

to continue its development. Silent observation is included in registration.

Location:

This year we will be back at the conference center at Cabela’s, the outfitter emporium, 15570 S I35 in Buda,

Texas just south of Austin’s City limits. Directions will be in your registration acknowledgment.

Schedule:

Friday: The optional wiring workshop begins at 9:00 am at Persimmon Hill Bonsai. The workshop lasts until 4:00

pm and lunch is on your own. More details will be provided to registrants. Persimmon Hill then opens at 5:00

p.m. for refreshments and nibbles for registrants and guests . About 6:30 p.m. we’ll leave for a no host dinner in

the private dining room of a Japanese restaurant. Check the appropriate box on the Registration Form if you plan

to join the Friday dinner group.

Saturday: The seminar begins promptly at 9:30 a.m. in Cabela’s Conference Center and goes to 5:00 p.m.

Saturday’s casual supper, included in the registration fee, is at Persimmon Hill. We’ll begin at 6:30 p.m. and have

some visiting time. If you would like to bring a non-registrant guest to the supper, please sign them up on the

Registration Form. A vegetarian supper will be available only if requested in advance. Please check the

appropriate Registration Form box.

Sunday: Kathy will get underway promptly at 9:30 a.m. We’ll wrap up about noon. Kathy’s optional Sunday

afternoon workshop, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Cabela’s (not at Persimmon Hill as previous years). Any size

or kind of tree may be worked on. Seminar registration includes observing Kathy’s workshop.

Workshop & Cancellation Policies:

Registration for both workshops is on a first come basis. Participants can attend neither, one or both workshops.

There is a maximum of two trees per person for the Sunday afternoon workshop. Workshop status will be in the

acknowledgment. There will be a standby list.

In recent years, both workshops have filled up quickly and have had waiting lists.

Early paid registration will guarantee a seat for the workshops.

Cancellations received on or before Friday, October 2nd

, 2015 will receive a complete refund. No refund on

cancellations received after October 2nd

except for the workshop fee(s) if on the stand by list.

Important General Information:

Registration includes seminar, Friday social, Saturday supper (limited to first 28 registrants), and observing the

Sunday workshop. Seminar and workshop registrations are entered only on receipt of the Registration Form and

payment.

Working with bonsai tools is a hazardous activity. To participate or observe the seminar or workshop, a release

from liability agreement must be signed.

Complete seminar details, driving directions, local hotel accommodations and what to bring will be in your

registration acknowledgment. Please register early. Space is limited. Questions? Contact Collin Murphy at

ckmurphy2000@gmail.com or at (512) 905-9364.

I hope you will be a part of the 20th annual seminar. It’s a wonderful opportunity to have a fantastic bonsai

weekend.

Sincerely,

Collin Murphy