March 26 - April 24 - Stone Images VII at Pacific Bonsai Museum

Viewing stones, large and small, collected by PSBA members in Washington State rivers will go on display at the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way starting March 26 in the Viewing Stone Interest Group’s annual exhibit.

 The show will run from March 26 to April 24 with the final two days being held in conjunction with PSBA’s spring show.

The show, Stone Images VII, is the seventh annual exhibit staged by the group at the museum and the group’s 10th show since it was founded in 2006. The Viewing Stone Interest Group is a study group affiliated with PSBA.

Viewing stones have a long tradition in Asia where they are called suiseki in Japan, gongshi in China and suseok in Korea.  The stones are often displayed with bonsai but also can be exhibited by themselves.  This year’s exhibit features a number of stones collected in 2015 when record low water levels caused by last year’s drought exposed river stones that had not been exposed for decades. 

Stone Images VII features stones from the collections of Rick Klauber, Patrick Metiva, Edd Kuehn, Kathy Blanchard, Joel Schwarz and Dick Benbow.  Many of the stones are displayed in daizas, or wooden bases, carved by group members.  Individuals who would like to learn more about viewing stones or join the stone group, which goes on collecting trips, may contact Joel Schwarz.

The top three stones selected by the show jury are shown below. 

#1 Dragon’s Scale  8.0”WX17.25”HX3.0”D Abstract Stone - Patrick Metiva

  

#2 Red Fin  6.0W X 7.0H X 3.25D Rugged Mountain Stone - Edd Kuehn 

 

#3 - Jagged Arch  11.0W X 5.5H X 3.5D  Arch Stone - Rick Klauber

Mark Epping-Jordan