The bonsai passion of Torben Brenfeldt His first encounter with bonsai was not very positive, but Torben Brenfeldt was determined to master the art — in particular the art of shohin. What was your professional...
Category: Profile
A better me
The bonsai passion of Guido Pozzoli Almost like the Karate Kid, Guido came in contact with bonsai through his ju-jitsu instructor. What was your professional education? I studied engineering, which gave me the right tools...
Post-apocalyptic
The fascinating bonsai world of Laurent Darrieux. Laurent Darrieux has practised bonsai for more than three decades. His work speaks of a unique approach, non-conformist and somewhat rebellious, too. What was your professional education? Like...
Queen of The Emperor
Marija Hajdic’s passion for bonsai Marija Hajdic impressed both audience and jury at the Trophy 2019 show in Belgium with her majestic hornbeam (Carpinus orientalis), which she calls The Emperor. She works only with trees...
The Kokufu Lady
The bonsai passion of Cindy Verstraeten As one of the lucky few, Cindy Verstraeten managed to get her bonsai (Pinus densiflora) exhibited at the famous Kokufu-ten. Reason enough to ask this bonsai-impassioned woman how it...
The big adventure
The bonsai passion of Olivier Barreau It was in a garden centre and it was love at first sight. Soon after Olivier saw his first bonsai he was collecting trees himself. Following an apprenticeship at […]
Forced to find solutions
The only regret Manuel Germade has is the fact that he did not go to Japan much earlier. A couple of years ago he officially graduated as a bonsai Master and he now finds his […]
Jerome Kellerhals
Born in: SwitzerlandMarried to: Mariannjely MarvalChildren: Our 3 dogsEducation: The Hotel Management School, SwitzerlandProfession: Bonsai artist and owner of The Bonsai SupplyInto bonsai since: Forever! I was born into bonsai, my Mom used to live...
Never fix a screw into a bonsai
Viet Luan Tran (40) went to Germany in 1979, son of a high ranking army officer at West Point. He and his family had arrived as Vietnam War refugees. ‘I feel neither Vietnamese nor German. What I can say is I wear Vietnamese roots and Germany is my home.’ Bonsai is his passion, his guide for life....
On being a deshi in Shunka-en
A professional gardener, German Valentin Brose’s love of bonsai drew him to Japan to learn more about this fascinating art. So he
decided to quit his job and went to work for famous Master, Kunio Kobayashi. He soon found out that life as a student is somewhat
different ...
