Bonsai Artist | Geographic Information Systems Officer
Artist: Russell James
Size: 152cm x 152cm Square
Medium: Black and white photography printed on fine art photographic rag paper
When I was a kid, I saw a bonsai book in a bookshop and thought it was just the most amazing wizardry! I nagged my parents to buy me the book and started tinkering with plants in our backyard. I chose Australian natives because I wanted to represent our unique landscape aesthetic within a traditional art form. The challenges of styling and maintaining Australian flora in small pots are very nuanced to each species. It’s been trial and (mostly) error. But when there’s success, the results are incredible. When I work on a tree, it’s an active meditation and a welcome escape. It provides much needed quiet mindfulness.
