Birthday 2012... Time For Japanese & Rose Garden (Page Two)

Did You Know? - The words "viewing stone" and "suiseki" are often used interchangeably in the Western world. However, they are not the same. The Japanese Art of Suiseki is much more refined and defined. In the study, collection, and appreciation of stones as art, we must understand that there is a clear distinction between the cultural forms of stone appreciation.

Japanese Suiseki criteria formed the basis for defining the characteristics of our Western stones. Likewise, Suiseki classification is also the international criteria for stone recognition and naming used throughout the world.

One of the key aspects of this art form is the suggestability of the stones. True suiseki should "suggest" something to the viewer, yet not be a precise miniature representation of the object. This suggestibility may come from a memory, a feeling, or recognition of a special place or mountain. It could be a waterfall, a house, an animal, or a person. Sometimes the special stone has a shape that represents nothing in particular, but the texture of the stone or its patina evokes special feelings, emotions, or recognitions.

Did You Know? - Satsuki Azaleas are popular bonsai plants for many reasons. It can take a hard pruning, the flowers are amazing, and they can be developed fast. Since azaleas prefer to be slightly acidic, a popular soil to grow them in is kanuma.

Satsuki azaleas have a diversity of flower forms and color patterns with multiple patterns often appearing on a single plant. Satsuki bloom from May to June; the name “ Satsuki ” in Japanese is reference to their blooming period, the fifth month of the Asian lunar calendar .

Did You Know? - The Japanese rock garden (枯山水 karesansui?) or "dry landscape" garden, often called a zen garden, creates a miniature stylized landscape through carefully composed arrangements of rocks, water features, moss, pruned trees and bushes, and uses gravel or sand that is raked to represent ripples in water.

A zen garden is usually relatively small, surrounded by a wall, and is usually meant to be seen while seated from a single viewpoint outside the garden, such as the porch of the hojo, the residence of the chief monk of the temple or monastery.

Did You Know? - Rock gardens existed in Japan at least since the Heian Period (784-1185). These early gardens were described in the first manual of Japanese gardens, Sakuteiki, or Records of Garden Keeping, written at the end of the 11th century by Tachibana no Toshitsuna (1028–1094). They were largely copied from the Chinese gardens of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), where groups of rocks symbolized Mount Penglai, the legendary mountain-island home of the Eight Immortals in Chinese mythology, known in Japanese as Horai.

The Sakuteiki described exactly how rocks should be placed. In one passage, he wrote: "In a place where there is neither a lake or a stream, one can put in place what is called a kare-sansui, or dry landscape..." This kind of garden featured either rocks placed upright like mountains, or laid out in a miniature landscape of hills and ravines, with few plants.

He described several other styles of rock garden, which usually included a stream or pond, including the great river style, the mountain river style, and the marsh style. The ocean style featured rocks that appeared to have been eroded by waves, surrounded by a bank of white sand, like a beach.

Did You Know? - Traditional Japanese housing does not have a designated use for each room aside from the entrance area (genkan, 玄関), kitchen, bathroom, and toilet. Any room can be a living room, dining room, study, or bedroom. This is possible because all the necessary furniture is portable, being stored in oshiire, a small section of the house (large closets) used for storage. It is important to note that in Japan, living room is expressed as i-ma, living "space". This is because the size of a room can be changed by altering the partitioning. Large traditional houses often have only one ima (living room/space) under the roof, while kitchen, bathroom, and toilet are attached on the side of the house as extensions.

Somewhat similar to modern offices, partitions within the house are created by fusuma, sliding doors made from wood and paper, which are portable and easily removed. Fusuma seal each partition from top to bottom so it can create a mini room within the house. On the edge of a house are rōka, wooden floored passages, that are similar to hallways. Rōka and ima are partitioned by shōji, sliding and portable doors that are also made from paper and wood. Unlike fusuma, paper used for shōji is very thin so outside light can pass through into the house. This was before glass was used for sliding doors. Rōka and outside of the house are either partitioned by walls or portable wooden boards that are used to seal the house at night. Extended roofs protect the rōka from getting wet when it rains, except during typhoon season where the house gets sealed completely. Roofs of traditional houses in Japan are made of wood and clay, with tiles or thatched areas on top.

Did You Know? - The Huntington is an invaluable resource and a place of beauty for all who visit. It's art collections, libraries, botanical gardens, and educational programs help uphold one of its biggest priorities: to preserve the past and protect the vision of founder Henry E. Huntington for generations to come. Craftsman Terence Eagan upholds these values with his "Faux Bois" work in the Huntington gardens. 

Faux Bois (meaning false wood in French) is an age-old art form that involves using various materials such as concrete, mortar, and grout to create a structure that looks deceptively similar to wood.

 For a year Mr. Eagan has been restoring the tree-like concrete that arches over the walkway in one of the Huntington gardens. Originally done in the 1920’s the concrete and the steel supporting it has slowly decayed and is in desperate need of repair and replacement. A unique aspect of this particular project is that we do not know the artist who first made these trees, leaving Terry with an interesting position in terms of artistic liberties throughout his restorative process.

Throughout his time at the Huntington, Terry has approached his work with both a scientific and artistic perspective where he had to use trial and error, developing unique tools to find the best end result. This website shows how he has come to what is now his "process" and what it entails. Read more...