Second prize winner:
John Pitt (England)
Basically I like this display of the Prunus spinosa. It presents a very quiet feeling to me with the scroll painting of a distant mountain combined with the large bonsai.
The theme of the scroll is appropriate for this bonsai, although a smaller or more narrow scroll would fit better with the size of this display. If a larger area were used, perhaps this wide scroll would be in better balance.
The accessory planting was an excellent choice. The color of the bonsai container and the accessory are different as are their shapes. I like the way the blue glaze blends with the scroll background. The size of the planting is also in good balance with the bonsai. I would prefer to have it displayed in the foreground rather than in the background.
The display table for the bonsai is of the right shape and size, however, it is too light to balance the heavy crown of the bonsai.
This is an excellent display, and as stated in my introduction, I did not let my personal taste for bonsai design enter too much. Although the bonsai is well developed, I find the design confusing. The bottom section of the trunk movement is from right to left, while the upper trunk movement and branches are from left to right. The bonsai does not look balanced with the container. Perhaps a different shaped container would improve the bonsai.
Congratulations John!
