This night the winners were announced. I must say it makes me very proud. I thank the judges and the Art of Bonsai Project folks as well as Pedro Morales in Puerto Rico.
We are please to announce the winners of the World Bonsai Convention 2009 - Bonsai Olympics Photo Contest.
Separating the entries into the categories of the contest and then adding the scores of our three judges together for each entry gave us the total score of each entry. We then divided this total score by three (the number of judges) to get the average total score. The entries with the highest total average scores were determined to be the winners.
The judges original judging sheets and the final scoring sheet which combines all the judges scores together are attached below to maintain transparency.
Please take a moment today and help us thank all of the judges and entrants that made this contest possible.
And the winners are..
Best Conifer Entry
Walter Pall, Germany
Ezo spruce (Picea jezoensis)
Height: 26 in, 65 cm
Pot: Natural stone from Germany
Judge Dan Barton scored 9
Judge Nick Lenz scored 8
Judge Michael Persiano scored 9
Total score 26
Total average score 8.66
Judge Comments:
DB - "Beautiful tree, well proportioned • nice landscape arrangement but grasses out of proportion to rest of design • nice slab"
NL - "A very pleasing Gestalt, although it is difficult to make out any of the branching detail. The grasses look silly. Those climbing roots on the left could use some mimicking stones to justify the rise from the trunk."
MP - "This is an example of where Walt is able to balance natural with bonsai art. This is well done."
Best Deciduous Entry
Walter Pall, Germany
Trident Maple [i](Acer burgerianum)
Height: 20 in, 50 cm
Pot: Derek Aspinall
Judge Dan Barton scored 8
Judge Nick Lenz scored 9
Judge Michael Persiano scored 10
Total score 27
Total average score 9
Judge Comments:
DB - "Powerful trunk but branches disproportionately thin • excellent choice of pot • excellent nebari • nice display stand"
NL - "Hah! Godzilla at the opera. Who knows what branching pattern lurks behind the perfectly colored canopy of autumnal warmth. It is pleasing to observe some fine new roots at the periphery of the trunk. The container, while most attractive in subtlety, has become too small for the brute. I may have come across this beast at the Ghent show and commented to my students that the branch structure was Japanese perfect and mundane. Should it convey a story, it would have to be one of volcanic eruption."
MP - "Magnificent…a master piece."
