20 and Under

The First Annual National Bonsai Exhibit has come and gone but the lingering glow of the weekend is still felt in my heart. It was a wonderful event – meeting bonsai friends that I see only at conventions and exhibits and meeting wonderful trees that were awe inspiring. One friend I met again was Michael Hagedorn, bonsai potter turned bonsai professional. I was a BIG fan of his pottery and still admire many that I purchased over the years. After a 2 1/2 year apprenticeship in Japan with Shinji Suzuki, he is now embarking on a journey as a professional bonsai artist. At the Exhibit, he was selling his newly released book about his apprenticeship – ‘Post-Dated: The Schooling of an Irreverent Bonsai Monk’. It is a very good read and one that I learned a lot from. Michael reacquainted me with the Japanese term ‘Aijou’ which means to ‘love, appreciate on a deep level’ (but not in a sexual or romantic way). Seeing the wonderful bonsai on display in Rochester made me feel a deep aijou towards these trees, some more than others. As far as shohin there were 14 different displays – some spectacular (sorry no pictures allowed – order the album!). I was most impressed by a shohin black pine from Texas that, not only had very nice movement and taper, fresh green short needles, but old bark that was adorned with lichens. My friend, Nick Lenz, says that even a not so spectacular tree can look good when it gets old.