Photo by Brandon Baldauf | @wizardsknow

The 2019, Lone Star Bonsai Federation Convention in Houston, Texas was hosted by the Houston Bonsai Society. It occurred during the month of April and was also an American Bonsai Society event. With the ABS present, the convention was larger than previous LSBF events.

Photo by Brandon Baldauf | @wizardsknow

The Austin Bonsai Society turn out was tremendous. Here is the extended club who made it for this one photo. Many other members showed up from day to day and or were not pictured. It was exhilarating to get to represent such a healthy and vibrant club!

Demos

Photo by Brandon Baldauf | @wizardsknow

Local Artist, Joey McCoy gave an informative lecture on Texas Native species which are suitable for bonsai. He has spent the last 20+ years exploring the species in Texas and brought along many examples of spectacular bonsai.

Photo by Joey McCoy | @joeybonsai

Headliner artist, Ryan Neil of Bonsai Mirai rocked a giant Bald Cypress in what was called an "Artist Spotlight".

Photo by Brandon Baldauf | @wizardsknow

Headliner artist, Bonsai Boon explained his approach to working on an Acer palmatum 'sharps pygmy' in his Artist Spotlight.

Photo by Roland Lopez

For the Friday night tri-artist demo, Boon was working on this juniperus prostrata.

Photo by Scott Barboza

Pictured are Howard Smith of Bonsai Smiths, Boon, and Jonas Dupuich and the finished Juniper. Both Howard and Jonas are students of Boon and assisted with the demo as there were tons of branches to detail wire.

Photo by Roland Lopez

Roland had a front row seat for the demo and was able to capture good before / after photos of the various trees. Here is Enrique Castaño working on a neea buxifolia.

Photo by Roland Lopez

Enrique just happened to bring a mini chainsaw...

Photo by Scott Barboza

Enrique with his finished and carved tree.

Photo by Brandon Baldauf | @wizardsknow

Ryan Neil's demo tree was a Juniper trunk grafted with itoigawa juniper foliage.

Photo by Roland Lopez

The final work on this demo tree by Ryan Neil.

Exhibit Highlights

As soon as you entered the Exhibit room, you were greeted in a Texas fashion with three imperial sized bonsai: Texas Cedar Elm, Bald Cypress, and Ficus.

Photo by Joey McCoy | @joeybonsai

Loved the jar of duckweed, it really made you feel as if you were in the swamp.

Photo by Brandon Baldauf | @wizardsknow

The Texas State Bonsai Exhibit displayed an Imperial Sized Ficus paired with a flowering orchid. Hawk Eye Bonsai helped transport this display from Austin to Houston and back for the convention!

Photo by Joey McCoy | @joeybonsai

This Ficus won best Tropical for obvious reasons.... by Houston Bonsai Society President, Pete Parker.

Photo by Joey McCoy | @joeybonsai

Joey McCoy's Japanese Boxwood. During Ryan Neil's critique, this tree got excellent praise for the extent of asymmetry.

Photo by Joey McCoy | @joeybonsai

Ryan Neil gave a thorough analysis of the exhibit. He focused on and complimented the intent which went into the elements of the display and how well they harmonized. The pictured Pine has especially beautiful movement.

Photo by Scott Barboza

This Shohin display won best Shohin display of the weekend.

Photo by Joey McCoy | @joeybonsai

A Mirai student, Dale, presented this American Wisteria Bonsai Display. Pause for a moment to take note of some details: demon foot pot, mirror, scroll with "Tale as Old as Time", and the trunk of the tree. He was going for a Beauty & the Beast display with the duality of beauty/ugly defined. High degree of intention in this display.

Photo by Joey McCoy | @joeybonsai

A strong Japanese Black Pine developed in Texas by Howard Smith of Bonsai Smiths and Dallas Bonsai Society.

Photo by Joey McCoy | @joeybonsai

Eloquent display of a Bald Cypress, really enjoy the wall hanging.

Photo by Joey McCoy | @joeybonsai

Houston Bonsai Society is the home club for Sooncheng Cheah, a notable Kusamono specialist.

Photo by Joey McCoy | @joeybonsai

Stout little Juniper.

Photo by Joey McCoy | @joeybonsai

A stellar Kingsville Boxwood planting on driftwood.

Photo by Joey McCoy | @joeybonsai

This Ficus is amazing and the best part of the display is the fact that the stand is designed to bring the tree to your viewer level. The stand was crafted by Portland's Austin Heitzman.

Photo by Joey McCoy | @joeybonsai

The stand wood and the flower color match are pleasant in this display.

Photo by Joey McCoy | @joeybonsai

There was even an uber notable Suiseki section.

Workshops

Photo by Roland Lopez

Roland Lopez took his first workshop planting a Trident Maple forest with Brussel Martin of Brussel's Bonsai.

Photo by Brandon Baldauf | @wizardsknow

Jonas Dupuich of Bonsai Tonight conducted a workshop studying Japanese Red Pines. He brought in the trees which he grew from seed for the workshop. This was an excellent study and exploration of the species in it's shohin bujin form. Brandon is developing the Pine in Austin, Texas currently.

Photo by Roland Lopez

Brandon was able to get a seat in the 6 person all day Saturday study of Kishu Shimpaku Juniper with Ryan Neil.

Photo by Scott Barboza

Will Baddeley even flew in from England to conduct an all day workshop focusing on deadwood carving.

Vendor Room

Photo by Brandon Baldauf @wizardsknow

The Texas State Bonsai Exhibit was present and had a table outside of the vendor room in the raffle hallway. At this point, being on the board, we had elected to create roll up tool belt and bean bags with TTSBE logos. The Cedar Elm pictured was collected by Dr. Bill Cody in 1992. See the whole story.

Raffles

Photo by Joey McCoy | @joeybonsai

The raffles were a mad house. Brandon won a large Trident Maple Root over Rock!

Photo by Joey McCoy | @joeybonsai

Brandon also won a unique statue created by the Pacific Northwest Ceramic Artist, Jan Rentenaar.

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