Perhaps more than any other tree at Mirai, Big Blue exemplifies our artistic ethos: truly representing nature in miniature. Its heightened asymmetry and ancient appearance not only tell the quiet story of a tree witnessing hundreds of years of time passing, but of the emergence and growth of Mirai, and of Ryan Neil as an artist.
Follow this tree through its evolution, from its collection from the wild, to winning the groundbreaking Artisans Cup (https://theartisanscup.com), to its eventual redesign and current iteration. In turn, understand the progression of Ryan Neil as a bonsai artist, from his apprenticeship in Japan, to his return to the states and creation of the garden at Mirai, to his ongoing artistic evolution.
To explore Big Blue's journey even further, check out this article, written prior to the tree's container repair: http://bonsaimirai.com/node/834
To learn more about Bonsai Mirai and our ethos around nature in miniature, visit https://bonsaimirai.com.