Knowledge of Bonsai contests

So the 2007 Green Award, the Indonesian bonsai photo contest sponsored by KoB has come to an end, and the winners have been announced. The quality of trees entered in the contest were fantastic, well done to everyone who entered! You can check out the contest, all of the entries, and the winners here:
2007 Green Award

There are also three other contests running, one at KoB, one at AoB and one running congruently at both:

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KoB/Bonsai Focus Progressive Styling contest 2008

The Knowledge of Bonsai Forum
Proudly Presents Our Second Annual
Progressive Styling Contest
Sponsored by Bonsai Focus Magazine

The contest objective is to obtain stock and style it into a presentable
bonsai within the time frame allotted by the rules below. In order to include
all levels of enthusiasts and all levels of stock, we have created a
professional and a non-professional category and sub-divided these into
different stock categories. There is no price limit on stock.

Continuing
our goal of presenting a contest that is educational for all, we have continued
the modified “before and after photo” styling contest common on most forums with
our original progression requirement addition.

Each entry will consist
of three parts containing the following as outlined in the rules below:

• Three before photographs submitted with accompanying descriptive text,
as outlined in the rules below.
• Three progression photographs submitted
with accompanying descriptive text, as outlined in the rules below.
• Three
final photographs submitted with accompanying descriptive text as outlined in
the rules below.

This year we have decided to expand the parameters of
the contest by allowing the submission of tanukis, groups, and forests. These
will have their own category and will be judged against others of the same
styling.

You need not be a member of The Knowledge of Bonsai Forums to
enter. This contest, like all of the content on KoB, is free, viewable, and open
to all who are interested. Those that wish to participate in discussions on the
contest or other topics on the forum will be required to join in order to
comment.

Please read all rules before submitting your entry and refer
back to them before submitting your before, progression or final photographs in
order to prevent misunderstandings or needless disqualification. Most of all,
enjoy yourselves and have fun.

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AoB/KoB Article Contest

The AoB / KoB ARTICLE CONTEST
Sponsored by The American Bonsai Society
Journal


RULES


The contest objective is for participants
to write an original article about bonsai in a professional and educational
manner. The goal of this contest is educational and is meant to bring out the
author in all who participate, as well as to encourage the creation of much
needed articles for the bonsai community not only during the contest, but indeed
after the contest as well. It is our hope that the participants of this contest
will continue to write and publish articles afterward and in doing so, add to
the knowledge base.

You need not be a member of The Knowledge of Bonsai
Forum or The Art of Bonsai Project to enter. This contest, like all of the
content on KoB and AoB, is free, viewable, and open to all who are interested.
Those that wish to participate in discussions on the contest or other topics on
the forum will be required to join in order to comment.

The American
Bonsai Society Journal has graciously agreed to consider publication for all
winning entries as well as for other quality articles submitted.

Please
read all rules before submitting your entry and refer back to them before
submitting your article in order to prevent misunderstandings or needless
disqualification. Most of all; enjoy yourselves and have fun.

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AoB Photo Contest

The Art of Bonsai Awards
Sponsored by International Bonsai


After careful deliberation, the staff at AoB has decided to focus
on one contest only
each year. It is our hope that by doing so, we can bring
together a larger
representation of bonsai from around the world, while
continuing to offer a
respectable prize list and maintain our high standard
of professional judging.

We have taken all of our groundbreaking and
record setting contests and
incorporated the best ideas from all into one
single photo contest format. This
new design includes multiple categories,
while creating a format where other
categories and subdivisions can be
easily added to meet the needs of our members
and sponsors in the future.

We have also decided to offer additional
awards, in cooperation with
other bonsai organizations and our sponsors, such
the American National
Bonsai Exhibition Award, and the ABFF award. These awards
are in addition to our
primary awards, which are designed to reward and
recognize the very best
bonsai in the world.

We have eliminated our
previous sub-categories
dividing professional and non-professional entrants. It
is our decision to
hold contests that reflect the philosophy of the Art of
Bonsai Project,
namely that all content here be of the highest caliber.

We sincerely
hope that you will help spread the word about this contest
and participate
yourself.
Good luck to all!

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Check out the links for further details on each of these contests. All cater to a different aspect of bonsai as a whole, and I am really looking forward to seeing this year's entries in all of them!

Though I lack bonsai with the finished capacity for the AoB photo contest, I am considering entering the Progressive styling contest as well as the article contest. I'm on the hunt for just that right piece of stock that I know I can work on during the time period alloted.

I've come across one such piece, but it would be a whole new beast for me. A species I've never worked on, and the sheer *size* of the stock is daunting. I would primarily in shohin and chuhin bonsai, mostly due to my own space restraints (though I've been teased that I like little bonsai because I am a small person). But this piece of stock is over four and a half tall, and would retain at least three to three and a half feet of that height, possibly a more, even after styling. This would be, in my mind, a suitable time to take on a task like this, a good time to challenge myself and break myself out of my small bonsai mold. Part of the issue is space however, and unless I can find a *place* to keep the hulking monster, a smaller piece of stock will have to be found!