Bonsai Mirai: Asymmetry

Ted Matson is curator of bonsai collections at The Huntington in Los Angeles, CA, and one of the most influential bonsai teachers and demonstrators in North America. In this episode of Asymmetry, Ted walks us through his own bonsai journey and role in the evolution of the southern California bonsai scene that modernized bonsai in North America in the 80s and 90s.  Learn more about The Huntington at huntington.org/bonsai-collection

In this episode of Asymmetry we talk with David Knittle about his profound and iconic bonsai stands.  Follow along and listen to his journey in woodworking and learn about his beautiful mastery of his craft.  

In this episode of Asymmetry, a significant reference in the culture of North American Bonsai, Rodney Clemons has had a professional career for over 30 years that has provided him a tremendous amount of experience, insight, influence and unique knowledge not only about the bonsai community and its history but also specifically the nuances that pertain to the wonderful species cultivated in North America, primarily speaking about the Kingsville Boxwood.  After his stream on Mirai Live, titled Boxwood Primer, we got to sit down with Rodney and dissect all things bonsai related.  His life, his garden and what has led on his journey to where he is at and how he has gone about the process of refining and really pursuing the highest level of information about a species not commonly practiced or understood to this degree. 

In this episode of Asymmetry, professional tree climber and instructor, Tim Kovar, connects with Ryan Neil over their shared passion for the living organism of the tree. With a climbing school called the Tree Climbing Planet, Tim educates the community on how to responsibly climb trees, and how to connect and acknowledge these massive co-habitants of earth. After having climbed the old-growth redwoods together earlier this year, they delve into Tim’s background and perspective that nourishes their mutual passion for trees. To learn more about conscientious tree climbing, check out Tim’s website treeclimbingplanet.com

In this episode of Asymmetry, tales from the Covered Wagon’s 2021 odyssey are revealed by dream team Ira Sisson and Ryan Clumpner, in conversation with Ryan Neil. In true Covered Wagon spirit, Ira and Ryan share their impressions of the diverse cultures that make up the United States in a way that only a cross-country road trip can impart, including an unexpectedly hilarious encounter during a midnight hotel arrival halfway across the country.  

In this episode of Asymmetry, Ryan Neil has a remarkably hopeful conversation with savant agronomist James Agent of Eden Blue Gold Solutions about the future of soil science, cultivation, and sustainability in agriculture. With an aim to reduce the human footprint in all aspects of horticulture – from farming to bonsai, James provides profound insight into mineral nutrition and the grander scale of agronomy to feed the world. To learn more about Eden Blue Gold Solutions, check out their website: edenbluegold.com

In this episode of Asymmetry, bonsai professional extraordinaire Sergio Cuan rejoins us remotely for the second round of recording as we delve into his breakdown of seasonal deciduous cultivation. Based out of the Northeastern United States, Sergio's passion for maples, elms, hornbeams, and beech help us to expand our understanding of growth management and refinement through pruning, pinching, and defoliation.    To see Sergio Cuan's work, check out his website m5bonsaiworks.com

In this long-awaited episode of Asymmetry, Ryan returns from battle with the recent heatwave to rejoice in the company of legendary bonsai ceramicist Ron Lang. The unmatched, monumental body of work Ron Lang and his partner have created over the course of time is an inspiration to upcoming artists, and it is with profound respect we congratulate him on his retirement and final collection. Lang's extraordinary artistic influence and delightful persona will endure timelessly in the realm of professional bonsai ceramics.    To learn more about Ron Lang and his profound body of work, check out langbonsai.com or shop our collection of Lang's work at goods.bonsaimirai.com  

In this episode of Asymmetry, we are joined in the office by the familiar voice of Todd Schlafer, who is one of the most talented individuals traveling and teaching bonsai in North America. Now returning from a momentous trip to the Rocky Mountains near Todd's home, Ryan and him reflect on the shared experience of taking Mirai into the wild. Reminiscing, the two wrap their shared time together after weeks of working side by side and now look forward to the national show in Rochester.    To see Todd Schlafer's work, check out his website First Branch Bonsai.

In this episode of Asymmetry, the Mirai garden is illuminated with joy and creativity as we are joined by our honored guest, kusamono professional Young Choe. Proudly compelling and feminine, Young guides us through her and early childhood in Korea and enlightens us with her evolution as a Kusamono artist, and the origins of her passion for horticulture.    To see more of Young Choe's work, check out her website at kusamonochoe.com

In this episode of Asymmetry, we are elated to announce Mirai Live's new educator David Cutchin, a long-term student of Mirai with an extensive background in ecology and Southeastern American environments. As an expert in tropicals, propagation, and material cultivation and development for bonsai, David ushers us into a new era of Mirai Live instruction. 

In this episode of Asymmetry, Andrew Pearson, the UK-based ceramic artist behind the Stone Monkey brand joins Ryan Neil remotely to discuss the evolution of Pearson’s artistic journey. Expressing his connection to the containers he meticulously crafts, and the creation of the permanent vessel for the nonpermanent living tree, Pearson guides us through his artistic odyssey and the complicated ethos that accompanies the artists’s perspective of their own creations.    To shop the newest collection of ceramics from Stone Monkey check out our webstore. 

In this episode of Asymmetry, ceramicist Nao Tokutake joins Ryan Neil for an in-depth conversation of ceramics, delving into the concept of the vessel, the clay, the chemistry, and the origins of the bonsai ceramic. As a young and upcoming ceramic artist in the Pacific Northwest, Nao profoundly details his personal journey from his roots in Japan to his background in engineering that serves to supplement his keen artistic approach to the bonsai vessel.    Shop our collection of Nao Tokutake's ceramics in our webstore at: https://goods.bonsaimirai.com/collections/vendors?q=Nao%20Tokutake

In this episode of Asymmetry, long-time friends and bonsai professionals Peter Warren and Ryan Neil catch up on the past year and discuss the highly debated topic of Japanese maple pinching. As a Mirai collaborator and a revered United Kingdom bonsai educator, Peter Warren is well respected for his practice and knowledge of acer palmatum bonsai cultivation.    To learn more from Peter Warren, check out his website.

For this episode of Asymmetry, the Mirai team visited the Pacific Bonsai Museum to shine a light on the current exhibit, World War Bonsai: remembrance and resilience. Eve Sczechowski sits down with museum curator Aarin Packard and researcher Nancy Ukai, who is the director of a digital project called 50 Objects/Stories: The American Japanese Incarceration. Listen and understand Nancy's perspective as a Japanese American with family members who were unjustly incarcerated during the 1940's, and understand how this history has majorly influenced the story of American bonsai.  To see more about the exhibit at the Pacific Bonsai Museum, check out: https://pacificbonsaimuseum.org/on-view/exhibits/ To read more about Nancy Ukai and her 50 Objects digital project, check out:  https://50objects.org/about/

In this episode of Asymmetry, Ryan Neil is joined by Ken Carlson, the owner of Joshua Roth bonsai tools. As a testament to the quality, Joshua Roth tools have stood the test of time as effective, durable, and professional-grade tools that have an immense influence on bonsai cultivation. They discuss Ken's history in tools, the New Talent competition, and their previous collaboration for the Artisans Cup. To shop our selection of Joshua Roth bonsai tools, check out our webstore at https://goods.bonsaimirai.com

In this episode of Asymmetry, Ryan Neil is remotely joined by Gil Marriner, a retired international pilot as well as a dedicated bonsai practitioner. They converse about what it takes to maintain a bonsai garden while juggling the schedule and responsibilities of a commercial pilot.  

In this episode of Asymmetry, Ryan Neil is proud to announce a new Mirai Live educator and Australian bonsai professional Hugh Grant. As the founder and creative force behind Tree Makers Bonsai, Hugh teaches outstanding technical and aesthetically driven bonsai concepts with reference to native Australian species. As a long-time friend of Bonsai Mirai, Hugh joins us to share his unparalleled understanding on Australian bonsai culture that is soon to come to Mirai Live.    To learn more about Hugh Grant and Tree Makers Bonsai go to https://www.treemakers.net/

In this episode of Asymmetry, Mirai team members Josh and Eve catch up with Ryan for a nostalgic review of the creation of the beginner series. Josh emphasized his bonsai journey has only begun, while Eve is soon to take on her first attempt in the coming weeks. Conversations are shared of childhood toys, fantastical interests, interpretations of nature, and species to use as bonsai subjects.    To watch the beginner series, click here.

In this episode of Asymmetry, Ryan is joined by one of the most prolific providers of bonsai material in the northwest United States, Randy Knight. After working on a series of strong-based deciduous trees at Mirai, we recognize the profound resource of Randy's field growing operation experience. As familiar friends, the two discuss noteworthy insight on growing deciduous material, sapling cultivation, and catch up with one another since the New Year.