Inside the Museum, Photographing Bonsai
Brendan Bailes
Our Best Bonsai Photos of 2023
Our Best Bonsai Photos of 2023
Inside the Museum, NBF News
Brendan Bailes
Ringing in the New Year, Literally
Ringing in the New Year, Literally
Apprentice, National Bonsai Apprentice, Curator's Apprentice Blog
Brendan Bailes
Letter from National Bonsai Apprentice Angelica ...
Letter from National Bonsai Apprentice Angelica Ramirez
,

Our Best Bonsai Photos of 2023

,

Thank you to all of our supporters in 2023! You are the reason that the National Bonsai Foundation continues to thrive in our mission to preserve the history, protect the legacy, and prepare the future of the art of bonsai in America.

Whether you donated to the National Bonsai Foundation last year, visited the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum in person, or simply shared in the admiration of bonsai – your contributions to and participation in this great art form are deeply appreciated.

Through the course of years, decades, and even centuries, successive caretakers cultivate and nurture these incredible living art works. During our own lifetimes, the great responsibility and immense honor to care for these timeless trees falls to us. There is more to be done if we want to sustain the resilient beauty and persistent hope of bonsai for generations to come.

That's why, with your help, we will continue to sustain the art of bonsai in numerous ways throughout 2024:

  • We are proud to sponsor the National Bonsai Apprenticeship, the nation's premiere training program for up-and-coming bonsai artists. The renowned program prepares a new generation of American bonsai experts to ensure the future of the art of bonsai. Apprentices benefit from immersive education with professional curators and caretakers, hands-on experience with America’s national bonsai and penjing collections, and daily opportunities to hone their horticultural and artistic talents.

  • We partner with the U.S. National Arboretum to help maintain the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, the first and finest museum of its kind in the world. We support new exhibitions of bonsai, penjing, and viewing stones, helping to share the magic of these art forms with the public. We also provide ongoing education and development for the curators, which offers expanded opportunities to keep current with the latest approaches and techniques to the art form, and allows them to gain learning to stay at the top of their field.

  • We inform, educate, and inspire people at all levels about this breathtaking art form. Through initiatives like World Bonsai Day, exhibitions around the country, hands-on workshops, and national awards, we continue to share and delight in these awe-inspiring trees that give us so much joy, hope, and purpose.

We are so grateful that you have joined us to support these initiatives. Our dedicated community includes everyone from bonsai artists with decades of experience to new enthusiasts who have just discovered the awe of bonsai. Wherever you find yourself on your bonsai journey, we value you and we're glad you're here.

Thank you for helping to cultivate this incredible living art form. Together, we can ensure a vibrant and enduring future for the art of bonsai.

Warm regards and best wishes for the new year!

Visit the Museum to see these beautiful trees in person.

Our Best Bonsai Photos of 2023

All photos courtesy of NBF Board Member and professional photographer Stephen Voss.

Click on any photo to see a larger version. You can then scroll through the gallery by clicking on the left-right icons or using your arrow keys.

,

Ringing in the New Year, Literally

,

On New Year’s Day, the National Bonsai Foundation joined more than 150 visitors at the U.S. National Arboretum to hear the resonant tolls of a sacred Japanese temple bell. The bell, a gift from the National Bell Festival, was cast in 1798 at a monastery outside present-day Tokyo – which makes it 226 years old!

The bell was installed in the central courtyard of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, above the entrance to the Japanese Pavilion. The dedication included remarks from Arboretum Director Dr. Richard Olsen and National Bell Festival Director Paul Ashe, a traditional Buddhist blessing and sacred chants from All Beings Zen Sangha, and a ceremonial ringing of the bell. The ceremony also included four varieties of Japanese tea courtesy of local DC teahouse Teaism, including GenMaiCha (green tea with toasted rice), Hojicha (toasted green tea), Sencha, (very high grade green tea), and Soba Cha (Japanese buckwheat herbal infusion).

The event was covered by several outlets. You can read more at the links below:

ABC 7 (WJLA): Centuries-old Japanese temple bell installed at National Arboretum on New Year's Day »

WTOP News: How a nonprofit plans to preserve the sound of an ancient Japanese bell in DC »

The National Bell Festival: Japanese Bell Dedication Ceremony »

The National Bell Festival rings on New Year's Day across all seven continents, including eight handbells that are being played by two women on the ice shelf in Antarctica.

The bell is inscribed in classical Japanese across three ikenomachi, or panels, which detail the particulars of its casting. It includes the phrase: “One strike permeates all things. How could it be said the strike is slight, when it is heard without fail?”

Visit the Museum to see this beautiful bell in person!

an old bell finds a new home

Courtesy of the National Bell Festival:

The hanshō, or Buddhist temple bell, was cast in the ninth month of Kansei 10 (1798) by Katō Jinemon from Yokokawa, who came from a family of bell makers in the area of present-day Hachiōji, west of the Tokyo metropolitan area. Their foundry was near the Zen monastery and temple Daisen (also called Daisenji in respect), for which the bell was cast. A monk named Myōdō led a fundraising campaign for the bell's casting. It stands 27 inches tall and weighs 80 lbs.

The Daisen monastery no longer exists. It was located in the Amema village in the Tama district of the province of Musashi. As is true of many Edo-period villages, the names of locations have changed, but the location corresponds to Amema, Akiruno City, Tokyo 197-0825. In 1868, the monastery was incorporated with another temple complex named Jōfukuji, which also no longer exists.

The bell is inscribed in classical Japanese across three ikenomachi, or panels, which detail the particulars of its casting. It includes the phrase:

One strike permeates all things. How could it be said the strike is slight, when it is heard without fail?

What is a Hanshō?

Courtesy of the National Bell Festival:

Hanshō are stationary clapper-less signaling bells hung in Buddhist temples throughout Japan. Like the larger bonshō, hanshō are hung mouth-down and remain motionless. A wooden beam or handheld mallet is swung to sound the bell, which indicates the time and calls monks to prayer. In earlier days, hanshō also gave service as fire alarms in village watch towers.

It is said the sloping shoulders and flat base of a hanshō emulate the seated posture of Buddha. As such, the bells are accorded utmost reverence. Casting the temple bell is also a sacred event, with sprigs of hallowed mulberry, gold offerings, and papers containing Buddhist prayers tossed into the molten bronze.

During World War II, an ordinance to collect metals was decreed throughout Japan. To feed its war machine and keep its armies outfitted, Japan needed vast quantities of industrial materials – and like plucking fruit from a tree, they turned to peaceable, defenseless bell towers. An estimated 70,000 bells (approximately 90% of the temple bells then in existence) were destroyed and smelted into armament.

Today, bonshō and hanshō maintain their sacred place in Japanese society and have become internationally-recognized symbols of peace and diplomacy.

Event Photo Gallery

Click on any photo to see a larger version. You can then scroll through the gallery by clicking on the left-right icons or using your arrow keys.

All photos courtesy of The National Bell Festival / bells.org.

, ,

Letter from National Bonsai Apprentice Angelica Ramirez

, ,

Approaching the end of my term as the National Bonsai Apprentice at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, I feel immense gratitude for the experience, education, and memories I’ve enjoyed at this renowned institution. The responsibility for nurturing more than two hundred historically significant bonsai involves comprehensive daily care to uphold the artistic vision and to cultivate the horticultural health of these living works of art. I have learned something new every day.

As an Apprentice, I had the honor of helping to maintain the museum's garden and grounds, was responsible for the museum's daily opening and closing procedures, and assisted with classes and events. Among the many fulfilling aspects of the experience, sharing my passion and knowledge for the art of bonsai with hundreds of visitors has been particularly rewarding.

My bonsai journey was directly inspired by a photo of “Goshin”, my favorite bonsai at the Museum. This enchanting forest has been an enduring source of inspiration, influencing both my bonsai endeavors and my artistic pursuits as a painter. I've dedicated a significant amount of time to crafting a painting of “Goshin” in my personal time.

As I was working on the real “Goshin” one day during my Apprenticeship, I applied lime sulfur, a substance employed for preserving deadwood, to the trunks. It struck me that this created a tangible connection between my artistic pursuits at home and my professional duties at the Museum. In that instant, I found myself 'painting' “Goshin” in both realms, which is an extraordinary opportunity and a great honor.

Embarking on this Apprenticeship, my dedication to this art was already ingrained. However, it's within the supportive environment of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum that I've solidified a future aspiration: To curate a collection that will inspire others, just as this one has inspired me.

While my journey is far from complete, my experience as an Apprentice has offered a renewed sense of purpose. Caring for these historic bonsai instills a deep sense of responsibility and significance, and each daily task represents a contribution to something far beyond myself. Despite our transient existence compared to their long lifespans, our role as caretakers sustains these bonsai across generations. The opportunity to preserve history and contribute to this incredible legacy fills me with a sense of satisfaction and awe.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported me along the way.

To the curators of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum: Your mentorship and passion have been a source of encouragement and motivation. Your knowledge, skill, commitment, and resilience in curating such a monumental collection is truly inspiring. Your guidance has been invaluable, and I aim to one day reflect your expertise.

To the staff and volunteers at the U.S. National Arboretum: Your shared stories and fellowship have brightened my days. I appreciate your support, which has shaped both my professional approach and personal perspective.

To the National Bonsai Foundation: Your support is what makes this Apprenticeship possible. The funding, guidance, and stewardship of this position is unique in the country and gives up-and-coming bonsai artists a remarkable opportunity to learn, grow, and develop the field of bonsai care and the art form itself. I am deeply grateful that this role exists and that you gave me the chance to serve in it.

To everyone who creates, appreciates, or supports the art of bonsai: You are why we do this work. Please continue to cherish and protect this amazing art form, and know that we will do the same.

It has been an honor to work and learn alongside the exceptional individuals at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, the National Bonsai Foundation, and the U.S. National Arboretum.

Thank you for giving me this incredible opportunity.

Sincerely,
Angelica Ramirez
2023 National Bonsai Apprentice

,

Photographing Bonsai with Stephen Voss: "In the Fall"

,

I laughed to myself as I began composing this first shot. I’ve been the museum for fifteen years, and seriously photographing here for nearly ten of those years. And here, in front of me, was an essentially unchanged scene that I’d never spent a moment looking at. It was too obvious, and I’ve long felt an innate resistance to making those photographs that felt “easy”. But as a photography teacher once told me, pay attention to what you’re paying attention to.

And today, those beautifully carved letters were being accented by the angular Fall light and the whole scene felt as enduring as the trees themselves. I kept the camera’s shutter open for 1/3 of a second to capture some of the blur of the foreground plant as it swayed in the cooling afternoon breeze. Its impermanence felt like a welcome balance to the stone.

In the Fall, we see those most dramatic of changes and are given the opportunity to watch as the Autumn colors spill across a tree’s canopy. Each species has its unique way of expressing its color as the leaves lose their chlorophyll. Year to year, that transition can vary based on the weather and precipitation.

I’m appreciative of the museum’s minimal design that showcase these trees in front of white, lightly textured walls, so that their texture, shape and essential nature resonate outward towards the viewer. Soon, some of these trees will be transferred to the Chinese Pavilion where they will be protected from the coldest nights of winter.

This cycle continues as it has for decades, even centuries for some trees. For now, we get to appreciate them at their most showy—resplendent in these slowing days of Autumn.

,

Bonsai By Night in Black and White

,

If you've visited the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the U.S. National Arboretum, or if you've browsed through the photos on our website, you know how photogenic the bonsai collections can be. There is a special majesty to the trees on display, and the more time you spend with them, the more each one expresses its own unique artistic vision.

At night, an essence of mystery descends on the stone paths and serene gardens of the Arboretum and the Museum. Since the grounds are open during daytime hours, visitors don’t usually have a chance to see bonsai under the moon. When its dark, and especially in black and white photographs, a glamorous mix of shadows and light emerges among the trees.

These black and white photos of bonsai by night are uniquely alluring. The nocturnal setting and the stark style converge to showcase beguiling details of texture and form.

Which is your favorite photo? Let us know your reactions in the comments.

Click on any of the photos to view fullscreen. You can use the arrow keys or click on the left or right of each image to scroll through the gallery in the lightbox slideshow.

Thanks for Voting Us The Best (Again)!

We are so grateful to all of you who voted for the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum in this year's Washington City Paper Best of DC Reader's Poll! Thanks to you, we are proud to announce that the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum placed in 4 categories.

Best Place to Meditate
WINNER

Best Place to Take an Out of Towner
WINNER

Best Tour for Out of Towners
FINALIST

Best City Escape in the City
FINALIST

Thank you for helping us be recognized as “The Best of DC” since 2018! Because of these public honors, more people discover the beauty and serenity of the art of bonsai.

And, a big congrats to The U.S. National Arboretum who placed in 3 categories as well!

The U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition

Biannually, in September, there is a gathering in Rochester, New York, marking one of the most important events in the North American bonsai calendar. Some of the finest trees in the country will be on display as well as one of the largest concentrations of quality vendors. Highlights of the weekend include a series of lectures and demonstrations, an auction and awards banquet, the exhibition and vendor halls, a series of display critiques and much more.

The exhibition itself is massive. Around one half of the 50,000 ft2 facility is dedicated to a juried selection of over 200 displays, with areas dedicated to large and medium-sized bonsai, shohin, suiseki, kusamono, and much more. Most of the other half of the facility is distributed among the nearly 50 vendors on hand over the weekend. In addition to the display of trees from private collections, there are special exhibits from the U.S. National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, the Montreal Botanic Garden, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and other important public and private collections across North America. It will take numerous circuits of the display area to appreciate all that is on offer.

Over the course of the weekend, a panel of noteworthy artists will lead tours through the exhibit hall, offering a detailed analysis and assessment of all that is on offer. A separate international panel of distinguished and experienced judges, including Koji Hiramatsu (Japan), Gerald Rainville (Canada), Corin Tomlinson (UK), and Sean Smith (U.S.), will carefully evaluate each of the many displays throughout the exhibit hall. Drawing on the breadth of their experience and their knowledge of bonsai aesthetics, they will distribute the National Award, as well as awards for best evergreen, best tropical, best North American native, finest classical bonsai and many more. These awards will be presented at the banquet and auction on Saturday night.

The dynamic spark of creative energy behind this exhibition is William Valavanis, an institution in American bonsai. For over half a century, Bill has been a tireless promoter and educator of bonsai in the United States. Between 1970 and 1972, he studied bonsai in Japan at the gardens of Kyuzo Murata, Kakutaro Komuro, and Tameji Nakajima. He also studied saikei with Toshio Kawamoto and ikebana at the Shofu School of Ikebana. Bill then enrolled at Cornell, majoring in Floriculture and Ornamental Horticulture and began a decades-long relationship, first as a mentee and then as a collaborator, with Yuji Yoshimura in Upstate New York. Thus began Bill’s lifelong dedication to promoting bonsai and sharing his passion for the art.

Bill Valavanis (left) and Yuji Yoshimura. Photo courtesy of William Valavanis.

Establishing the U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition is just one of Bill’s many accomplishments as an author, artist and teacher. We who share Bill’s passion for the art of bonsai, owe him a debt of gratitude for his efforts to raise the standards of North American bonsai and for having provided this forum for all of us to gather and mark our collective progress.

In recognition of his many accomplishments and his lifetime of contributions, the American Bonsai Society presented Bill with a richly- deserved Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003. In 2017, Bill was the third inductee to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum’s Bonsai Hall of Fame, following John Naka and his friend and mentor, Yuji Yoshimura.

William Valavanis in 2017 at the Hall of Fame ceremony. Photo courtesy of Young Choe.

The first U.S. National Exhibition that I attended was in 2014. Having visited a number of public and private collections as well as many state and regional conventions, I was fully aware that quality bonsai existed in America. I was, however, and continue to be, astonished at the quality and quantity of excellent bonsai developed and maintained by private collectors across the country. It is these trees that are showcased at the U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition. As I walked the hall filled with stunningly beautiful trees, I was disappointed that I had missed the first three of these gatherings.

I committed right then and there to eventually showing my own trees at this event. I recall the many hours of work and planning it took to bring that about and remember my pride in seeing my own work displayed among such an excellent collection of bonsai. I now mark the event on my calendar two years in advance and am constantly asking of my best trees when they might be ready for a future U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition.

The 8th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition is scheduled for September 9-10th, 2023 in
Rochester, NY. The National Bonsai Foundation and the American Bonsai Society stand together in support of this special event. As a showcase for the best in American bonsai, this is an opportunity to measure the quality and progress of your own collection and to reimagine how far your own artistic efforts can take you. As an educational experience, this is an opportunity to engage with some of the best American artists on how you may improve the quality of your collection and, thus, contribute to the progress of bonsai in North America. As one of the largest gatherings of artists and vendors in the U.S.,
this is an opportunity to connect with a community of people having a shared and common interest.
This is an event not to be missed. I’ll be there and I am already blocking my weekends in September 2025 for the next one.

To register for the event, visit this website.

This article was originally written by Dr. Soctt Barboza and published in the August American Bonsai Society Newsletter. Dr. Scott Barboza was introduced to bonsai by a friend while studying geology at UC Davis in the early 1990’s. Bonsai resonated with his passions for hiking, the outdoors, and gardening. He took classes in Sacramento and while in graduate school at the University of Washington. After moving to Houston in the late 1990s, Scott became a member of the Houston Bonsai Society and began studying with Boonyarat Manakitivipart with whom he has worked for many years. Scott’s trees have won awards at local, state, and regional competitions and he has exhibited trees at several national shows. He has lectured, taught, and helped to organize several conventions and exhibitions.

8th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition Comes to Rochester, NY

NBF is proud to help promote the upcoming 8th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition which will be held in East Rochester, NY September 9-10. Join people from around the world for this special event where over 200 of the finest Bonsai in the country will be on display.

The video below is a fly through of the exhibit from 2 years ago.

The U.S. National Exhibitions feature one of the largest and most diverse collections of vendors offered at any bonsai event in the nation.

In addition to over 200 museum quality bonsai, suiseki and kusamono, there will be an indoor soccer field packed full of vendors from throughout the United States. Over 40 select vendors offer visitors an extensive selection of bonsai, pre-bonsai, collected trees, containers, tools, suiseki as well as other items to add to your bonsai collection and to enhance your appreciation of the art.

Commemorative Benches - A New Opportunity

If you love the beauty and brilliance of bonsai, you will appreciate this new opportunity to support the legacy of this great art form.

We invite you to recognize a special occasion or memorialize a loved one by dedicating a commemorative bench on the grounds of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the U.S. National Arboretum. Every generous donation helps ensure that the legacy of bonsai will be protected, preserved, and passed on for future generations.

Each commemorative bench helps us care for the incredible collection of trees at the nation's first and finest bonsai museum. Your gift will be part of a historic tradition that spans continents and cultures, and it will support the art of bonsai for generations to come.


To learn more, visit bonsai-nbf.org/benches.

Vote for Us in Best of DC 2023!

In two minutes, you can help build our community.

Please vote for us and the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum in the Washington City Paper's Best of DC 2023!

Help more people discover the beauty and serenity of the art of bonsai. Voting is open until midnight ET on July 10. For more than five years, you've kept us among the top spots in the categories below. With your vote this year, we can stay there.


Will you take a moment to vote for us in the following categories?

Best Place to Take an Out-of-Towner
Vote for the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum

Best Place to Meditate
Vote for the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum

Best Museum Off the Mall
Vote for the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum

Best Arts & Culture Nonprofit
Vote for the National Bonsai Foundation

(Note that you will need to write in the nomination for each ballot.)

Please share this with your friends and family, too! Simply share this link: www.bonsai-nbf.org/wcp2023. We need everyone to vote for bonsai!

NBF strives each day to uphold and promote the beauty of the Museum’s trees and viewing stones – so more people can experience the resilience and tranquility found among bonsai and penjing.

Voting closes at midnight ET on July 10! Thank you for taking the time to honor and promote the Museum and the National Bonsai Foundation, an ever-evolving emblem of intercultural understanding and friendship.