Jonas Dupuich - Pairing Oots to Trees

Gleaned notes from Jonas’ Golden Zoom

  • Conventions in pairing pots to trees, may depend on the show and degree of tradition that is the norm.

Traditional Options:

  • Mokko

  • Oval

  • Round

  • Rectangle

  • Cascade or Seni-Cascade (1:1)

Style—Glazed & Unglazed

Conifers

  • Unglazed are good for conifers as they are always green

  • Refinement or formality of the feet—adds elegance

  • Rougher trees may pair with rougher pot textures, and as for smooth

Deciduous

  • Shallow pots

  • Glazed pots

  • Oval pots

  • Depending on what season it will be shown, the color of the glaze may play a part (cream give contrast and pop to leaves)

Broadleaf Evergreen

  • Glazed or unglazed, depending on what tree feature to accentuate

  • Olives often in unglazed (most unglazed used with deadwood)

Cascade

  • Deep to be a counter balance to the tree.

Shohin

  • Must all vary in style, color and shape

Pots that Reflect Key Characteristics

  • Is there enough characteristics in the pot or too much? Is the tree character strong enough?

  • Square, unglazed brown, cloud feet curved, deep: may be semi-cascade, lots of movement, juniper, big trunk.

  • Oval lotus, shallower, convex sides, unglazed lighter brown: curves imply movement,

Multiple trunks (Forests)

  • Shallow oval or rectangle

  • Can go much wider to depict a landscape

Root On Rock

  • If the focal point is the rock, with trees hanging over, it is typically a shallow pot like a Penjing

  • If the focal point is one tree with deadwood, it is typically a deeper pot

Feet

  • Cloud feet are very formal in Japan, common on large trees or black pine pots

  • Playing up a feature of the tree

  • For the most part it plays less significance than shape, color, etc

Scale

  • Rounded features, corners or sides that bulge out often signify a large tree

Color

  • Junipers traditional red-brown unglazed to match the bark after peeling

Imperfections

  • Chipped feet may acceptable if old and valuable, put the chip in the back

  • Patina is desired up to where it is black

  • White scale is not desired, and must remove but may sacrifice patina

GSBF - Jonas Dupuich - Pot Selection
Michael Wei