Suiseki stones. [ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Suiseki stones ... 水石 Stones for Appreciation The Japanese name is derived from SANSUI, landscape painting with mountains and water ... 山水石 。。。 JAPANESE : NHK, Bi no Tsubo, File 97 quote by Michael:For centuries, hauntingly beautiful stones have captivated the imagination of collectors with their power to suggest a scene or object. Prized suiseki are not replicas of natural objects they represent -- instead, they merely suggest the object and capture the object's essence with simple gestures; they awaken the imagination, inviting the viewer to complete the picture.
Aesthetic Qualities SuggestivenessSubdued ColorBalanceWabi (inward, spiritual)Sabi (aesthetics, art)Shibui (restrained elegance)Yugen (sudden perception of the elusive) Learn more HERE:source : Suiseki.com ~ The Art of Stone Appreciation More English Reference ! Daruma Suiseki だるま水石、水石だるま 安倍川鉄丸石 .. By Craig Coussins. His collection is quite eclectic and while he has no particular type of rock he prefers, he enjoys finding rocks with naturally flat bases rather than cutting them....much to the chagrin of other collectors. Some of his collection will rotate on this site and as it extends to over 2000 specimens, viewers will find something to interest them here. Most of the Studio Photo's of Craig's Suiseki and other stones are by Fay Yerbury. Craig has the Daizas made for most of his stones nowadays by the wonderful Sean Smith in Pennsylvania and other talented carvers such as Tony Sarraceno in Oakland. What is a Suiseki? When I first started to collect stones in 1972 it was for my fish tank.
I discovered that some of these stones looked just like mountains. These graced my Bonsai benches and many visitors to my Bonsai Garden went away with a little piece of Barra in the Western Isles of Scotland. Today all my stones are naturally flat inasmuch as I do not cut any stone I find. Craig Coussins: Aido Bonsai. NABF Newsletter #1 1h. Comprising a Life - Colorado. FBS Suiseki. A Japanese word meaning "water stone".
The name comes from the custom of displaying the stones in a tray of water. Hundreds of years ago the Suiseki were collected from the ancient rivers, polished by the continual movement of water. These stones were displayed, along with bonsai, To complete a vision of a far off mountain in the background. The only man-made improvement on a Suiseki is sawing the bottom flat, and bringing up the natural patina with mineral oil. Some people think that a stone should never be cut, but the verdict is still out. The plural of "Suiseki" is also "Suiseki" Suiseki should be displayed on a "dai," a carved piece of wood, or a "suiban", a bonsai tray with no holes filled with sand or water. The dai should complement the stone and not take away from its beauty.
Suiseki are and are frequently displayed together with bonsai and make great accents. One reason to cut stones is that it provides a flat surface to work with to make it easier to construct a suitable dai.