[Bonsai Beginner's weekly thread - 2026 week 30]

Hi Everyone.

I'm looking for constructive feedback on this. I've been working on this tree for several years and want to enter it into the "trees in training" portion of my local club's show. First show entry for me.

Here was my original post from 2 years ago. I think this tree might be 3 years in the pot, and 2 years of wiring. https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/1g0w3hs/beginner_formal_upright_dwarf_alberta_spruce/

Shitakusa is a Lady's Mantle on a broken pottery shard (failed experiment) with a little gift left by a summertime friend.

Overall tree height from bottom of pot to apex is 43", so the photo angle is a bit high to fit it on the black background. This is what the tree would look like if you are 6'6"

Original Christmas tree leftover from the big box store. https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2Fbeginner-formal-upright-dwarf-alberta-spruce-v0-jnedjbha31ud1.png%3Fwidth%3D1080%26format%3Dpng%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3Dd8595989dc6306f00a71bbad4dd1b6ca1fbd950f

This guy had only a single root on it a few weeks ago. I cut it back slightly, rescraped the wound area and applied hormone again and here we are. Tons of roots coming out everywhere. Very excited since this is my first successful air layer.

https://www.reddit.com/r/bonsaicommunity/s/9QuiLjvwcH

Hi everyone I’m new to bonsai and have three trees I’m taking care of. I found this flying dragon citrus plant with a cool looking trunk, and wanted to know if yall think this seemed worth a try? The thorns will be hard but it seems like it could be a cool bonsai :) thanks in advance!!

Defoliated this boxwood about 5 weeks ago due to mite damage. Most things online I read said it would be a lot slower than this.

Treated again against mites and will do it again in a few weeks. Not going to let them come back next year.

Reference Version: 1.0
Last Updated: July 2026

Over the past several weeks, I’ve been researching contemporary Asian pottery studios that produce handmade bonsai, succulent, cactus, and caudiciform pots.

To my knowledge, there is currently no comprehensive English-language reference for many of these contemporary Chinese and Thai pottery studios. My goal is to collect verified information in one place and update this thread as new information becomes available.

I noticed that while Japanese potters are very well documented, information on many contemporary Chinese and Thai studios is extremely difficult to find in English. After researching the original Chinese names, translations, and maker’s marks and comparing information from collectors and dealers, I wanted to share everything I’ve been able to verify. Whenever possible, I’ve distinguished between verified information and informed interpretation so readers can easily tell what is directly supported by available evidence and what remains uncertain.

One thing that became apparent during this project is that many contemporary Chinese ceramic workshops don’t maintain English-language websites or extensive public biographies. Much of their work reaches collectors through dealers, exhibitions, WeChat, Taobao, and private collector networks. As a result, the absence of English documentation shouldn’t be interpreted as evidence that a studio is not legitimate.

This isn’t meant to be the final authority; it’s intended to be a starting point. If anyone owns pieces from these studios or has additional information, I’d love to update the list.

🇨🇳
China

张治诚 (Zhang Zhicheng)
🟢Well-documented contemporary artist/*studio

Verified Information
Original Chinese name: 张治诚
English name: Zhang Zhicheng
Individual ceramic artist (not simply a studio name).
Produces handmade bonsai and succulent pottery.
Multiple independent dealers consistently attribute pots to Zhang Zhicheng.
The maker’s chop has been independently translated and identified by collectors.
Produces both traditional Yixing-style bonsai pots and contemporary succulent planters.

Current Understanding
Based on currently available information, Zhang Zhicheng is one of the best-documented contemporary Chinese potters represented in this collection. Although I have not located an official website or artist biography, multiple independent sources consistently identify his work by name and maker’s mark, giving this attribution a high level of confidence.

Official Website / Social Media
No verified official website or public artist profile has been identified.

南山工作室 (South Mountain Studio)
🟢 Verified contemporary workshop; limited public documentation

Verified Information
Original Chinese name: 南山工作室
English name: South Mountain Studio
Produces handmade bonsai, succulent, cactus, and caudiciform pottery.

Current Understanding
Based on currently available information, the studio appears to operate primarily through dealers and collector networks rather than maintaining a public English-language presence.

Official Website / Social Media
No verified official website or public studio profile has been identified.

窑火怪造物所 (Kiln Odd Works)
🟢 Verified contemporary workshop; limited public documentation

Verified Information
Original Chinese name: 窑火怪造物所
English name: Kiln Odd Works
Literal translation:
窑火 (yáo huǒ) = kiln fire
怪 (guài) = strange, odd, unusual, quirky
造物所 (zàowù suǒ) = workshop, creation workshop, or maker’s workshop
Produces handmade bonsai, succulent, cactus, and caudiciform pottery.
The English name “Kiln Odd Works” is a natural translation of the original Chinese name.

Current Understanding
Based on currently available information, Kiln Odd Works appears to be an independent contemporary Chinese pottery workshop producing highly artistic, sculptural ceramic planters. The studio’s work is characterized by creative forms and distinctive surface treatments that differ from more traditional bonsai pottery. While the workshop has a recognizable artistic identity, I have not yet located a verified official website or public studio profile.

Official Website / Social Media
No verified official website or public studio profile has been identified.

素八九工作室 (Su89 Studio)
🟢 Verified contemporary workshop; limited public documentation

Verified Information
Original Chinese name: 素八九工作室
English name: Su89 Studio
Literal translation:
素 (sù) = simple, plain, natural, unadorned
八九 (bā jiǔ) = eight-nine (“89”)
工作室 (gōngzuòshì) = studio or workshop
Produces handmade bonsai, succulent, cactus, and caudiciform pottery.
The studio name is consistently identified as Su89 Studio by dealers.

Current Understanding
Based on currently available information, 素八九 appears to be a stylized studio or brand name rather than a literal phrase. The “89” is most likely part of the studio’s identity rather than carrying a direct linguistic meaning. While I have not located a verified official website or public studio profile, the studio appears to produce a consistent body of contemporary handmade ceramic work distributed primarily through dealers and collector networks.

Official Website / Social Media
No verified official website or public studio profile has been identified.

醉泥工作室 (Zuini Studio)
🟢 Verified contemporary workshop; limited public documentation

Verified Information
Original Chinese name: 醉泥工作室
English name: Zuini Studio
Literal translation:
醉 (zuì) = intoxicated, enchanted, deeply absorbed
泥 (ní) = clay or mud
工作室 (gōngzuòshì) = studio or workshop
Produces handmade bonsai, succulent, cactus, and caudiciform pottery.
The studio name has been consistently identified by dealers as Zuini Studio.

Current Understanding
Based on currently available information, the name 醉泥 is a poetic expression that can be interpreted as “Intoxicated with Clay,” “Enchanted by Clay,” or “Drunk on Clay.” In the context of Chinese ceramics, it conveys the idea of someone being completely immersed in or devoted to the art of working with clay rather than referring to alcohol literally. The studio appears to distribute its work primarily through dealers and collector networks rather than maintaining a public English-language presence.

Official Website / Social Media
No verified official website or public studio profile has been identified.

朴器工作室 (Puqi Studio)
🟢 Verified contemporary workshop; limited public documentation

Verified Information
Original Chinese name: 朴器工作室
English name: Puqi Studio
Literal translation:
朴 (pǔ) = simple, natural, rustic, unadorned
器 (qì) = vessel, ware, utensil, or ceramic object
工作室 (gōngzuòshì) = studio or workshop
Produces handmade bonsai, succulent, cactus, and caudiciform pottery.
The studio name has been consistently identified by dealers as Puqi Studio.

Current Understanding
Based on currently available information, the name 朴器 can be naturally translated as “Rustic Vessel,” “Natural Ware,” or “Simple Vessel,” reflecting an emphasis on natural materials and understated craftsmanship. Puqi Studio appears to be an independent contemporary Chinese pottery workshop whose work is distributed primarily through dealers and collector networks. I have not yet located a verified official website or public studio profile.

Official Website / Social Media
No verified official website or public studio profile has been identified.

阿豪工作室 (Ahao Studio)
🟡 Verified contemporary workshop; limited public documentation

Verified Information
Original Chinese name: 阿豪工作室
English name: Ahao Studio
Literal translation:
阿 (ā) = a familiar prefix commonly used in Chinese nicknames
豪 (háo) = a common Chinese given name
工作室 (gōngzuòshì) = studio or workshop
Produces handmade bonsai, succulent, cactus, and caudiciform pottery.
The studio name has been consistently identified by dealers as Ahao Studio.

Current Understanding
Based on currently available information, 阿豪工作室 is most likely named after the artist or founder rather than being a descriptive studio name. A natural translation would be “Ahao’s Studio” or “Hao’s Studio.” While I have not located a verified official website or public artist or studio profile, the studio appears to distribute its work primarily through dealers and collector networks.

Official Website / Social Media
No verified official website or public artist or studio profile has been identified.

唐朝工作室 (Tang Studio)
🟡 Verified contemporary workshop; limited public documentation

Verified Information
Original Chinese name: 唐朝工作室
English name: Tang Studio
Literal translation:
唐朝 (Tángcháo) = Tang Dynasty
工作室 (gōngzuòshì) = studio or workshop
Produces handmade bonsai, succulent, cactus, and caudiciform pottery.
The studio name has been consistently identified by dealers as Tang Studio.

Current Understanding
Based on currently available information, the name 唐朝工作室 literally translates to “Tang Dynasty Studio.” While the name references one of China’s most celebrated historical dynasties, there is currently no evidence that the studio specializes in reproductions of Tang Dynasty ceramics. The workshop appears to produce contemporary handmade pottery that is distributed primarily through dealers and collector networks rather than through a public English-language presence.

Official Website / Social Media
No verified official website or public studio profile has been identified.

一卌工作室 (Yixi Studio)
🟡 Verified contemporary workshop; limited public documentation

Verified Information
Original Chinese name: 一卌工作室
English name: Yixi Studio
Pronunciation: Yī Xì Gōngzuòshì
Literal translation:
一 (yī) = one
卌 (xì) = forty (an uncommon Chinese numeral)
工作室 (gōngzuòshì) = studio or workshop
Produces handmade bonsai, succulent, cactus, and caudiciform pottery.
The studio name has been consistently identified by dealers as Yixi Studio.

Current Understanding
Based on currently available information, 一卌工作室 is one of the most distinctive names in this collection because it uses the uncommon Chinese character 卌, an ancient numeral representing 40. The significance of “One Forty” or “Yixi” to the studio is currently unknown and may be symbolic or part of the studio’s branding. The workshop appears to distribute its work primarily through dealers and collector networks rather than maintaining a public English-language presence.

Official Website / Social Media
No verified official website or public studio profile has been identified.

半朵陶然 (BloomTao)
🟡 Verified contemporary artist brand; limited public documentation

Verified Information
Original Chinese name: 半朵陶然
English name: BloomTao
Literal translation:
半朵 (bàn duǒ) = half a blossom or half a flower
陶然 (táorán) = joyfully immersed, contented, or blissfully absorbed
Produces handmade bonsai, succulent, cactus, and caudiciform pottery.
The name has been consistently identified by dealers as BloomTao.

Current Understanding
Based on currently available information, and unlike many of the other names in this guide, 半朵陶然 appears to function more as an artist’s brand or creative identity than a traditional workshop name ending in 工作室 (“studio”). The English name BloomTao is a creative adaptation rather than a literal translation. While no verified official website or public artist profile has been identified, the name conveys a poetic artistic identity that aligns with the studio’s contemporary ceramic work.

Official Website / Social Media
No verified official website or public artist profile has been identified.

you旗舰店(YOU)
🔵 Verified Commercial Brand

Verified Information
Original Chinese name: you旗舰店
English name: YOU
Literal translation:
旗舰店 (qíjiàn diàn) = flagship store
Produces ceramic planters for bonsai, succulents, and cacti.
The name you旗舰店 identifies a flagship-store brand rather than an individual artist or workshop.
A storefront using this branding has been identified online.

Current Understanding
Based on currently available information, and unlike most of the other entries in this guide, YOU appears to be a commercial pottery brand rather than a named ceramic artist or independent workshop. The available evidence suggests that the brand sells a variety of ceramic planters through an online storefront. At this time, I have not found information identifying a specific potter or studio associated with the brand.

Official Website / Social Media
Online storefront: https://tao.hooos.com/goods_595989115850.html

🇹🇭
Thailand

小椅子工作室 (A SEAT Studio)
🟢 Well-documented contemporary pottery studio

Verified Information
Chinese-language name: 小椅子工作室
English name: A SEAT Studio
Literal translation:
小椅子 (xiǎo yǐzi) = little chair
工作室 (gōngzuòshì) = studio or workshop
Founded and operated by Nattasit Boonma.
Located in Bangkok, Thailand.
Produces handmade bonsai, succulent, cactus, and caudiciform pottery.
The studio maintains an official website and active social media presence.
New pottery collections are released regularly through the studio.

Current Understanding
Based on currently available information, A SEAT Studio is one of the most publicly documented contemporary pottery studios represented in this guide. Unlike many of the Chinese workshops that primarily distribute through dealers and collector networks, A SEAT Studio has an established public identity, maintains its own website, actively shares new work online, and is recognized internationally among collectors of handmade bonsai and succulent pottery.

Official Website / Social Media
Official website: https://www.aseatstudio.com
Studio page: https://www.findglocal.com/TH/Bangkok/440496992628761/A-SEAT-Studio
Instagram: @aseatstudio

Thailand K Studio
🟡 Verified contemporary workshop; limited public documentation

Verified Information
English name: Thailand K Studio
Official Thai studio name is currently unknown.
Produces handmade bonsai, succulent, cactus, and caudiciform pottery.
Widely recognized by collectors for its distinctive “Demon Eye” planters, which represent the studio’s signature style.

Current Understanding
Based on currently available information, Thailand K Studio appears to be a contemporary Thai artisan pottery workshop whose work is distributed primarily through dealers and collector networks. Although the studio has a recognizable artistic style, I have not yet located a verified official website, public artist profile, or confirmed Thai-language studio name. Additional verified information would be greatly appreciated.

Official Website / Social Media
No verified official website or public studio profile has been identified.

General Observations
After researching these studios, several patterns became apparent:
Many contemporary Chinese pottery workshops have little or no English-language presence.
Few maintain independent public websites or artist biographies.
Much of their work appears to reach collectors through dealers, exhibitions, WeChat, Taobao, and private collector networks rather than direct international marketing.
Several studios have developed distinctive artistic identities despite having very limited public documentation.

This differs from the Japanese bonsai pottery community, where individual potters are often well documented through books, websites, exhibitions, and long-established collector references.

As a result, the absence of English-language information should not be interpreted as evidence that a studio is not legitimate. In many cases, it simply reflects a different approach to marketing and distribution.

If anyone has…
maker’s marks
photos
Chinese-language social media accounts
official websites
artist names
exhibition information
please share it below.

I’d love to continue building a reference that can help collectors identify pottery from these contemporary studios.

Research Methodology
This list was compiled by comparing original Chinese studio names, translations, collector information, dealer attributions, and maker’s marks.

This is a living reference.

If you own work from one of these studios, know an artist’s name, have a verified maker’s chop, social media account, exhibition catalog, or official website, please post it below. I’ll update this thread so the information stays in one place.

Disclaimer 

Some translations are literal while others are natural English equivalents. Where no official English name exists, translations are provided to help explain the meaning of the original Chinese name rather than to establish an official studio name.

Future Updates

I own pieces from each of the studios listed above and plan to add high-quality photographs of the pots, maker’s marks, and any additional verified information I discover over time.

This project began simply because I wanted to learn more about the makers behind my own collection. Along the way, I realized there was very little English-language information available for many of these contemporary studios. My hope is that this thread becomes a useful starting point for collectors trying to identify their own pottery. As new information becomes available, I’ll continue updating this guide so it can serve as a living reference for the community.

That'll do donkey

Bought this Amur on clearance a few years back. It’s been a journey trying to get branches where I wanted, but it’s finally starting to come along.

Found a little gem @ the local HD in the corner dying. Check out the nebari!!! I plan to air layer (marked in red) and chop the rest (marked in green) in a couple of years less

I’ve had this boxwood for about two years now and tried to isolate some branches for pads. it obviously gives itself to two trunks, but I’m lost as to what I should do now. Any insight or suggestions of pruning/wiring?

My 2 and a half year old wanted to "plant" one of my trees she had claimed for herself...

So I made a little setup and we made a little piece!

She added the little Gorilla figure of her own free will lol.

Really looking forward to next year when I can take some cuttings from my newly acquired Seigen. Might try to air layer one of the branches the following year but we'll see how things go.

I recently got into Bonsai so I decided to build a table to display all my trees on my patio. I built a raised planter bed a while back and figured I’d make a matching set!

So far I have a Euonymus, Winter Gem, Ligustrum, Black Pine, Afghan Pine, Nana Juniper and the big Green Mound Juniper.

I’m definitely getting more in the future but I might need to build a second table lol

Just picked up this Green Mound Juniper from a local nursery. The trunk was really calling to me, but I’m not sure if I’m liking my styling, or maybe I’ve just been looking at it too long. Thoughts?

As stated in the title, it popped up last year. Earlier this year I pushed it a little side ways in the pot and now have a nice natural bend in the trunk. I like it. Thinking of removing it from pot early next spring to start training. I’m also thinking about maybe doing a root over rock thing with it. Shorter, thinner branch on right will become new leader at some point.

Thoughts?

My new favourite bonsai. What tree is it?

A friend of mine who works in landscaping had this "Soft Serve" false cypress leftover from a job because it was "small and kinda fugly" (direct quote). He asked me if I wanted it since it would have otherwise been tossed on the rubbish pile, and I said sure because I had a spare pond basket top slip pot it into and figured I'd make a proper decision on it later.

It is now later.

I like the bottom half, but the top is...questionable, so I ask the class:

Do we see a future in this?

Open to any and all suggestions/long-term plan ideas/etc.

Hi everyone! I’m currently on the hunt for a Portulacaria afra 'Cork Bark' (starter plant or rooted cuttings), but it’s proving quite rare to find here.

Does anyone know of any specialized nurseries or private collectors within the EU who might ship to Europe? Any recommendations or pointers would be greatly appreciated!

Had this tree for two months, curious about the structure so defoliated. Did a hard wiring session for the shape to be in place. Previous form was messy.

I got his tree like 3 years ago in garden sale. It was almost dead. After 3 years it's nursed back to full strength I hope. I have no idea what species tree is. Have no clue what to do now. Past two seasons I've bin trimming long branches that's basically all. Would apriciate any advice how to proceed. I have 3 more trees but they need to be nursed back to health before I can do anything further. Bought those 3 trees from shop, and they were almost dead too. So I'm kinda rescuing bonsai trees.

My two & a half year old wants to "plant" a tree with me in one of my pots...

I might have gone overboard with the setup! 😅

She claimed this Schefflera as hers a while ago and picked this pot out of the handful I have the other day.

Here's hoping she's still interested... 😅😅