Sam & KJ's Suiseki Blog (水石)

Past Trip to Japan

Sam Edge — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:13:39 +0000

Well our trip to Japan has been cancelled due to work…Always work. Therefore, in our misery we looked at some photos today from our 2010 trip and thought we would post them. Not sure if it helps us or makes it worse!

Japan Trip 2010

Sierra Junipers

Sam Edge — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:13:33 +0000

Attending last weekend’s BIB exhibit and visiting Boon during one of his intensive workshops and seeing a few Sierra Junipers, it reminded me of the beauty these trees possess in the wild.

So we thought it might be nice to post up a few photos for everyone to enjoy. These trees are incredible both in beauty and in size. Be sure to click the photos to see a larger image.

Photographs of Sierra Junipers (uniperus occidentalis var. australis)

Life in granite

Sierra Junipers

Sierra Junipers: Boon smiling under a massive juniper!

Daisaku with an outstanding juniper

Beautiful stones and views

Sam by the same tree as Boon and Daisaku

Nice structure

Deadwood

The King's Throne

Boon by the throne...

Daisaku in the throne...

Sierra Juniper: What massive trunks and twisted limbs!

Kunio Kobayashi — Shunkaen Bonsai Garden

Sam Edge — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 03:55:45 +0000

Well it is a month or so until our visit to Japan – skipping Kokufu this year – and we always begin by looking back at prior trip photos. Today, we are posting a few taken in February of 2008.

It was our first visit to Shunkaen and in many ways it is what we as Americans might think a Japanese Bonsai Garden might look like – but soon learn that most don’t which is perhaps not a bad thing whatsoever.

A nice garden with lots of trees but also a very interesting museum in which to see displays of trees and accent plants as well as some very nice suiseki.

We hope you enjoy the photos.

Kunio Kobayashi Photographs

Kunio Kobayashi - Shunkaen Bonsai Museum

Kunio Kobayashi and a Client in the Garden

Kunio Kobayashi - Shunkaen Bonsai Museum

Bay Island Bonsai 2012 Exhibit

Sam Edge — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:28:41 +0000

The Bay Island Bonsai 2012 Exhibit was this weekend and as usual a very nice show with some very nice trees. I took some random photos at the show to share with you. To receive better photos purchase their exhibition book later this year as each tree was shot expertly by Eric. The lighting conditions and my limited time create less than stellar photos below but at least you get a peek at the show until better pictures are posted by Jonas or Boon.

Enjoy!

Photographs for 2012

This tree won the Daisaku Nomoto 2012 Bonsai Award

Daisaku Nomoto 2012 Bonsai Award"

Suiteki (水滴) — Part II

Sam Edge — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:40:34 +0000

Well it has taken a bit longer than expected to get this third post out but here we go.

Part III – Photographs

Water dropper in the shape of a folding fan.

Water dropper in the shape of a Du Fu

Water dropper in the shape of a Priest Bukan

Water dropper in the shape of a Li boWater dropper in the shape of a Li bo

Water dropper in the shape of a Letter Tied in a Knot

Water dropper in the shape of a Paper Mache Dog

Water dropper in the shape of a Pillow

Water dropper in the shape of a Country House

Water dropper in the shape of a Bonsai

Water dropper in the shape of a Snapping Turtle

Water dropper in the shape of a Carp at Dragon's Gate

Water dropper in the shape of a Butterfly

Water dropper in the shape of a Snail

Suiteki (水滴) — Part II

Sam Edge — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 21:29:27 +0000

Today’s post continues to look at various suiteki. Almost all of these being shown are in bronze; however, many in the market are ceramic and this is particularly true of very old Chinese water droppers.

Just check out eBay today and you will see around 140 of them being sold and almost all of them are ceramic. I doubt we would use a ceramic one in our displays as they tend to be a bit too reflective and shiny to us. We like the various animal shapes but we have included a few today of fruit and vegetables.

Part II — Photographs

Water dropper in the shape of a Lion, Kirin (mythological animal) and a Suisei (mythological animal)

Water dropper in the shape of a Swan

Water dropper in the shape of a Long-tailed Cock

Water dropper in the shape of a Horned Owl

Water dropper in the shape of a Quail

Water dropper in the shape of a Lobbed Teapot

Water dropper in the shape of a Young Girl and a Peach

Water dropper in the shape of a Peach

Water dropper in the shape of a Cucumber

Water dropper in the shape of Jurojin

Water dropper in the shape of Cowherd

Part III will be posted in the next 24-48 hours.

Suiteki (水滴) — Part I

Sam Edge — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 20:18:00 +0000

Suiteki, literally water-dropper, is a small container used to hold the water which is added to the inkstone (suzuri 硯) during the grinding of the ink stick. We enjoy them for the works of art they are rather than for their intended purpose when created. Some of the suiteki that we will show can be used within a formal or informal display of suiseki or bonsai. We hope you enjoy our next three posts about these beautiful works of art.

Pouring water from a suiteki.

Ink Stones

Water-droppers may be made of copper, jade and stone, but ceramic are the most popular. Depending on their size and shape, water-droppers may also be termed suichuu 水注, suichuujou 水中丞 (also suijou 水丞), suiu 水盂 or senjo 蟾蜍. More specifically, a suiteki has two small holes for water and air and is designed so that only a few drops of water can fall at one time.

Suichuu are shaped like pitchers and have a pouring spout and a handle. Suiu and suijou are bowl or jar-like, and some have wide mouths, making them popular for use as brush washers hissen 筆洗, while others have small mouths. Senjo, or “toad”, was so named because a toad was believed to hold water in its large belly. Thus many jade toad-shaped water-droppers exist. At first the suiteki was simply a jar or bowl used for holding water, but as interest in the accoutrements of calligraphy grew, water-droppers became more specialized.

Bronze water-droppers in the shapes of fantastic creatures [monsters], ceramic suiu and teapot-shaped suichuu were created in China and found their way to Japan and became popular with the literati of the Edo period. In Japan, suiteki were already used in the Nara period (7th century) when sutra copying flourished. A set from this period made up of a bronze water-dropper, a spoon and a tray used to hold the ink stick are preserved at Houryuuji 法隆寺, Nara.

Since the late Heian period (11th century), a special kind of writing box suzuribako 硯箱, which includes the water-dropper, in addition to the ink stone and other writing tools, became very popular. The water-droppers varied greatly in material, shape and design. Notable, are the elaborately designed ceramic suiteki, including many animal-shaped examples, that were found among old Seto (13c) and Oribe (16th century) wares (see setoyaki 瀬戸焼, oribeyaki 織部焼). Water-droppers of richly colored cloisonne shippou 七宝 also became popular from the 16th century.

Part 1 — Photographs

Water dropper in the shape of a Tiger

Water dropper in the shape of a Rooster

Water dropper in the shape of a Boar

Water dropper in the shape of a Giant Peach and Monkey

Water dropper in the shape of a Horse

Water dropper in the shape of an Ox

Water dropper in the shape of a Water Buffalo

Water dropper in the shape of a Rabbit with Long Ears

Water dropper in the shape of a Deer

Water dropper in the shape of a Camel

Well that is all for today. We hope you are enjoying your Christmas and basking in the reason we celebrate this day – our Lord Jesus. Merry Christmas from KJ and Sam

More Stands…Part II

Sam Edge — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 20:53:45 +0000

Our final post on stands today with three wire bonsai by Ken To.

Rosewood Stand maker unknown and Wire Bonsai by Ken To

KJ loves to display these wire bonsai by Ken To in her display cabinet. The stand is from Japan and is made from Rosewood. Strangely enough it appears to be unfinished as I don’t see any traces of varnish or wax on the stand.

Rosewood Stand maker unknown

A nice stand with curved legs giving it a soft but voluminous feeling as compared to the next stand.

Ebony Stand maker unknown

It is hard to see from this picture, but the stand appears to be made from ebony as the wood is quite dark. A very classic stand as it is very upright and more formal than the first stand being displayed.

We like this wire tree and its leftward lean. It reminds us of a tree high up in the mountains leaning over the cliffs or perched on a rock and leaning away from the mountain face to acquire more sunshine.

Chinese Rosewood Stand

You will have to comment on this stand. It is an inexpensive stand from China that is decently made and we believe works decently with this Ken To tree. The stand could perhaps be just a bit wider to give the tree and pot more breathing room but we do like the style.

This leads to a interesting question. You know how your bonsai often looks good to the eye, but then when you see it photographed – well it just doesn’t look as good. It seems our eye has a way of sometime overlooking the rough spots whereas a photograph uncovers every weakness.

We suggest if you are about to go into show season, be it bonsai or suiseki, that you take a minute, compose your tree or stone, and take a quick photo. Then take a hour or so and evaluate what you like and don’t like about the setup. We think it will help improve your displays immeasurably.

Willi Benz

Sam Edge — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 18:25:19 +0000

Sean Smith was kind enough to reach out this morning to inform me that Willi Benz passed away a few days ago. His web site is located here.

Mr. Benz was instrumental in bringing suiseki to Europe and his many friends worldwide will miss him.

Willi Benz received a National Decoration Award from the Federal Republic of Germany.

Below is a Google Translation from the bonsai-fachforum.de web site.

The Announcement from Bonsai Club of Germany

{I have have not altered the translation so as to not add or detract anything that was posted, but understand this is a computerized translation of this text.}

The Bonsai Club of Germany is mourning his honorary member Willi Benz. After suffering heavy yesterday he slept peacefully at home in Baden, one ketch, as his wife Gudrun announced. Benz was 80 years old.

The name of Willi Benz is inextricably linked to the development of Bonsai and Suiseki in Germany and Europe combined. Born in Heidelberg had engaged intensively since 1960 with Asian art and had thus come into contact with bonsai. Benz studied with the great Japanese bonsai masters in China and also won a deep insight into the traditional Chinese art forms.

Benz in 1978 was co-founder of the “Bonsai Club of Germany” (BCD) and motor in the founding of the “German Suiseki Society”. As president of the “European Suiseki Association,” as Vice President of “International Stone Appreciation Museum” in China, “International Stone Collection Association”, the “Bonsai Clubs International” (BCI) and an honorary member of other national and international associations was Benz – always supported by his wife Gudrun – as long as his health permitted it, the world tirelessly for the spread of Bonsai and Suiseki active. Only in December last year, he returned from one of his many trips to Asia.

Also available as an author, Willi Benz had a reputation acquired in the professional world. His writings on Chinese Bonsai and Suiseki, and on “Bonsai, Kusamono, Suiseki – Practical guide for the design of arrangements with plants and stones” were and are highly valued. The club magazine of the BCD Benz was connected virtually from its inception. In his many contributions, he was not only a renowned connoisseur of Bonsai and Suiseki, he took readers deep into the whole world of eastern art and spirituality.

The relentless use of Willi Benz has been widely appreciated. Even in Japan, the motherland of Bonsai and Suiseki, his commitment has found the proper recognition and was awarded the “Order of the Rising Sun” (Kyokujitsushō). This is the highest Japanese order, which can be awarded to foreigners. Also, the Federal Republic of Germany recognized the tireless volunteer efforts by Willi Benz and drew out the birthday boy with the Federal Cross of Merit.

The Friends of Bonsai and Suiseki Benz Will lose a defining personality. His sure, unerring verdict is absent, as are his words of warning. His wife, Gudrun is in these difficult days, our deepest sympathy.

Willi – we will miss you.

Willi Benz's Makko-ishi (7 3/8 inches)

More Stands…Part I

Sam Edge — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 22:39:56 +0000

We love finding small stands that can be used for suiseki or for the display of pots. Today we continue to show you a few more stands collected in Japan and paired with a few suiseki.

Rikizo stand and a wave suiseki

Most of us have seen this stand in a larger configuration. This stand however is just around ~20cm and is beautifully crafted. From perfectly placed and spaced risers to well proportioned legs.

Rikizo Stand

A nice design and highly useful for numerous objects including suiseki, bonsai pots, bonsai trees and the like. This stand is made from rosewood – aren’t most Japanese stands – with a design that is pleasing to the eye. Rikizo makes beautifully crafted stands and you immediately notice the quality when handling them.

Rikizo Stand

Notice the design of the legs with the ‘routing’ of some of the material in the center of each side. This does two things from our perspective: 1) reduces the size and strength of the legs; and, 2) matches the many vertical risers in the design.

It is very important that the legs aren’t too heavy as this would distract from the overall look and add even more weight to a table that feels heavy enough.

Suiseki and Stand

We like this combination, forgive the ten-pai on the stand as that was an experiment, as we think the scale of the stone and the stand are right for each other. Our personal taste is for a suiseki to have lots of “room to breath” on the stand. If the stone is taking up most of the stand, our perspective is that it just feels to tight and full. Of course this is a personal perspective and others should feel free to display them in a way that bests suits their eye.

We really fought this tendency at first – to use larger stands – but over time our eyes have just enjoyed seeing the stone with a bit more room.

This daiza for this stone is extremely well made. It is signed by Waseki a daiza maker from Kyoto who no longer makes them due to his age. We are fortunate to have two of his daizas in our collection.

The stone is a Kamogawa stone (h.6.5 x w.7 x d.3.5cm). It has a very rough texture with a beautiful waterfall down the face of the stone. Fortunately the waterfall is only on this side of the stone which is preferred by most collectors.

This stone was once owned by Sugii Chugi who lived in Kyoto Japan and was a prolific collector of small suiskei. We are pleased that we have 5 of his stones in our collection.

Unknown Stand Maker

Please click the above photo so that you can observe the detail in the design. When this stand first arrived, frankly we weren’t sure we liked it. A solid top rather than an inlaid top; however, the more we see this stand the more we think it is well designed and has beautiful craftsmanship. We don’t know why the artist didn’t sign his piece – that is always a disappointment frankly.

The legs are heavy on this stand when viewed at this 45 degree angle but when viewed head-on it doesn’t feel quite as heavy and has very beautiful flowing lines.