Michael Hagedorn

Prior to his apprenticeship under Shinji Suzuki of Nagano, Japan, Michael Hagedorn was well known for his bonsai pottery. His artistic background ranges from painting and drawing to ceramic sculpture and installation.

He earned his Master’s Degree in ceramic art at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University after which he made bonsai containers for nine years. Michael’s bonsai work appeared in Kokufu during 2004, 2005, and 2006 while he was an apprentice under Mr. Suzuki. As an apprentice, he was honored to wire two trees. These trees won a Kokufu Prize and a Prime Minister Award. Michael currently lives near Portland. Learn more at www.crataegus.com.

Ryan Neil

Ryan Neil was born and raised in Colorado where he was fascinated with the wild and tortured nature of the trees on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. So much so that he decided to major in horticulture and came to California to study at Cal Poly. His introduction to bonsai came during his studies when he was given a copy of Bonsai Today which had an article on the styling of a cascading juniper by Masahiko Kimura. He was hooked. After learning much with bonsai people in Northern and Southern California, he knew he wanted to study in Japan and make this his life’s work. He met Ben Oki and through him was able to attain the chance of an apprenticeship with Mr. Kimura. He used a grant from GSBF to help pursue his study and, upon graduation from Cal Poly, he went to Japan to begin a journey of transformation in his apprenticeship with the master. There was a tearing-down before the building-up in his early time with Kimura. By persevering and accepting the humbling parts of his training he began to build up not only his knowledge and technique in bonsai but developed a mind set and disciplined approach to both life and bonsai.

He has completed his apprenticeship and says he will always be open to learning new ways to improve his art form. He is now located just outside of Portland, Oregon and is devoting himself to teaching and advancing the level and knowledge of art of bonsai in America.

Peter Warren

On a trip to Japan to watch the World Cup, Peter went on a bonsai tour where he fell in love with the art of bonsai. For 4 1/2 years he lived and worked as a traditional bonsai apprentice under renowned bonsai master, Kunio Kobayashi, and earned the honored position of head apprentice. In 2007, Peter began working for himself, writing articles for Bonsai Focus magazine and conducting workshops and lectures across the United Kingdom. His first trip to the United States also occurred in 2007. Then in 2008, he served as one of the judges for the 1st National Bonsai Exhibition in New York. Over the last few years he has travelled in Europe, Japan and the US which has allowed him the opportunity to work on many wonderful trees. Peter has been known to say that his favorite style of tree is one with a slender old trunk that has lots of character and a natural feel to it. He says “the pot is a very important aspect of bonsai for me and I have a great interest in antique containers.”

Peter is located in the U.K. You can learn more at his website: www.saruyama.co.uk.