suiseki the reveal

VEALSUISEKI THE REVEAL

Mas and I found this stone on our first date, a collecting trip to Black Butte Reservoir in Northern California. It was Thanksgiving weekend in 2004 and the weather was ice cold and with a strong north wind blowing. The stone has several significant features, including the amazing autumn colors, the large tamari or waterpool, and the steep cliff recessed under a big overhang. By contrast, the surface features, including the two small peaks to either side of the tamari, are more restrained and gentle.

Soon after bringing it home, Mas made a daiza. Sometimes when so many interesting features are present the viewer’s eye gets lost. Simplicity is one of the most important aesthetic virtues for a suiseki. Mas wanted to simplify the stone by emphasizing the tamari and surface features. This gives the suiseki a modest, settled feeling. We kept the suiseki in the living room and enjoyed our memories of that day.

Recently, Mas took the stone out of the daiza and put it on the table. He didn’t have any intention of redoing it, but while looking at the stone he started appreciating the cliff area. He thought it enhanced the stone rather than detracting so he decided to open up the front of the daiza to reveal this unique feature.

It seems to me that he has revealed the heart of the stone. Its features combine in a dynamic harmony, and the recessed cliff gives a sense of depth and mystery. Removing the wall of wood from the front also allows the eye to appreciate the subtle movements of the stone surface, and perhaps creates more room for the viewer’s imagination

the struggle suiseki

The Struggle
May 27, 2008

Forest - 2007; W 17 1/2" x D 8 1/2" x H 9"; Klamath river stone, poplar and oil stain
Forest - 2007; W 17 1/2″ x D 8 1/2″ x H 9″; Klamath river stone and poplar

Mas made this suiseki last autumn. At the time he had such a feeling of accomplishment, finishing such a difficult daiza. He brought it into the dining room and we enjoyed looking at it every day. But after a few days the excitement kind of disappeared. It just couldn’t stand up next to the fine traditional suiseki in the room.

Mas been struggling with this stone for a long time. It’s a beautiful piece of material from the Klamath River, but the feeling from the stone doesn’t transfer to the finished suiseki. The peak is small and indistinct relative to the vertical and horizontal expanse and there are many features spread out over the surface. It feels like a big wall, too busy and with no focal point.

A suiseki friend was visiting a while ago, and he suggested that Mas cut the stone and make a simple base. Of course this he had considered this possibility. It would solve the vertical wall problem, and would also help give the stone better proportions - a distinct peak and good kamae (good seat or posture). But cutting is a last resort, and Mas always wants to explore all the other possibilities. He feels that it is an incredible stone, even though it does not follow the traditional suiseki style. So what to do? He really wants to “take care” of the stone - and show the deep meaning of stone appreciation.

The other night Mas showed me a picture of his first attempt to finish this stone from several years ago.

suiseki bonsai

Bonsai...
The millennia-old art form, still going strongly today!

In Japanese, bonsai can be literally translated as 'tray planting' but since originating in Asia, so many centuries ago - it has developed into a whole new form. To begin with, the tree and the pot form a single harmonious unit where the shape, texture and colour of one, compliments the other. Then the tree must be shaped. It is not enough just to plant a tree in a pot and allow nature to take its course - the result would look nothing like a tree and would look very short-lived. Every branch and twig of a bonsai is shaped or eliminated until the chosen image is achieved. From then on, the image is maintained and improved by a constant regime of pruning and trimming.

It is the art of dwarfing trees or plants and developing them into an aesthetically appealing shape by growing, pruning and training them in containers according to prescribed techniques.

Overall, bonsai is a great interest, hobby or even profession to undertake. Although famous theologians have claimed that it is actually 90% art to a meager 10% of horticulture, it has to be said that a successful bonsai is most definitely a horticultural masterpiece.

Once arriving in the Western World, this enjoyable and rewarding pastime has never turned back, and has gained a magnificently diverse range of plant material and techniques.

Whatever you need to know - you will be sure to find it here - at The Bonsai Site.

juniper

suiseki bonsai

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More suiseki below



More suiseki below

Suiseki are small, naturally formed stones admired for their beauty and for their power to suggest a scene from nature or an object closely associated with nature. Among the most popular types of suiseki (pronounced suu-ee-seck-ee) are those that suggest a distant mountain, a waterfall, an island, a thatched hut, or an animal.

The art of suiseki is believed to have originated some two thousand years ago in China, where small stones of great natural beauty were set on stands to represent legendary islands and mountains associated with Buddhist or Taoist beliefs. In the sixth century A. D . emissaries from the Asian mainland brought several such stones to Japan. The Japanese adapted the art to their own tastes and have practiced it to this day.

Suiseki are traditionally exhibited on a carved wooden base or in a shallow tray. When formally exhibited, suiseki are often accompanied by bonsai; dwarfed trees trained to grow into pleasing shapes. The term suiseki means literally "water stone". It is derived from the ancient custom of displaying miniature landscape stones in trays filled with water and from the association between suiseki and classical Oriental landscape paintings of mountains and lakes.

In the last thirty years. the popularity of suiseki in Japan has been increasing. Numerous books in Japanese have been written on the subject, and annual exhibitions of suiseki are held in nearly every large Japanese city. Collectors roam the countryside looking for high quality specimens, and some of their finds are sold for thousands of dollars.

Within the last decade, an increasing number of non-Japanese, particularly Western bonsai and tray landscape enthusiasts have discovered the special beauty of suiseki. These new collectors share with their Japanese counterparts the challenge of searching for suiseki among thousands of ordinary stones and the exhilaration of discovering a specimen that will be admired for generations to come.

suiseki bonsai articles

Suiseki are small, naturally formed stones admired for their beauty and for their power to suggest a scene from nature or an object closely associated with nature. Among the most popular types of suiseki (pronounced suu-ee-seck-ee) are those that suggest a distant mountain, a waterfall, an island, a thatched hut, or an animal.

The art of suiseki is believed to have originated some two thousand years ago in China, where small stones of great natural beauty were set on stands to represent legendary islands and mountains associated with Buddhist or Taoist beliefs. In the sixth century A. D . emissaries from the Asian mainland brought several such stones to Japan. The Japanese adapted the art to their own tastes and have practiced it to this day.

SUISEKI ART

Suiseki are traditionally exhibited on a carved wooden base or in a shallow tray. When formally

exhibited, suiseki are often accompanied by bonsai; dwarfed trees trained to grow into pleasing shapes. The term suiseki means literally "water stone". It is derived from the ancient custom of displaying miniature landscape stones in trays filled with water and from the association between suiseki and classical Oriental landscape paintings of mountains and lakes.

In the last thirty years. the popularity of suiseki in Japan has been increasing. Numerous books in Japanese have been written on the subject, and annual exhibitions of suiseki are held in nearly every large Japanese city. Collectors roam the countryside looking for high quality specimens, and some of their finds are sold for thousands of dollars.

Within the last decade, an increasing number of non-Japanese, particularly Western bonsai and tray landscape enthusiasts have discovered the special beauty of suiseki. These new collectors share with their Japanese counterparts the challenge of searching for suiseki among thousands of ordinary stones and the exhilaration of discovering a specimen

international bonsai-suiseki

CONGRESO INTERNATIONAL BONSAI ,SUISEKI

We visited the "III Congreso Internacional de Mistral Bonsai". The organization team made a big effort to achieve a difficult goal: To please all visitors arrived from anywhere in Europe. This Congress appears more and more strengthened in every issue. For two days we covered the installations, enjoying happenings that followed one another, comprising most of the arts within Japanese culture of which Bonsai and Suiseki were certainly the most significant.

Logically we were interested in Suiseki, and we have to standout the three conferences given by Chiara Padrini "Stones in Italy", "To carve a Dai", and "Stone Histories", we feel still moved by a presentation so descriptive and poetic.

Concerning the Suiseki exposition, it is true that the level is gradually rising, not only in quality but in number of participants. It is not similar to what happens to de jury for the "Olea Award" for Suiseki. We heard comments about the number and skilfulness of the jury.

On the contrary the decision for the "BCI" award to the best Suiseki, was really correct, Congratulations Mr. Rafael Monje. IT WAS THE BEST!

suiseki barcelona

Welcome to the web of

ASSOCIACIÓ SUISEKI BARCELONA

We hope that what you will find here arises your interest and you continue visiting us quite often. We will update in this page and therefore we shall be able to offer you more information about such an unknown and interesting world as it is Suiseki.

We will try to know about all events concerning Bonsai and Ikebana too. For that reason we shall be thankful if you kindly collaborate with us informing of any convention, exhibition, meeting, of any kind, to take place wherever it be, national or international.

If you prefer you write to our e-mail already specified above. We expect to be able to respond as through as possible and that with your help we shall widen the fascinating horizon of the world of the "Art of Silence" (as Chiara Padrini calls it in her articles, and so do we as we believe it is a good description).

Thanks for your attention!