Page 22 - BSAM 2016 Q4

Top left; Mirai Live uses professional videography and stage sets.
Top right; A styling and wiring time-lapse of an incredible Ponderosa Pine.
Introducing the Future: Mirai Live
live.bonsaimirai.com
By Adam Johnson, USA
If you were an active member with RMBS (Rocky Mountain Bonsai Society) back in 2010 and 2011, as I was, you likely had some exposure to a young bonsai professional and Colorado native named Ryan Neil. With any luck, you may have
observed his talents when RMBS brought Ryan to Denver as part of their Visiting Artist Program. Or perhaps you caught a glimpse of him as the headline artist at the 2012 ABS/BCI International Convention in Denver, entitled Visions of the American West. Or maybe, at some point over the past 7 years, you’ve witnessed his meteoric rise to stardom within the international bonsai scene. Or possibly, and most recently, you may have heard of something called the American Bonsai Movement, for which he’s considered by many to be the leading voice. Remember the Artisans Cup? Yeah, that’s the guy. Well, he’s gone “all-in” on American Bonsai... again.
Ryan is one of the most in uential and sought a er bonsai artists alive today. Since 2010, when he returned from a six-year apprenticeship in Japan, he’s been building Bonsai Mirai (pronounced mee-RY), a world-class bonsai garden and education center located outside of Portland, Oregon. Over the past 7 years, Ryan has been the driving force behind the American Bonsai Movement, and on March 14th, just a few weeks ago, Bonsai Mirai took a huge step
Middle; Tier 3 members can access extended-cut content with each new stream.
Bottom; Upcoming streams are publicized well in advance so you can plan to watch and interact in
real time depending on the subscription plan you purchase. Some live streams are free.
20 | BCI | April/May/June 2017