1) 40 cm high, pot by Willaim Vlaanderen
2) 40 cm high, stone from Germany
3) with moose
4) moose
5) 65 cm high, pot Japan
See my statements at:
http://internetbonsaiclub.org/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=133&topic=22126.15
"Robert,
I was the one who has entered trees 'without a pot'. Well, this was a statement. And sure enough the spruce forest got points from some judges.
I think that it does not matter whether a container is of clay, porcellaine, glass or stone or anything else. If bonsai is art then it is our duty to innovate. We can also innovate containers. If only standard pots are acceptable then it is not art. I think the theme of the Certe Award should be "best combination of tree and CONTAINER".
Look at the first picture. The 'stone' is of clay. It is also a 'pot' done by a potter, namely William Vlaanderen. Now what is it? A pot because it is of clay or does it qualify as 'stone, because these crescent pots are supposed to resemble a stone?
And the second one: The 'stone' is of stone. But it could well be of clay done by a potter and no one would notice the difference. If I had told you that it is of clay and done by William Vlaanderen, you would have believed me.
Or does it matter? Could one not say that both combinations of tree(s) and container are pretty much ideal. I personally could not find a better container for the trees or better trees for the containers.
I think this is the only thing that should matter here. At least that is the only thing that matters to me. I will certainly submit trees on stones again at the next Certere Award. I think the Certre Award is about TASTE concerning tree AND container."
