AusBonsai

Deborah Koreshoff is unrivaled as the most influentual Australian bonsai communicator. Her iconic book continues to inform and inspire bonsai people globally.

The amazing thing is that she completed this work at a youthful age.

I understand that She then chose to seek other interests.

Please post any insights or information about this enigmatic figure.

Cheers
Lindsay

In late January 2008 she sold all her trees, gave up bonsai after being heavily involved since the age of 7 and went to artistic pursuits that did not require watering or styling. It is a great loss to the bonsai community but Deborah is shy and did not like to be centre stage or put herself forward. It is a pity as she had her parent's magic in her hands.

A couple of months ago I received a request from an international enthusiast for her contact details and he was advised that 'she was out of bonsai and not responding to queries'.

In 1992 Sue and I went on holiday to the Land of the long White cloud.
On our way we stayed in Sydney for 5 days needless to say we called at Koreshoff's nursery along with some others. We had just bought a video camera.
While at the nursery talking to Dot, Deborah came out to water her trees. I politely asked if we could take some shots.
She said yes , but please not down the back. I asked why her reply was I am like most people lazy at times, and the trees do not get the care they should. Obviously I did not go there. I got some wonderful shots and some good video footage.
Now for the most devastating thing to happen to me in my Bonsai journey.I did not remove the tabs on the recorded Video.
Yes you have guessed it. I lent it to a mate and one of his Children recorded over it. I have never forgiven that child to this day
So another peice of history lost. Pup

I used to live around the corner from the nursery and I studied at one of Dots many courses when I thought it might be fun to learn about bonsai.
As a result I spent many hours wandering around the collection until I moved away.
It was a magical place, the birds in the trees and no sound of the city which was so closeby. I used to go and meditate as I looked at her collection. (and then spend a fortune on trees and pottin mix)
Deborahs collection was always locked away but one day she was there and I was so overtly standing at the gate she "invited" me in. I have to say her style was something I have not seen since.
If her trees have been sold, I hope the collector is up to the task.

I made the trip to Sydney for the auction of Deborahs and her husbands trees. I had visited before and was absolutely floored when she gave me permission to view Dorothy and Vittos trees. She is a gentle soul and, unfortunately i did not get a look in at the auction. The prices that they were selling for was out of my league at the time. She did make the statement before the auction, That the trees bought at this auction will no longer be connected with her, and her name should not be associated with them once they are purchased. Which makes a lot of sense but it would still be difficult to disassociate her connection with the tree.

I attended this Auction as well but as I was not yet confident with my ability to care for a tree of this value I did not buy one. I was hoping for one of the cheaper ones $200-$300 but the funny thing was this price range went much higher often close to $1000 for the shohin. The larger more expensive ones starting from $1000 to start with got passed in?
This was the first time I met Deborah and I was quite infatuated with her Got my book signed. That was an event it took her 5 minutes to get her arm and had in a comfortable position with some newspaper so she was sure of making a good job of it. She must be a perfectionist
Because of the clause that stated purchased trees call not be called Koreshoff trees any more I thought I would call mine. The tree formally known as a Koreshoff
Not sure how they would have liked that though.
I would love to see one of the trees sold. Anyone able to post some pictures. It seems very hard to work around this clause? I know many are concerned of theft but I would think at least someone was in a comfortable position to show one off?

We were so close Bretts. I specifically went to purchase a firethorn but got blown out of the water when it went over my budget. I was willing to go to 750 but it went for 1350?. Oh well i will keep looking in gardens and be cheeky

Bretts wrote:I attended this Auction as well but as I was not yet confident with my ability to care for a tree of this value I did not buy one. I was hoping for one of the cheaper ones $200-$300 but the funny thing was this price range went much higher often close to $1000 for the shohin. The larger more expensive ones starting from $1000 to start with got passed in?
This was the first time I met Deborah and I was quite infatuated with her Got my book signed. That was an event it took her 5 minutes to get her arm and had in a comfortable position with some newspaper so she was sure of making a good job of it. She must be a perfectionist
Because of the clause that stated purchased trees call not be called Koreshoff trees any more I thought I would call mine. The tree formally known as a Koreshoff
Not sure how they would have liked that though.
I would love to see one of the trees sold. Anyone able to post some pictures. It seems very hard to work around this clause? I know many are concerned of theft but I would think at least someone was in a comfortable position to show one off?

If you went to the collection you will have noticed a certain tree there formally, known as K#~*#^)"" tree it was bought on behalf of the collection so I am told.

Ah yes I should have mentioned that one thanks Pup

I bought some pines from the nursery whn closing down. Not styled at all as they were feild grown stock trees, but at least they are from there
Ken

Hi all!!!
Im from Brazil and i have the book of Deborah Koreshof ,its fantastic.
http://bonsaistudio.forumvila.com/index.php
http://www.facebook.com/luciano.benyakob?ref=name

I was very privileged to have been taught by Deborah, I considered that in the first 8 years of playing around with bonsai and learning from books etc. was very confusing, lots of sticks in pots and lots of failed trees. then this wonderful
revelation of the true art of Bonsai when Deborah started to explain in her quiet precise method of teaching and all was revealed and I suddenly understood what it was all about.
I still have all my notes and her sketches from these lessons and still refer to them for guidance when necessary.
I continued on to teach these same classes at Koreshoffs some years later under the guidance of Dorothy Koreshoff.
I spent many hours at the nursery and I am so grateful for all that I learnt under their guidance, and also to be able to pass on some of this privileged knowledge to other bonsai people.
Cheers, Jonden

I am lucky enough to own a 1981 Procumbens Juniper that i bought from them in 1995, i remember the tag on it then had the date the tree was designed and also the date it was last root pruned. Needless to say that it was quite a few years since its last root prune and i neglected to root prune for about another 8 years after that....The tree is trying to come back to its original glory.

Grant

Why dont you put up a photo Espresso?

I still refer to Deborah's book, even though it over 20 years old. I bought my copy in 1989. The information is still relevant where the narrative is timeless. Roger