WISCO BONSAI

Once I learned Bald Cypress were "do-able" here, especially how to over winter them*, I couldn't wait to get my hands on one... Thanks to Ken Huth at Kens World of Bonsai for my first, and sizeable, specimen. *Best kept above freezing, but cold and protected. I got it raw in a deep nursery pot (I will post pics when I come across them) and went to work on the top in my first full growing season with it, to define the deadwood line and main branches (using my admittedly untrained "northerner" eye, with very little time spent in their wild environment and only 2-D imagery and imagination to go by). But I'm happy enough for now with that directional beginning as the bigger challenge will be developing any trademark root flair and muscling... the bottom portion of the tree did not have much talent in that regard, and I was aware of that going into it... Who knows, if I leave room around the edge, maybe I'll get "knees" ! These few pics are repottin...

 I scored this nice little clump back in 2022 from a gentleman from Tulsa Oklahoma who told me that a looooong time ago, the city planted a bunch of Chinese Elms all over the city and now, some generations later, native-ish seedlings are readily available... For some reason, one trunk always turns color before the rest... I find that to be pretty fortunate. Pairs very nicely in this vessel by Teresa Wooden at Stone Forest Pottery Below are as of late 2025

I say "alternative" in order to give the pearl clutchers something to hang their hat on LOL. I did not say "alternative" because it was a display I considered, but didnt use, either. I did indeed enter this into a formal show. It may be easy to dismiss as "kitch" but a lot of consideration went into every element. Challenging norms while still locked into the traditional format...  From the "Clashing" pinks and oranges, to dancing on the Japanese flag... it all means something. I just realized this is a screenshot... I will replace with better quality asap. Vessel by Bob Hunter at Broken Branch Pottery Stand by Jim Bolstead of reclaimed shipwreck wood All the rest by me.

 as of late 2025... in a vessel I made...

In May of 2022 I participated in the national Joshua Roth/ABS New Talent Contest in Mississippi where I was fortunate enough to have taken 2nd place (in a very narrow margin off 1st place - I won the common vote by a Mississipi Mile, but missed the judges full support by 1 vote). Regardless, a very special time and I met so many great people... That whole show is a forever memory having been such a rad time. Here is some before and after pics of my entry, as provided by Brussels Bonsai, Shimpaku Juniper Funny aside... In the very last 20-30 minutes of the contest allotted time, I ran outside and gathered moss, to cover the future repotting angle hump... The other contestants noticed it either right before or after the clock struck and so they ran out of time (after all of us having ALL DAY to have thought of it sooner)... AND YET, most all of them had added moss to their trees AFTER the contest ended but before the judging... for shame for shame... hahahah mostly joking but not totally...