David's approach to bonsai is to collaborate with the tree rather than forcing it to conform to rigid rules and guidelines.

He strives to enhance its natural beauty while honoring the unique characteristics of each species and their environment. This philosophy ensures that no two of his bonsai are alike, with each one telling its own story and capturing the essence of its natural setting.

“I received my first bonsai as a gift, and although I killed it, that failure sparked my obsession with learning about this art form. 

Coming from a business and corporate background, bonsai entered my life during a period of immense stress and personal struggle. It provided me with a way to disconnect from the pressures of the modern world, reconnect with nature, and engage in creative meditation. Through bonsai, I discovered a profound love for the natural world and a unique form of artistic expression.

Through my practice of Bonsai I hope to spread my love and appreciation of the artform and provide others with a conduit to reconnect with the often forgotten natural world around us.”

David’s home Bonsai garden, Vaucluse NSW

A common misconception about bonsai is that they are a specific species of tree that naturally occur in miniature form. In reality, almost any tree species can become a bonsai with the right creative and technical input from a skilled and experienced artist. Like people, all trees have their own nuances and preferred care/living conditions. When selecting a bonsai, it's important to ensure it's suitable for your skill level, the microclimate in which it will exist, and the amount of input you are willing and able to provide.

Australian natives and
why they make great bonsai

Most of the bonsai you see across the internet and in magazines are species not native to Australia. This is largely due to a lack of knowledge on how to handle and cultivate Australian natives in a bonsai context, coupled with the fact that most bonsai knowledge that originally came to Australia was from Japan. However, this is changing as more Australian artists are passing on their knowledge and promoting native species.

Australia's environment hosts a vast variety of species with unique growth habits that typically don’t conform to the traditional bonsai aesthetics. As an Australian artist, I have embraced the natural form of our trees and found great satisfaction in creating designs that reflect what we see in Australian landscapes, working with species that are genetically designed to thrive in the local environment.