Winter Bonsai 2024, Kannapolis, NC (outside of Charlotte) December 7 & 8, 2024

[JudyB]

What a great weekend! It started when I got to meet @JudyB in person

Then:
Talking shop and having dinner with @Pitoon and getting schooled on ume care
Checking out all of @penumbra's new wares
Buying another pot from @ForrestW and telling him to build a larger kiln
Catching up with @WavyGaby and checking out all of his trees
Meeting @BJJ&Bonsai at Tyler's booth and talking about high-end pots
Sharing fox photos and talking about cousins with Mark Arpag (I don't know that he is a member here?)
Receiving some cool pots as gifts from @Millard B. (thanks to his brother, Phil!)
Walking the floor and talking about @kingsville grower's trees with @SouthernMaple
Got to briefly meet @CaptColin as he was passing through
Hanging out with @arjun and @Adair M and discussing rules about how frequently you can display a tree
Meeting @MACH5, talking about his garden, and sharing a couple beers
Chatting with @digger714 about aggregate and pool tables - and when we are getting together to shoot some cue
Congratulating @JGsJapaneseMaple on his new daughter, and trying to convince him to place a large wholesale order for Iseli trees

The great thing about this site is that I met almost all of the above here!

I only wish I could’ve been there longer and had a chance to meet more nuts. Maybe in Sept!

 

[penumbra]

View attachment 576564
Wish I had a few more bucks, I would have bought one of these really cool @Myrick Bonsai Pottery squid feet pots.

I got the one on the right.

 

[penumbra]

I just got homer about 20 minutes ago. The highlight for me was meeting Judy and Sergio and seeing some Bnutters. Sales were excellent and buys were even better. I had a tough time getting away from my set up so I didn't get a chance to really check out some people like Gabe. I hope that no one felt snubbed by me, but I have a terrible memory for names and its getting worse. My apologies. I still have a truck to unload but I will post more later. I do want to mention that Saturday was very good but Sunday was surprisingly good. That is a bit unusual.

 

[ForrestW]

It was a great weekend of magnificent bonsai, kind friends, and good shopping. I came home with a killer new spruce tree as well as some azalea starts. I really enjoyed meeting more B-nut folks but like @penumbra said I was in the corner by my pots most of the weekend and did not get our as much as I would have liked-- I was not trying to be anti-social. It was great being parked between Eli (@Waldo Street Pottery and Rob @penumbra ) though-- 2 great potters to chat with and get to know better.

 

[MACH5]

Great fun meeting and spending time with some new BNuts and the BNut himself!! Had a great time although it seemed different this year without the man himself, Bill V. He was sorely missed!

 

[MACH5]

And of course congrats to all the winners and yes to all the participants. Good showing!

A quick shot of my display. Professional photos forthcoming from the great Joe Noga who could not be more appreciated!

 

[penumbra]

And of course congrats to all the winners and yes to all the participants. Good showing!

A quick shot of my display. Professional photos forthcoming from the great Joe Noga who could not be more appreciated!

View attachment 576613

I would love to have met Mr Noga. I am developing some of his crab apples.

 

[JudyB]

‘

It was a great weekend of magnificent bonsai, kind friends, and good shopping. I came home with a killer new spruce tree as well as some azalea starts. I really enjoyed meeting more B-nut folks but like @penumbra said I was in the corner by my pots most of the weekend and did not get our as much as I would have liked-- I was not trying to be anti-social. It was great being parked between Eli (@Waldo Street Pottery and Rob @penumbra ) though-- 2 great potters to chat with and get to know better.

Sorry that I didn't get a chance to swing by, it was super busy the time that we were there being in the first hour, it was sort of a mob scene.

 

[Wood]

Makes no sense to me that a conifer wins for best in show in a “winter silhouette” show. But whatever. nice trees either way.

@MACH5 arakawa should have gotten something. But I wasn’t there, so again, I’m not one to say anything.

The judging at this event did feel a little odd to me:

• The winning deciduous tree still had its fall leaves on it. The award going to the smaller of the two trees in a single display felt kinda funny too, but I think that's my internal hangups. Clearly a magnificent trident maple
• The best display was awarded to Mark Aarpag's camellia -- broadleaf evergreen, so not quite a winter silhouette
• There were only two trees that could compete for the best tropical award

It also sounded like the jurying/entry process was getting selected for one whole table and the exhibitor chose how to use that space. So some people had one tree, and some had three or four. Technically, I think Sergio had two trees entered for judging, even if they were arranged as one whole composition

For all my griping, I really liked the show. Great trees on display, and a very casual and fun atmosphere. Everyone was super friendly. The Saturday night auction was some excellent chaotic good

 

[Hartinez]

The judging at this event did feel a little odd to me:

• The winning deciduous tree still had its fall leaves on it. The award going to the smaller of the two trees in a single display felt kinda funny too, but I think that's my internal hangups. Clearly a magnificent trident maple
• The best display was awarded to Mark Aarpag's camellia -- broadleaf evergreen, so not quite a winter silhouette
• There were only two trees that could compete for the best tropical award

It also sounded like the jurying/entry process was getting selected for one whole table and the exhibitor chose how to use that space. So some people had one tree, and some had three or four. Technically, I think Sergio had two trees entered for judging, even if they were arranged as one whole composition

For all my griping, I really liked the show. Great trees on display, and a very casual and fun atmosphere. Everyone was super friendly. The Saturday night auction was some excellent chaotic good

Ryan my man. Thanks for the insight. One of these years I’d like to fly out for that one.

 

[WavyGaby]

I just got homer about 20 minutes ago. The highlight for me was meeting Judy and Sergio and seeing some Bnutters. Sales were excellent and buys were even better. I had a tough time getting away from my set up so I didn't get a chance to really check out some people like Gabe. I hope that no one felt snubbed by me, but I have a terrible memory for names and its getting worse. My apologies. I still have a truck to unload but I will post more later. I do want to mention that Saturday was very good but Sunday was surprisingly good. That is a bit unusual.

Hey, Im glad we got to chat on Friday. I like your natural pots and was planning on picking one up. Before I knew it it was 3:00 on Sunday! It just flew by

 

[WavyGaby]

What a great weekend! It started when I got to meet @JudyB in person

Then:
Talking shop and having dinner with @Pitoon and getting schooled on ume care
Checking out all of @penumbra's new wares
Buying another pot from @ForrestW and telling him to build a larger kiln
Catching up with @WavyGaby and checking out all of his trees
Meeting @BJJ&Bonsai at Tyler's booth and talking about high-end pots
Sharing fox photos and talking about cousins with Mark Arpag (I don't know that he is a member here?)
Receiving some cool pots as gifts from @Millard B. (thanks to his brother, Phil!)
Walking the floor and talking about @kingsville grower's trees with @SouthernMaple
Got to briefly meet @CaptColin as he was passing through
Hanging out with @arjun and @Adair M and making up rules about how frequently you can display a tree
Meeting @MACH5, talking about his garden, and sharing a couple beers
Chatting with @digger714 about aggregate and pool tables - and when we are getting together to shoot some cue
Congratulating @JGsJapaneseMaple on his new daughter, and trying to convince him to place a large wholesale order for Iseli trees

The great thing about this site is that I met almost all of the above here!

Great hanging with you! Thanks to you for keeping the community going online and making introductions with fellow Nutters easy.

 

[Wood]

Ryan my man. Thanks for the insight. One of these years I’d like to fly out for that one.

Honestly, it was a great show. I loved the fact that we've got a high quality show while deciduous trees are out of leaf. If @Eric Schrader's rumor about the next PBE is true, I'm stoked

 

[Hartinez]

Honestly, it was a great show. I loved the fact that we've got a high quality show while deciduous trees are out of leaf. If @Eric Schrader's rumor about the next PBE is true, I'm stoked

I saw that and agree!

I do feel like the concept of the winter silhouette could be leaned into more from what I’m I’m seeing. If it’s just a bonsai show, then call it that.

 

[MACH5]

It also sounded like the jurying/entry process was getting selected for one whole table and the exhibitor chose how to use that space. So some people had one tree, and some had three or four. Technically, I think Sergio had two trees entered for judging, even if they were arranged as one whole composition

Yes, each exhibitor, with a couple of exceptions, got an 8' table which is quite generous. I had two distinct displays separated by a bamboo divider. They were meant to be seen as two distinct displays. If I had to do it over I would have just brought the arakawa with a slightly larger accent. However I am glad I brought the kiyo-hime on the rock as it got a lot of attention much to my surprise.

 

[clem]

Yes, each exhibitor, with a couple of exceptions, got an 8' table which is quite generous. I had two distinct displays separated by a bamboo divider. They were meant to be seen as two distinct displays. If I had to do it over I would have just brought the arakawa with a slightly larger accent. However I am glad I brought the kiyo-hime on the rock as it got a lot of attention much to my surprise.

Your trees are incredible in photos, so in real life, they are probably even better.
My2scents, maybe a composition with 3 elements would have been nice too (Arakawa + Kyo-hime on the rock + accent) because I find that the "huge" side of the arakawa is reinforced by the smaller and thin side of the kyo-hime. Award-winning or not, your trees are truly incredible (beauty, elegance and finesse).

 

[penumbra]

Hey, Im glad we got to chat on Friday. I like your natural pots and was planning on picking one up. Before I knew it it was 3:00 on Sunday! It just flew by

I am sorry we didn't spend more time chatting my friend.

It was a great weekend of magnificent bonsai, kind friends, and good shopping. I came home with a killer new spruce tree as well as some azalea starts. I really enjoyed meeting more B-nut folks but like @penumbra said I was in the corner by my pots most of the weekend and did not get our as much as I would have liked-- I was not trying to be anti-social. It was great being parked between Eli (@Waldo Street Pottery and Rob @penumbra ) though-- 2 great potters to chat with and get to know better.

Thanks for the kind words Rob. I get mixed up sometimes with Bnut names and reality. Honestly being set up right next to you and Eli and sandwiched between you and Sonny was such a pleasure and such an honor. Had Preston been there with us it would have been heaven. I am still all aglow.
I am really stoked about the Rob, Eli and Preston Signature pot. It is as though it was made just for me. It will stay with me until I leave this realm.

 

[Wood]

Yes, each exhibitor, with a couple of exceptions, got an 8' table which is quite generous. I had two distinct displays separated by a bamboo divider. They were meant to be seen as two distinct displays. If I had to do it over I would have just brought the arakawa with a slightly larger accent. However I am glad I brought the kiyo-hime on the rock as it got a lot of attention much to my surprise.

I low-key think your kiyo-hime is better than the arakawa because of the sheer creativity. I'm super glad you brought it

 

[MACH5]

Here are four of the winning displays. Big congrats to all! Apologies as I am missing best tropical and people's choice award.

Best Conifer by Adair Martin.




Best Deciduous by Arjun Sawhney.




Best Display by Mark Arpag.




Best in Show by Gary Andes.

 

[Wood]

What was the people's choice? I left before it was announced