SUMMER BONSAI FESTIVAL

martedì 3 settembre

Visita di Fai della Paganella in compagnia dell’esperta storica Cinzia Perlot.

Giornata splendida, cielo dell’azzuro più intenso, Fai della Paganella si è presentata nella sua veste migliore: quella del padrone di casa! Con l’aiuto dell’esperta storica Cinzia Perlot abbiamo girato il paese affascinati dal fatto che und villaggio cosi piccolo possa avere una storia cosi grande. Un aneddoto da raccontare: qualche mese fa i bambini della scuola (o era dell’asilo) avevano costruito dei nidi per gli uccelli, purtroppo cosi facendo, i poveri uccellini divennero presto preda di gatti. Per evitare una strage i bambini installarono dei gatti fittizi per spaventare gli uccellini.
Un’altra cosa interessante è l’origine del nome Fay, con la “y” come veniva scritto in altri tempi. Esistono due teorie: la prima ricollega il nome di Fai al “faggio”, pianta localmente presente da oltre due milioni di anni. La seconda che possi derivare dalle popolazioni…

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It was very very interesting! I am looking forward for his book about tea ceremony

SUMMER BONSAI FESTIVAL

venerdì 6 settembre

Conferenza “Le arti e le Vie nella cultura giapponese”

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friday september 6

Conference “Arts and “DO” in japanese culture”

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Well done NBSKE. Keep up with the good job!

SUMMER BONSAI FESTIVAL

Sono passate ormai 2 settimane dalla fine di Bonsai Summer Festival e vorrei dare un po di dati.

Blog SummerBonsaiFestival è stato visitato fino ad oggi piu di 27’000 volte
Best ever 11864 al 12.9.2013

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Tag e categorie sono tutti sulla stessa altezza: NBSKE scritto in diversi modi va da 737 a 698, seguito dal congresso nazionale 672-664 poi…

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Bonsai Summer Festival: Part 3

 

In my previous post I wrote about the Summer bonsai Festival organized by the Nippon Bonsai Sakka Kyookai Europe (NBSKE) of wich I have been a member for a couple of months and am so excited to be part of. If you missed my previous post go to Part 1 and Part 2 to see more.

The last part of the week was dedicated to the National Congress of the NBSKE. Again the trees and compositions were rearranged, and the focus of this last part of the week went to the real art of Bonsai: Improve your bonsai with Sensei Isao Fukita; how to set up the Tokonoma; demonstration of bonsai technique with the contribution of the expert members of NBSKE and Sensei Fukita; for those interested teacher Fabio Smolari did some Taiji in the morning and prof. Aldo Tollini gave a very interesting conference on the Arts and ways of Japanese culture.

 

Well, since Sensei Fukita was there, I tried to apply my very sparse Japanese to impress, but I grandly failed with pleasant appreciation from his side: I told him “kombawa” instead of “domo arigato”. For the record: good night instead of thank you! He laughed with affection!

Of course the new shimpaku bought at Otti’s nursery had to be restyled, and Sensei Fukita did a great job, well… what else could one expect! Sensei Isao Fukita  was born in 1966 in Hirosaki in the province of Aomori. In 1983 he became a pupil of Sensei Kunio Kobayashi at Shunkaen. In 1990, after the loss of his father, he had to leave Shunkaen and returned home to carry on the family tradition as bonsai Master in Kashoen. At the Nihon Bonsai Sakufu-Ten he received, for three consecutive years (1994-1996) the Association Hana Ippai first prize, Satsuki section. In 1998  he received the award from the Mainichi Shinbun for first style Bunjin at the Sakufu-Ten. In the same year he travels to San Francisco to give Bonsai conferences. In 1999, at the Sakufu-Ten he archives the award from the Japanese Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.

It was nice to see a Japanese sensei at work, he sweated a lot bending two pinus silvestris!

After dinner Prof. Aldo Tollini, a great expert of Japanese culture and our translator, held a really interesting conference about the arts and ways of Japanese culture. “le arti e le vie nella cultura giapponese” the Arts and Ways in japanese culture. Basically; the perfecting of the imperfect, the path of the art brings illumination, the heart searches for perfection in exterior forms, the correct exterior form corrects the heart. The concept of wabi, the Kibishiza drama. Really interesting.

 

Saturday, a very interesting conference/exchange of opinions about the preparation of the Tokonoma. I am sure everybody knows what a Tokonoma is. In English, Tokonoma is usually called alcove (quelle: Wikipedia). For bonsai enthusiasts a display in the Tokonoma should be the ultimate goal while planning the plant. When a composition is finished/styled/restyled or even just preparing for the next show, it should be displayed in the Tokonoma to see the flaws and qualities of the plant, for the choice of the right shitakusa (accent plant) and the kakejiku (Japanese scroll painting or calligraphy), in order to choose the right table or jiita (a wooden or bamboo flowerpot saucer). 11 exhibitors and master members presented their own interpretations in the Tokonoma.  Once more, a very interesting exchange of opinions, and the President of NBSKE Lorenzo Agnoletti recited a poem? Very touching.

 

I travelled home on Sunday and missed the demo of my Sensei Nicola Crivelli and a Yamadori workshop with Lorenzo Agnoletti but my new friends told me it was really special.

This was my 3 part series on the Bonsai Summer Festival. Hope you all enjoyed it and hope I brought you some japanese bonsai culture in your heart and in your soul.

 

I had a wonderfull week, I meet lots of lovely people, I learnes su much about bonsai art, I really had a great time and wanted to thank all the members of NBSKE for organizing such an amazing event. I really hope to repeat this experiance also next week.

 

….love, Melanie!

 

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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