Bonsai Stands At The Show by Dierk Neugebauer Twice a year the Toronto Bonsai Society puts on a marvellous show of its trees for its members and the public at large. Those of you who missed this autumn's extravagansa have the opportunity in this issue to admire some of the trees ...and stands that were on display. I always wonder where all of the marvellous stands come from, since one never seems to see them on sale. Perhaps it is time for a bonsai stand workshop! The pictures below that I took at the show represent the "simpler" stands that our members used with their trees. You might well ask why I took pictures of these but not of the others? Well, simply, ...I'm hoping to enourage more members to get involved in a little woodworking with their friends and create a unique stand or two of their own for their trees. I don't think you want to copy "exactly" what you see pictured below, but I do hope that you will receive some inspiration and take the chance.

The outward curving legs and decorative groove in the edge of the stand's top are relatively simply to recreate. An oriental motif is also suggested by the horizontal grooves in the bracing below the top of the stand.	A very elegant "European-looking" stand - the multitude of curves in its legs and top-support make this a challenge for the novice woodworker.

A taller stand for a more massive tree. The focus on the horizontal lines adds stability to the stand. The delicate vertical supports between the top and its supporting rails add strength while at the same time lightening the look of the whole stand. Its outward-pointed feet again add that oriental touch.	This stand is very much a shorter and lighter version of the previous one. Its shorter legs and and absence of vertical supports make this ideal for a smaller tree. Again the feet point slightly outwards.

Simple, yet elegant and effective.	The slight upward offset in the supporting brace lightens the overall look of the stand.

I don't know why, but the inward curving legs add a definite Chinese touch to this stand.	again a very simple stand to reproduce, yet notice the inward pointing legs, short though they are.

Well, it may not be rocket science when we look at the stands some of our members used, yet it may be more of a challenge than we are up for, ...when it comes to making our own stnds. Yet why? Talk about it with your friends and fellow club members, and see what can be arranged.