FALL BONSAI EXHIBITION AND MEMBERS DAY 2006
New England Bonsai Gardens Hosts Bonsai Master Hiromi Tsukada
Bonsai takes time. Good bonsai takes a long time. Hiromi Tsukada is looking for ways to change that. By applying his innovative techniques to the craft - he hopes to (and has succeeded to some degree) create old looking trees in shorter time spans.
Mr. Tsukada is the owner of Moderno Bonsai in Ibaragi Prefecture- north of Tokyo. He is one of Japan's leading bonsai creators and has been practicing bonsai for 35 years. His original specialty is Satsuki azaleas, but he also excels in conifer and deciduous trees. Mr. Tsukada has a deep interest in and has extensively studied Keido- the art of displaying bonsai, accent plants, scrolls and viewing stones. He has won numerous awards for his bonsai- a coveted Kokofu-ten (the top bonsai show in Japan) a Sakufu-ten creative bonsai exhibit) and several other awards for his Satsuki.
We met him at the World Bonsai Convention last year and he expressed a desire to visit and work with us. Mr. Tsukada will visit us for about 2 weeks just in time for our Fall Bonsai Exhibition and Members' Day. Mr. Tsukada will highlight the Members Day festivities with a free bonsai demonstration. He will also judge the show this year and create a tokonoma display in the show room.
Although his foundation and number one concentration is proper bonsai care, Hiromi Tsukada's approach to bonsai technique is quite innovative. His interest lies in creating beautiful, healthy yet exciting and dynamic bonsai in a shorter period than one might expect. His creative wiring technique is a major part of this approach. Mr. Tsukada is known in Japan for his exciting approach to design, graceful shaping and his desire to bring excitement to bonsai.
In the (some might say) staid hierarchy of bonsai (typically male dominated), Mr. Tsukada appeals to men, women and young people alike in Japan. And even though he experiments with new techniques his desire remains to create 'natural type' bonsai with graceful form. Mr. Tsukada believes that bonsai should evoke peaceful mind along with the 'wow' factor and believes in the curative properties of bonsai. He encourages everyone's own original bonsai style. He embodies a refreshing new look at the art and technique of bonsai. Breaking new ground while remaining grounded in tradition- we hope you will join us in warmly welcoming him to New England.
Mr. Tsukada will be will be available for private tutorials from September 15th to the 25th. He will also be conducting two open workshops.
