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Jacob Michaels

@dogwoodapprentice

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Happy World Bonsai Day!

Weirdly enough, I couldn’t decide on a post for today, until I realized I needed to change the swamp water out for Swamp Thing. So here she is in her pot and all her glory rather than underneath the water.

The older I get, the more I realize bonsai was never really about tiny trees for me. It’s about stewardship. Patience. Perspective. Learning to slow down enough to tend something living and realizing in the process you probably needed tending too.

Bonsai teaches you that growth is rarely fast, rarely linear, and almost never perfect. Storms leave scars. Hard seasons strip branches. Sometimes you lose entire limbs you thought you needed. Yet somehow, with enough time, care, and discipline, life still finds a way forward.

I think that’s why this practice means so much to so many people. It grounds us. It reconnects us to nature, to ourselves, and to the understanding that not everything valuable can be measured in dollars or speed.

Anyways, here’s Swamp Thing — still growing, still rooted, and still teaching me patience one season at a time. 🌲

@acer_p_bonsai @dogwoodapprentice @fireflybonsai @bonsai_drew @bushido_bonsai_ @awreathoffranklin @heavyultradad @bonsaisuh @danthemapleman @backcountrydan @bonsaimirai @davideasterbrookbonsai @bonsai.rich @blurbonsai @bonsai

#bonsai #bonsaifamily #bonsaitree #bonsaiart #bonsaiwork

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We’re a little behind, but some wins are too special not to share. 🌱✨

Remember when our friend Jacob stopped by Evexía on his way to Raleigh with his incredible Japanese plants and bonsai? We had a feeling then… and sure enough — Jacob took home FIRST PLACE. 🏆🌼

We couldn’t be more proud. Jacob approaches his craft with patience, intention, and deep respect for the art and culture behind it — and it shows. This win is so well deserved.

Thank you for sharing your journey, your passion, and your plants with us. Watching members of our community do what they love — and be recognized for it — is one of the greatest joys of what we do here.

Congratulations, Jacob. This one felt big from the start. 💚
As within, so without.

✨ Supporting people who honor their craft, their roots, and their purpose — that’s the kind of community we’re here for.

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Such an awesome experience @wintersilhouettebonsaishow

Truly grateful to finally have the time to make it to a real bonsai show. Over a decade of workups and deployments have always led to me missing these events.

Also grateful to meet new friends and see old friends. I can’t wait until the next time we all get to run into each other again @acer_p_bonsai @ironwoodbonsai @dogwoodapprentice @preston.tolbert @ranchu_love @grosshank @ronlangpots @brooklynbonsai

#bonsai #bonsaitree #bonsaiart #bonsaiworld #bonsailovers #bonsailife #bonsaifamily #littletrees #wintersilhouettebonsaishow #december2025 #plants #plantsmakepeoplehappy #plantart #aesthetic #trees #bonsailove #bonsaipot #timelesstradition

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Here is another batch of photos that I took while attending the 2025 9th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition. This is the twentieth post in a multi-post series from this event. This post documents another elegant display that was submitted by Jesse Gilbertson ( @treestylestl ) from St. Louis, MO.

The primary tree in this three-point display is an Itoigawa Shimpaku Juniper (Juniperus chinensis ‘Itoigawa’) that Jesse started from a raft cutting in 2005 after a demo he attended. The Juniper is planted in a Yamaaki pot and rests atop a delicate stand made by Jerry Brasswell. The second element is a Trident Maple (Acer buergerianum) that is planted in a blu-green glazed pot that has some nice patina. The accent is a fern that is planted in a primitive reddish-white pot resting atop a mocha-colored Jita that has a great asymmetric split. Enjoy the photos!
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#bonsai #bonsaiart #bonsaitree #bonsailife #bonsaiphotography #photography #jessegilbertson #tylersherrod #dogwoodstudiosbonsai #dogwoodapprentice #itoigawashimpakujuniper #juniper #itoigawa #juniperuschinensis #juniperus #chinensis #tridentmaple #maple #acerbuergerianum #acer #buergerianum #fern #usnationalbonsaiexhibition

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Here is another batch of photos that I took while attending the 2025 9th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition. This is the nineteenth post in a multi-post series from this event.

This post documents a wonderful Boulevard Cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Boulevard’) forest display that was submitted by Jesse Gilbertson ( @treestylestl ) from St. Louis, MO. Jesse is another long-time student of Tyler Sherrod ( @dogwoodstudiosbonsai ) and his work reflects that.

Jesse started this forest planting back in 2016 with larger nursery material and later added smaller trees that were propagated from cuttings. The composition was inspired by a smaller forest that Jesse admired at the Chicago Botanical Garden ( @chicagobotanic ) collection. The container was made by Nao Tokutake ( @tokutakebonsai ) and the planting sits atop a wonderful stand that Jesse purchased from Bonsai Mirai ( @bonsaimirai ). The accent is a sedum that is planted in a pot that Jesse made next to a pair of brass rabbits resting atop a warm colored Jita. Enjoy the photos!
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#bonsai #bonsaiart #bonsaitree #bonsailife #bonsaiphotography #photography #jessegilbertson #naotokutake #tokutakebonsai #tylersherrod #dogwoodstudiosbonsai #dogwoodapprentice #bonsaimirai #chicagobotanicalgraden #boulevardcypress #cypress #chamaecyparispisifera #chamaecyparis #pisifera #forest #sedum #usnationalbonsaiexhibition

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Crazy end of August through September… collecting, woodworking, and Bonsai!
#yamadori
#bonsai
#bonsaitree
#liveedgewood
#woodworker
#ponderosa
#bonsaiart
#pinetrees
#juniper

@petermolesa
@thebonsaishogun
@kyleboldy2003
@liveedgedetroit

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One of our favorite customers, Jacob, stopped by Evexía last night on his way out of town with something truly special! 🌱

He’s headed to Raleigh to deliver bonsai trees and unique Japanese plants for a client at the State Fair — and decided to enter his own beautiful Japanese Daisy in the competition this weekend. ✨

If you know me, you know I absolutely love daisies 🌼💚 — and this one looks like a winner to us already! 🏆 Wishing Jacob the very best of luck, and we’re so grateful he shared his gorgeous plants (and his journey) with us before heading off.

#EvexiaExperience #PlantPowered #WellnessWithNature #CommunityRoots #AsWithinSoWithout #PlantLove #Bonsia

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Here are more photos that I took while attending the 9th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition. This is the eighth post in a multi-post series from this event.

This post documents a wonderful old imported Japanese Zuisho White Pine display that was submitted by Mike Perkins from St. Louis, MO. Mike is a long-time student of Tyler Sherrod ( @dogwoodstudiosbonsai ) and it shows in the quality of the display.

The container for the Japanese White Pine is an old Gyozan pot and it sits atop a wonderful Alex Imbo ( @imbo_bonsai ) stand. The accent was provided by Tlyer Sherrod. Enjoy the photos!
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#bonsai #bonsaiart #bonsaitree #bonsailife #bonsaiphotography #photography #mikeperkins #tokoname #gyozan #tylersherrod #dogwoodstudiosbonsai #dogwoodapprentice #imbo_bonsai #japanesewhitepine #pinusparviflora #pinus #zuisho #usnationalbonsaiexhibition

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Here are some photos that I took while attending the 9th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition. This is the fourth post in a multi-post series from this event.

This post covers the winner of the Joshua Roth ( @joshuarothlimited ) Award for “The Finest Medium Size Bonsai” display that was submitted by Tim Hutson from St. Louis, MO. The tree is an imported Japanese White Pine that Tim has had in his collection for 4 years. The second tree in the display is a Trident Maple clump that time has owned for about 3 years. Tim is a long-time student of Tyler Sherrod ( @dogwoodstudiosbonsai ).

The container for the Japanese White Pine is a Gyozan (yuuji) and it sits atop an Austin Heitzman ( @austinheitzmanfurniture ) stand. The container for the Trident Maple clump is a Shukuho pot and the stand is an imported Japanese piece. The accent was made by Tim this season and is potted into a Zeshin container and placed on a small wood jita. Enjoy the photos!
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#bonsai #bonsaiart #bonsaitree #bonsailife #bonsaiphotography #photography #timhutson #tokoname #gyozan #shukuho #zeshin #tylersherrod #dogwoodstudiosbonsai #dogwoodapprentice #austinheitzmanfurniture #japanesewhitepine #pinusparviflora #pinus #tridentmaple #maple
#acerbuergerianum #acer #usnationalbonsaiexhibition

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Here are some more photos that I took while attending the @wintersilhouettebonsaishow. This is the twenty third post in a multi-post series from this event.

This post covers the two-point display that won the award for ‘Best Deciduous Tree’ that was submitted by Arjun Sawhney ( @bonsaipottery ), who is one of Tyler Sherrod’s students ( @dogwoodstudiosbonsai ) . The primary tree in the display is a Shohin exposed-root semi-cascade Trident Maple that was in fall color. The tree is planted in a very Avant-garde Japanese pot made by Mio Shinobu and seated atop a charming carved display stand. The second element of the display is delicate mixed-planting in a small red ceramic on a Jita.
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#bonsai #bonsaiart #bonsaitree #bonsailife #bonsaiphotography #photography #wintersilhouettebonsaishow #arjunsawhney #bonsaipottery #tylersherrod #dogwoodstudiosbonsai #jacobmichaels #dogwoodapprentice #tridentmaple #maple #averbuergerianum #acer #shohin #mioshinobu #japan #水石

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During our recent workshop, participants had the opportunity to create beautiful bonsai displays in the tokonoma, learning the principles of balance, proportion, and harmony.

We welcome you to our upcoming workshop in February, where we will continue to explore the art and techniques of bonsai cultivation.

https://www.dogwoodstudiosnc.com/services

#bonsai #bonsaipottery

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#bonsai #wildbunch

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