In the ‘Soils’ stream - https://live.bonsaimirai.com/archive/video/soils - there were some heated opinions about which Jonathan Cross container to pot the literati blue spruce in. See pics below of the final outcome, check out the stream to see the other options for both the blue spruce and the stewartia.
Share your thoughts! Did we make the right choice and why? What would you have done differently with this tree?
Ryan made the right choice for the container. The other Jonathan Cross pot was visually too big, as were the other pots.
We just discussed this pot again this weekend in class. I found the other Jonathan Cross pot to be more pleasing based on a different story I had for the tree. Both choices were great. All 3 choices worked, it will always depend though on what you’re trying to accomplish, say and convey as an artist.
The pot feels ok, but not really right. A literai doesn’t need a heavy foot. My choice would be a more feminine container.
I think it looks more natural as it might have been out in nature in the mountains nestled away from the wind on the rocks.
I love those pots and this tree looks awesome in it! The pot is the perfect insinuation of the tree’s natural environment. The composition evokes a mountain tree struggling for survival on a stark hillside. It’s just the type of tree that informed the art of the Chinese scholars that in turn inspired the literati style.
I personally was focused to much on the container and not the life form.
I liked that pot the best out of the three, but my favorite side was the one that the gentleman named Scott mentions around 1:31:50.
The play of shadows underneath really made the footing for the tree feel solid, but precarious and out of reach for anyone else. It’s that out of reach, uninhabitable perch that really sells the literati style for me.
Glad this was the pot chosen. It looks great, especially with all of the edges on the pot showing a slight movement to the right. Fantastic!!!
from the 3 i also would have chosen this pot however, the final front of the pot may not be the same as i would have picked, i kinda liked it more around 1:24:30 .
I really liked this one. For me, it made me think of where the tree came from, such as in an area between rocks in the wild, instead of a bonsai on display. Really cool container.
There is one thing that makes me a little unsettled about the pot and that’s the angle of the side wall on the right side of it. With the movement of the tree going to the right it makes me feel like the pot is going to tip over. Maybe its just me but it looks like a wind gust could knock it over. Other then that the pot fits the feel and the look of a high alpine spruce just living that rough alpine life.
My concern is that it is a spectacular pot ( too spectacular? ). And is it too masculine for such a delicate ( feminine ) tree?
Definitely an interesting contrast. Pushing the limits of what is expected for such a feminine tree for sure. But at the same time, the wildness the container calls out of the tree really balances out any upset from being overly masculine, imo.
I agree with much of the discussion. The pot seems too heavy for the feminine literati tree even though I like the ruggedness of the pot. Get out the elastic band and stretch it out making a longer but shallower pot. A Cross pot would work provided he made a shallower pot or a use slab.
I really like the combo and specifically this pot. The size was the best. As for the any conflicts with a chunky gothic pot with a more grace filled tree, I feel there is a definate wierdness to the tree that takes it to this special pot.
I liked the triangular pot better than this one. I enjoyed that shadowed area where normally we would see a foot. The lean of the tree made the entire design feel a bit more precarious.
What I like more is the direction that Mirai is pushing bonsai in America. Pots like these are on the leading edge of innovation. Keep up the good work.
I remember liking the wider pot better until he rotated it to this front. I could see the reasoning behind this
I really like this pot but I think I spend to much time looking at the pot than at the whole composition as one. It will probably be better once the tree is more developed though.
First thing that came to my mind watching the stream was ‘what the tree did to Ryan that he wants to punish it with this pot?’ Triangle one - well tiny bit better but maybe to wide. Thinking a bit abstract I would like it maybe in color of the triangle one only because the tree looks somehow to pale in it. True @Daubz1977 with development plus with dark background I think I would like it a lot.
@Wiley I think the angle of the pot actually works well with the movement of the tree. It’s like the arrow for it 
One think I learned from this ‘game with pots’ is what do you want to show by choosing the pot and its color hence we might have different point of view on it and I like the variety of options