December 2022 – Valavanis Bonsai Blog

As promised, Joe Noga’s professional studio photographs.

AWARD WINNERS

Best of Show

Japanese Five-needle pine

Adair Martin

Best Conifer

Japanese Black pine

Arjun Sawhey

Best Deciduous

Chinese Hackberry

Brian Mercer

Best Flowering

Bougainvillea

Rob Kempinski

Best Display

Shohin Bonsai Composition

Shanon Salyer

Best Tropical

Brazilian Rain Tree

Bruce Hartman

Peope’s Choice

Dwarf Hinoki Cypress Forest

Steve Zeisel

Bonsai Displays

Additionally, Rodney Clemons, Tyler Sherrod and Wm. N. Valavanis presented educational and well attended demonstrations. Early on Sunday morning, Wm. N. Valavanis presented an exhibit critique for those who displayed bonsai.

The 11^th Winter Silhouette Bonsai Expo will take place on December 2-3, 2023.

Thank you to all the exhibitors who brought their bonsai for display and to the North Carolina Research Center for hosting this important special National Exhibition.

A special note of appreciation to bonsai photographer Joe Noga and his team of Sam and Katrina who spent two days moving and capturing the beauty of each bonsai.

Thank you again Steve for sponsoring this important national exhibition!

Steve Zeisel, sponsor of the Winter Silhouette Bonsai Expo did it again, and visitors enjoyed an elegant display of bonsai! Every bonsai was of much better quality than in the first nine expos featuring naked trees. He holds the event to promote bonsai and allows exhibitors to express their beautiful bonsai and creative displays, especially in their winter appearance.

There were more bonsai this year, and all were better designed and exquisitely displayed. Each exhibitor was allocated a six or eight foot table to fill. Most were well arranged, however some artists tried to display too many trees in their allocated area. The critique on Sunday morning will discuss some basic display information so visitors can improve their bonsai for next year’s Winter Silhouette Bonsai Expo.

The highly regarded and anticipated Winter Silhouette Bonsai Expo was again held at the North Carolina Research Center in Kannapolis, outside Charlotte, NC, on December 3-4, 2022.

In addition to the bonsai on display in a magnificent five story rotunda which is covered in imported Italian marble, several suiseki and accessory plantings were shown. Steve has had an excellent track record of hosting this elegant display which also had three rooms of vendors combined with demonstrations.

Several demonstrations and a wide variety of vendors completed the exhibition as well as critique on Sunday morning for exhibitors. On Saturday afternoon, there was a benefit auction to help defray the costs to produce this fine exhibition. It’s one of my most favorite shows of the year which I look forward to.

A well deserved thank you to Steve Zeisel for sponsoring the Winter Silhouette Bonsai Expo. Attached are my quick photos so you can see the expo now. Joe Noga is professionally photographing the show and his high quality images will be forthcoming, along with the Award Winners.