Keshiki Bonsai: The Easy, Modern Way to Create Miniature Landscapes
Fussy, formal, painstaking, precise. Play a game of bonsai word-association, and those are the likely results. But not with a new style of bonsai developed by engineer turned designer Kobayashi. One look at his imaginative approach to this often fastidious process, and the terms fresh, whimsical, airy, and clean come to mind. Inspired by the revered principles of this ancient botanical art yet reinvented to reflect the contemporary lifestyles of young urbanites, Kobayashi’s innovative, modernist technique celebrates nature, communicating the majesty of a dense forest, for instance, through the refined use of a single pine seedling. Designed to be quickly assembled and easily maintained, these miniature gems of moss, trees, grasses, and perennials are tiny enough to fit anywhere yet bold enough to make a dynamic impact. Along with clear illustrations, well-organized directions, and helpful resources, in-depth examinations of more than three-dozen alluring projects are augmented by profiles of artists whose expertise in iron making, ceramics, and textiles cleverly complement Kobayashi’s avant-garde designs. --Carol Haggas