@NEBeech
I had been looking for a pot for a rather large colorado blue spruce bonsai tree for about 2 years, but didnt want to spend multiple thousands of dollars. Then I found this post and decided to inquire. Couldnt be happier with the experience. I presented my drawn concept and within only a few days it was brought to life, for a great price. Cant wait for spring to get the tree into this one of a kind vessel.
Great customer service and definatly a great collaborative effort!
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not my style but that is something interesting you have going there . i do like the more natural rock ones your making how much are you selling them for?
Thanks and it’s not something I ever would have ever thought to design (I tend to avoid geometrical shapes) but I am so glad he asked me to make it 
, forced me to grow! It’s also huge and made for a 4ft tree.
Price depends mainly on the level of detail and size but say for a custom 8-9inch planting area at 2-5inch in depth price starts around $150. Not a hard rule but just to give you an approximation.
I build gardens (stone mason, arborist, woodworking) 10 out of 12 months of the year and the 2 coldest months I am trying out doing custom commission work. I would have easier time filling the docket with wood working/water feature commission builds for these two in months…but I wanted to give the building pots in my style a chance to know it’s as bad of a business plan as it sounds for sure. They do have some advantages, weight is reduced especially for the stone look. Any color and finish is in play, I can get more root room for the same visual effect especially on bulkier rock designs. The material is similar to what Jan Culik does with his slabs or vertical rocks.
I also have the stupid idea that every tree in my bonsai garden should be made by me and over 70% of them sitting in something I made. I don’t even bother to attempt traditional ceramic techniques or shapes. I’m not going to improve on people with 25 years of technique under their belts. I hope to continue to purchase the other 30% from local artists.
More than you asked for but you can decide what’s relevant or not!
And thanks for the kind words, helps with motivation 
Joe
All good info. One of my struggles is finding good pots at a reasonable price. It would be nice I some potter would do some slip casting of rudemtery shapes as you can make many copies from the original mold. Not ever tree needs a $1000 pot.
Where are you located I’m in California. I’m looking for a present for this jbp it’s in a one gallon nursery can at the moment.
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nice looking tree! I am on the other side- Boston, MA
I hear you on the cost of pots and I will add I typically end up earning about $5.50 an hour for me to make and sell a container. Quality doesn’t scale, there are plenty of books and MBA courses that will say otherwise but the market creates a preserve incentive to make everything cookie cutter and even cut corners AKA efficiency. I built my company on an anti scale model (dumbest way if your interested in just making money)- after working on some of the most expensive garden/landscapes in North America it was clear they all lacked a soul. Where the making comes from ends up mattering, making something to just make money (production) with all other things being equal…is always an inferior product when compared to something that is being crafted.
My interest is to create NOT produce, quality Not quality, craft Not business and at an affordable price.
It’s not the easiest path, but it’s the one that creates meaning and lasting impact.
1 gallon is 7x7@6inch deep I believe, I am sure I could come up with a natural stone semi cascade pot designed for this tree at 6x6@3.5inches deep for $185+shipping . Thats about an $800 savings for you no obligation feel free to reach out if your ever interested.
Joe
Will do that’s a fair price. I need to see what my roots are looking like first . It might be able to go into something a little smaller as the gallon can is a little wide . It would be nice if it had a little mass also as it’s really leaning out there.
Sounds good and I can counter balance the pot to account for the lean, take pictures of your roots and share them if you decide you want something. Good luck with the repotting season!
Just an FYI forgot I had this one, it would fit size wise, pretty sure I never shared any pictures of it before
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Love the texture on this one I think I need a lip that is a little lowe on the right hand side for the cascade branch to fit in . Also seems a bit chunky visually. Perhaps a bit shorter and wiser would look better.
I’d agree with everything you said and had similar inclinations when I grabbed it off the shelf
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I was just looking at the tree and thinking what would be needed if it were mine and I was making a pot. I actually think your going to want some visual mass/weight in the pot something showing stability. The tree is far out over the center of the trunk (which is awesome) but it has a slender root base in relation to how far out it is. I’d actually probably go with something like a slanted triangle shape that’s cracked for the cascading branch. A slender version of this but with a crack/separation at the low point for the branch.
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I like that one a lot I think that it could be a tad shorter and the left side moved out to the left more. Perhaps moving the left out more would do it thinking about it. Keeping the planet ng area the same . Starting to feel like planting on a slab but with a pocket if you follow me.
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Interesting work on the lichen. I dig that too
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