On a beautiful, sunny weekend the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way, the Pacific Bonsai Museum hosted its fourth BonsaiFEST! to celebrate World Bonsai Day. During the May 11-12 event there were many exhibitions, hundreds of bonsai’s displayed, art activities, food trucks, and more.
This photo story, highlights some of the bonsais to learn more about the culture, history, and art of these miniature trees.
Pearl Lwin/THUNDERWORD
Bonsai’s are known to be smaller than their usual size, but Shohin and Mame bonsai takes it to another (tinier) level. Standing at only a few inches tall, these bonsai’s are maintained to be kept tiny. Shohin bonsais grow up to 8 inches, and Mame bonsais grow up to 6 inches.
Pearl Lwin/THUNDERWORD
A Mame bonsai growing on top of R2D2.
Pearl Lwin/THUNDERWORD
A tiny, flowering pink Kusamono.
Pearl Lwin/THUNDERWORD
Kusamono is the Japanese botanical art of miniature potted plants (not tree’s), which are usually displayed alongside bonsai’s.
Pearl Lwin/THUNDERWORD
A tiny ornamental grass Kusamono in a cute bowtied pot.
Pearl Lwin/THUNDERWORD
Similar to Kusamono, Kokedama is the Japanese botanical art of growing a plant atop a ball of soil covered in moss.
Pearl Lwin/THUNDERWORD
A healthy, green Ginkgo bonsai. Ginkgo’s are an ancient species of tree, dating back to 200 million years ago, which are older than dinosaurs.
Pearl Lwin/THUNDERWORD
In a Chinese white marble container in a Land & Water penjing style, This Chinese Elm bonsai has been in training for over 35 years.”Penjing are miniature landscapes, displaying a combination of rocks, trees and figures”, according to Bonsai Empire.
Pearl Lwin/THUNDERWORD
Green Island Fig bonsai from 1965 by bonsai artist Amy Liang Chang from the Sharon Muth Collection in Tukwila, Washington.
Pearl Lwin/THUNDERWORD
Gravenstein Apple bonsai from 1985 donated by Bob Laws, and container by Nao Tokutake. This bonsai can still grow apples of their regular size, rather than smaller, bonsai sized apples.
Pearl Lwin/THUNDERWORD
Bald Cypress bonsai from 1970 donated by Vaughn Banting and container by Nao Tokutake.
Pearl Lwin/THUNDERWORD
Tamarisk bonsai from 1986 donated by Richard Ota.
Pearl Lwin/THUNDERWORD
Douglas Fir bonsai “Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s design philosophy described as Organic Architecture, this bonsai composition emulates the seamless integration of architecture with the natural environment. As part of Pacific Bonsai Museum’s LAB Project (2018-2020), the artists created a miniature, living representation of Wright’s vision while following a non-traditional bonsai creation sequence of pot>stand>tree,” according to Pacific Bonsai Museum.
Pearl Lwin/THUNDERWORD
Chinese Elm from 1970 donated by Jiu Wei Huang.
Pearl Lwin/THUNDERWORD
“Celebrate” painting by artist Judy Chia Hui Hsu inspired by Kusamono.
Pearl Lwin/THUNDERWORD
skate deck art by Tehya Sullivan who expresses his art through a variety of mediums like paintings, murals, jewelry, sculptures, and more. “My paintings are inspired by the world around me and the nuances of life in general,” Sullivan explains.