Othmar Auer

It all began when I sowed a seed to grow a tree at the birth of my first child. Since a full-grown tree would have been difficult to transport in case our family moved, it was obvious to create a movable tree. Bonsai, a mobile, compact tree, was the solution to the problem and soon after that much more for me. The fascination of an ancient tree of such a size that it is possible to understand the dignity of a tree in its entirety slowly but surely took possession of me.

A HOBBY THAT BECAME A LIFE-TASK

I learned from Japanese masters to depict an entire landscape in a small pot.

Bonsai soon became a hobby and a sideline. I began to travel regularly to Japan, where I asked my master Suzuki, among other things, whether I would be able to practice bonsai full-time. At the end of my training in Japan I was the first non-Japanese member of the Bonsai Artists Association of Japan. In the European branch of this association, which I founded, I served as president for 10 years. Finally, I made the decision to exchange my work in the automotive business for bonsai as the centre of my life. In addition, I completed training as a gardener as well as a garden and landscape gardener. Accordingly, I also plan and design gardens.
Besides selling bonsai, bowls and accessories, my main focus is on designing and caring for bonsai for customers. Grass bonsai has developed into a special passion. I pass on my many years of experience in courses, both in groups and individually.
I have been curator of various high quality bonsai-exhibitions such as the Sakkaten 2008 in Brixen, the World Bonsai Congress 2001 (WBCM-2001) in Munich and the Akiten 2000, 2017 and 2019 in Brixen.

There are many ways to make bonsai.

My experience has shown me that bonsai can only succeed if you do not force anything.
Bonsai is a way to reflect personal impressions of nature. Success does not depend on spectacular plants and if you want to get to the essence of bonsai, you do not have to want to create a work of art. Rather, bonsai must first grow within you, so that you are able to reproduce the true beauty of nature. It does not matter whether you express this with a grass, a small willow or an old pine tree.

AUER OTHMAR BONSAI

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