Monthly Archives: August 2015

A Conversation with John Boyce

Posted on by mybonsai
Posted by Eric Schrader on Aug 20, 2015 | 2 Comments

A Conversation with John Boyce

One of my first teachers, John Boyce, a founding member of the Bonsai Society of San Francisco in 1960, approaches bonsai from a seemingly unique direction. Incorporating elements of minimalism, Japanese Literati aesthetics and one other strong influence… John has always had a strong preference for bunjin trees – and he likes his bunjin on the sparse end of the spectrum. His trees have a delicate feeling but are simultaneously rugged and aged. John has been making bonsai since he was 28 years old and he’s now in his 80’s. Continue reading →

Tiny Trees, Deep Roots: The History of Bonsai in the Bay Area

Posted on by mybonsai

bonsai club san franciscoBay Area interest in the ancient art of Japanese bonsai may have dwindled significantly since its first growth spurt post-WWII. But these days, the practice is being revived by a younger generation, and even, to our surprise, by San Francisco techies. Here, SF Bonsai Society president Eric Schrader tends to his bonsai during a group meeting in his Bernal Heights garage. (Photography by Joseph Jaafari)

To walk through the Japanese-styled wooden doors on the Northern inlet of Oakland’s Lake Merritt is to enter another world. The landscape is checkered with trees that are bent and wired to mimic what one might see in nature—that is, if everything in nature were just a few feet tall. This, the volunteer-run Bonsai Garden Lake Merritt (BGLM), is among the Bay Area’s few remaining places to celebrate the treasured ancient art form of Japanese bonsai. For the entire article, click here.