My crescent moon shaped pot

[Shane]

Here are some photos of my second crescent moon bonsai pot. The first I made in Tokoname, while on a holiday there, which incidentally inspired me to take up pottery. It was intended for the tree below, but was way to small and the crescent slumped backwards. This was my next attempt to make a better pot.

Over Christmas 2008, I hired a wheel from my pottery studio and first threw the circular base and then added coils to build the crescent moon shape. Being rather a novice potter, I did not trim the base before adding the coils, which made trimming the base extremely difficult. I trimmed it later, upside down on a rather large hump of clay, at slow speed on the wheel.

A number of different glazes were used on the pot, which I only know by the names given in our studio; glaze recipes appear to be a guarded secret. A heavy application of one was sprayed on the base to give the brown darker ring, then the volcanic glaze was sprayed and then over it a light spray of another brown colour. The "snow" at the peak is Chun. The pot was fired to stoneware, given stoneware glazes were used. This was a risk given the pot was already showing signs of cracking and crack filler was used.

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Left profile, which is the front of this pot.

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Front of the pot, which isn't really, given the intended planting and viewing angle.

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The rear of the pot.

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You can see here that the glaze has run into the pot, despite using a resist inside to try to keep the glaze off that surface. Also shown is the crack running along the bottom of the pot from all the handling and stresses applied during it's construction. I am still learning to minimise these.

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My "signature" on my bonsai pots--at least those I am making for my own trees--is an image of the intended tree that will occupy the pot. So each is unique.

I was so very happy when this pot came out, because the owner of the studio put it in his window for all the world to see. I was also disappointed with it, because I had over applied glaze in two places with my fingers to hide some cracks and they show up rather obviously.

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This is the tree for the pot. I styled this Californian juniper with Michael Persiano at the Bonsai With Style convention in Melbourne some years earlier. It was certainly healthier when we worked on the tree. And since then, having not had the appropriate pot to transplant it, it has suffered from neglect.

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Here is the tree after I repotted it, the same day the pot was finished. It should never have gone from such a large box to such a small pot in a single transplant. Note the empty bonsai bench in the background. Most of my other trees were indoors to get out of the heat.

And yes, I realise the planting angle isn't as good as it could be, with the rear branch being so high. I did not secure the tree properly, choosing to use rafia instead of wire and it sank down to the left.

And then time passed. Only a short time however.

Unfortunately, this Californian juniper did not survive me transplanting it at the wrong time of year, in Feb 2009 during our hot summer. Having made the pot it was just too tempting to repot immediately, so I could show them both off, and the tree simply was not ready. I'm sorry Michael. Live and learn. Another finished bonsai, which I still have on my benches.

[kitoi]

Nice job spook! Was this wheel thrown then altered?

While looking as I progressed through the photo I thought it was going to be shohin size or smaller till I saw your hand for reference, it's huge!! What are the dimensions? Looking at the bottom it looked as if a smudge of glaze was slopped on, but a second look showed it was a replica of your tree and pot, VERY COOL!!(if I would have read before studying the photo I would have know it was not a glaze mishap)

[Bretts]

Very nice Spooky. Love the glaze.
At first I liked the formal base but found it just a little too much at a closer look.
I like the idea of the formal base but my personal preference would probably be for a more discreet rim on the base. shorter and not flaring out.

[Steven]

You should be proud of that pot Spooky!

I really like the snow covered mountain theme. A shame that your Juniper didn't make it but it is a great lesson for us all to not rush things.
Your signature is a great idea and in this case will be a lasting memorial

Thanks for sharing mate,
Steven

[Shane]

Nice job spook! Was this wheel thrown then altered?

While looking as I progressed through the photo I thought it was going to be shohin size or smaller till I saw your hand for reference, it's huge!! What are the dimensions?

Hi Kitoi,

Yes, the base was wheel thrown, and then coils were built up around the rear. Without going out to measure it, (because we've just come home from the hospital with my new daughter and it's my turn to watch her) it's about 20cm diameter base, ten cm height for the lower rim and 35cm to the tip of the crescent. The tree was also of decent proportions.

cheers,

S.

[Shane]

Very nice Spooky. Love the glaze.
At first I liked the formal base but found it just a little too much at a closer look.
I like the idea of the formal base but my personal preference would probably be for a more discreet rim on the base. shorter and not flaring out.

No worries, Brett. That's why it's my pot, not your pot. I wanted something different to the common crescent moon pots that either have a in-curving flat base, or have feet. The flare is important for catching the glaze as it did. The darker colour achieves the depth of colour at the bottom, which was a design feature, not a flaw in any way.

cheers,

S.

[Shane]

You should be proud of that pot Spooky!

I really like the snow covered mountain theme. A shame that your Juniper didn't make it but it is a great lesson for us all to not rush things.
Your signature is a great idea and in this case will be a lasting memorial

Thanks for sharing mate,
Steven

Thanks Steven,

Happy to share, and yes, a lasting memorial of the tree. I suppose I am proud of it, despite the minor flaws. Several others have not turned out so well.

cheers

S.

[Shane]

Three and a half years later, this pot remains empty. I began work on a shohin Japanese black pine 20 months ago, which is now intended for it, but that is by no means ready.

[Nathan]

no need to rush, good trees take time to develop

[FatMingsBonsai]

Anyone know where I can purchase these crescent moon shape pots please??

[Marlene]

Hi FatMingsBonsai
You could try Bonsai Art
http://www.bonsaiart.com.au/
Good luck

[Graeme]

I wouldn't be to concerned over the flaws, they only serve to add to the total 'character' of the pot and ultimately the setting as a whole. Can you tell us how much gloss the glaze has in it? From the photo's it appears fairly shiny. As you said, it is your pot and not mine, but I feel it might have to much gloss for a coniferous type tree.

I'd still have it on my bench all the same.

[anttal63]

Anyone know where I can purchase these crescent moon shape pots please??

Val Garth also makes them !!!