John working on a large white pine during his first trip to Japan.
John has been involved with Bonsai since he was 12 years old. At 14 he joined the Yorkshire Bonsai Association and shortly after began classes with his life long friend Dan Barton.
At 18 he began the first Bonsai business in Yorkshire from his parents garden in Leeds and later opened a shop in the city centre.
Since then John has got a “normal” job and has spent a great deal of studying with Marco Invernizzi.
More recently John has spent considerable time in Japan with Bonsai master Nobuichi Urushibata at his Taisho en nursery in Shizuoka. This sparked John’s love of the smaller sizes of Bonsai.
Now the Chairman of the British Shohin Association, John travels widely to promote Shohin Bonsai and Bonsai in general and is in great demand as a teacher, travelling all over the UK and beyond to give demonstrations, workshops etc.
John’s study in Japan is now an annual occurance, spending 1 month each year under Urushibata sans tuition.
John and Urushibata san
AWARDS – (the main ones anyway)
Noelanders trophy 2008 – nomination for Kifu sized Juniperus Chinensis Itoigawa.
British Shohin Association award 2008 – Best Chuhin Deciduous Ulmus Parvifolia.
Newstead award 2008 – Best Chuhin Juniperus Chinensis Itoigawa
Swindon and District Winter Image show 2009 – Best visiting display.
British Shohin Association 2009 – Best Shohin Evergreen
Best Of British 2009 – Best Shohin
Autumn Bonsai Exhibition – Capel Manor 2009 – Best in Show
Newstead award 2010 – Best Chuhin….for that Juniper…again!
Swindon Winter Image Show 2011 – Best Shohin Display
Also go to:
http://whoisbonsai.com/john-armitage-united-kingdom/
and
http://www.artofbonsai.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=2595
For more info. Thanks.
