Summer Bonsai Festival: part 2

 

In my previous post I wrote about the Summer Bonsai Festival organized by the Nippon Bonsai Sakka Kyookai Europe (NBSKE) of which I have been a member for a couple of months and am so excited to be part of. Here part 1

Part two is about other japanese art forms like: Ikebana, tea ceremony, and bonsai pots as well as a trip to Othmar Auer who has his nursery and school about one hour from Fai della Paganella. In the photo gallery more about his garden.

On Monday we had a guided tour in the woods of Fai della Paganella. If anybody reading this comes to the north of Italy, I really raccomend going to Trentino. This area really touched my heart.

We also participated in a workshop by Adriano Nalon about cultivating a tree from seed. Adriano brought a couple of plants as examples and explained why he feels it is one of the most rewarding forms of cultivation. He’s now retired and doesn’t cultivate trees from seeds any more but he collects seeds from herbs and weeds for kusamonos and shitakusas. At the workshop he had a gingko to show something he cultivated from seeds in the late ’70 early ’80. Anyway, he told the audience “I will throw away this tree, I don’t like it”! Well, the gingko has find a new owner: me!

After dinner Diego Rigotti held a conference on Suiseki. Diego is also a member of the NBSKE and one of the organizers of this wonderful week-long event. Again it’s a really interesting art-form although I still have to find out where to find Suiseki stones.

On Tuesday we had a guided tour of Fai della Paganella and a brief yet illuminating journey thought the history of this amazing tiny village inhabited by about 900 people.

In the evening Mistress Sachiko Yamaguchi held a conference on Ikebana. Of course somebody had to try this new technique and who is more prone to try new things than me?!

  

On Wednesday came the highlight, a visit to Othmar Auer’s garden! Otti, as he’s called, does have a big beautiful garden, but it’s not as open as a normal nursery. You have to announce yourself a couple of days ahead. The garden is a real gem: finished bonsais are exposed in a light way, the Japanese feeling is obiquitous, the whole garden is clean and neat, the nursery plants are healthy, big and make a powerful presence. He has a huge greenhouse with herbs, flowers and weeds for kusamonos. In the house bonsai pots are exposed in a neat logical way. Well what else…. the price! Nothing is cheap at his place, but for real bonsai enthusiasts it’s a place to visit and to buy from because it’s by far the best place for quality plants, in my opinion.

In the afternoon Xavier Redon held a Workshop on olive shohin. Xavier is Spanish, has his own Bonsai School and nursery, and is of course a full member of the NBSKE and also president of the NBSKE Spain. He has extensive knowledge of the olive tree in nature. I didn’t participate at the workshop because I don’t like this essence and in my latitude it doesn’t grow as in south Italy or Spain. Still for me and lots of others, this workshop was packed with useful information, advice and recommendations.

On Thursday morning we went up to the Paganella. Too bad the weather wasn’t cooperating much that day, it was cloudy but we still had a really good time.

In the afternoon there was a workshop with Igor Carino on bonsai pots. We created our own, for me it was my real first bonsai pot!

And at last but not least the authentic Japanese tea ceremony: the jewel that crowned this week. Mistress Senyo Machida, formal name Yoko, demostrated the aspect and aesthetic of this very ancient Japanese art.

I am excited about the end of the week, so stay tuned! I will post more this week so follow me on Facebook and Instagram!

…,love, Melanie!

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Summer Bonsai Festival: part 1

 

In my previous post I wrote about the Summer Bonsai Festival organized by the Nippon Bonsai Sakka Kyookai Europe (NBSKE) of which I have been a member for a couple of months and am so excited to be part of.

This time I’d like to show you more about it. First: The exposition is free for everyone, all the activities are free and headed by senior members of the NBSKE, the location is a bonsai lover’s dream and the rest is just to enjoy.

Ok, this may not be for everyone, because it is really far out of the away, well, for me at least it is! I drove for about 8 hours and was really exhausted at the end of the day, yet is was packed with emotion and new discoveries. Not everybody is as crazy as me to travel so far, most of the visitors are from the region or surrounding areas.
On Saturday we had a workshop with Paolo Giai on a pinus silverstris. Paolo was, as usual, very kind and explained everything in the most elementary way, in order to give a chance to the novice that was handling a tree for the first time.

After that we had a dinner with the senior members. Again, an experience to meet new people, to discuss plants, cultivation, and so on.

On Sunday, we had a workshop with Nicola Crivelli on a shimpaku juniper form cuttings. Nicola is not the most engaging speaker, but his workshop was packed with people, probably hoping to get some insight into his almost encyclopedic knowledge of the subject. I believe he’s also well known for his love of the “real Japanese bonsai”.

After supper we had a presentation on the importance of the table in the presentation at the show. Unfortunately the host of this lecture was indisposed but his replacement was in my opinion just as good. They did a wonderful job explaining the difference of the size, color, high, heaviness of the table in the show presentation.After that there was a lecture and tea degustation. Again the speaker was very kind to answer every single question as silly as it could sound and the degustation was something special.

I also found out that this week the plants presented will be changed 3 times: SAT-SUN-MON presentation of the member’s tree, TUE-WED-THU presentation of other trees by the members, FRY-SAT-SUN, presentation of tree chosen from the master members with interpretation by the guest judge.

Here all the plants of part 1

I will post more this week so follow me on Facebook and Instagram!

…,love, Melanie!

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Bonsai holidays in Italy

Tomorow I will be at the NBSKE Summer Bonsai Festival at Fai della Paganella (Italy, Trentino) for a hole week. An entire week only of bonsai: bonsai style, bonsai care, pot for bonsai, bonsai presentation, bonsai in the wild. Lucky me, eh!

First a couple of information about the NBSKE, the International Nippon Bonsai Sakka Kyookai Europe (NBSKE) was created in the year 2000 as a result of the will of Nippon Bonsai Sakka Kyookai Japan, which identified some European partners as suitable to spread the traditional Japanese bonsai tree and its ancient arts to Europe.
To accomplish this goal, the Association organizes activities which concern the study of aesthetics and cultivation techniques of the bonsai tree as well as its exhibition in a Tokonoma, and the traditional related arts.
The Japanese Headquarters support the Association during the main events and contributes to its cultural growth by sending its eminent masters.
As the Association has educational and cultural goals, competition in any form is not included in the activities.
(source: NBSKE Homepage)

During this week I will participate at different workshops, witch by the way are free, and I am really excited about the upcoming week.

On Saturday there will be a Workshop on a Scott Pine (pinus silvestris) with Paolo Giai. I met Paolo at the Swiss Bonsai Show this spring when he made a demo about Kusamono, I already wrote about it in a previous post. I am really happy to meet Paolo again.
On Sunday another WorkShop on shimpaku juniper this time with Nicola “Kitora” Crivelli, my Master and a really talented artist. I wrote about him also in previous posts.
On Monday a Workshop on cultivating a bonsai from a seed with Adriano Nolan. Curious about this one.
Tuesday and Wednesday I didn’t book any workshop but, me and Nicola will make visit at Othmar Auer, another great artist and also one of the founder of the NBSKE.
On Thursday a Workshop on bonsai pots with Ivan Carino. I am really interested in this one because is absolutely the first time ever that I will create a bonsai pot!
On Friday the “piece de resistence”! A Workshop with Japanese guest Mr. Isao Fukita. In this workshop the Master will give advice about cultivation and the artistical choices of the participant’s plants.

ulmus parvifolia

european beech

callicarpa japonica

I choosen to bring only deciduous with me: a beautyberry (callicarpa japonica), a european beech (fagus sylvatica) and an chinese eml (ulmus parvifolia). I did’nt understand if I can do all of them or only one. With help of other members and also of my Master I will choose one of the three if necessary.
On Saturday there will be a demonstration about assembly of a Tokonoma with the senior members and the Japanese guest Mr. Isao Fukita. And later on the Assembly of the Association with concluding dinner.

Well, as you can tell there is a lot to work but also lot to learn and honestly, I am really out of my sucks!

I will post after this week some more information but I will be posting on Facebook and Instagram so follow me!

…,love, Melanie!

 

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Bonsai upcoming stars: Mario Pavone

Italy is one of the most beautiful countries in the world! The weather is sunny and warm, the cities are old, the people are gregarious and friendly, the food is sublime and the bonsai artists there are great at the moment!

One of the upcoming talents is surely Mario Pavone, a young man that lives in Luino, not too far from the Swiss border. Mario started with bonsai in 1997-’98, he’s received many prizes, articles about his trees have been published in many bonsai magazines and he’s been a featured guest at many demostrations. He’s a member of UBI (Unione Bonsai Italiani) and of the BCT (Bonsai Club Ticino).

I had the honor of visiting his small but very powerful garden: he seems to be a lover of pines because I only saw very few deciduous trees. Regardless of the size of the garden it’s a piece of paradise and I was impressed with the elegance of some of the trees. I was expecting big large trunks with little foliage but I was greeted by very stunning and spectacular trees.

Mario has an artistic background and a very accurate knowledge of his trees, although he loves big trees, every single one has his own charm and elegance.

He’s also a teacher at the Bonsai Creativo School, which was established and is directed by Sandro Segneri (another well known Italian bonsai artist) with 21 locations in Italy and throughout Europe, one of the most prestigious school of the country.

Hope to see  some of his work at shows soon and meet him again maybe at a demonstration.

love…, Melanie!!