Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
Triskele Collective x Bonsai Mirai: wood-fired bonsai ceramics inspired by ancient bristlecone pines (White Mountains + Yosemite).
A residency with Tom Benda, Andrew Pearson, and Thor Holvila, guided by Ryan Neil, exploring how wild environments shape bonsai and the ceramic vessel.
On this artist-in-residence journey, the Triskele Collective travels with Bonsai Mirai from the Patriarch Grove’s ancient bristlecone pines to Yosemite, gathering insights (and even natural salt) that inform a wood-fired anagama kiln firing back at Mirai. See how landscape, material, and collaboration converge into one-of-a-kind bonsai ceramics.
What you’ll see:
Bristlecone Pine ecology & form → how it influences bonsai design
Field study at 11,400–11,600 ft in the White Mountains (Patriarch Grove)
Yosemite hikes, waterfalls, and how scale/spirit translate into clay
Triskele’s process: material experiments
40-ft anagama kiln: 5-day wood firing, ash as natural glaze
Reflections on collaboration, art, and the future of bonsai vessels
Featured artists (Triskele Collective):
Tom Benda – wood-fire sculptural vessels & functional bonsai ware
Andrew Pearson – form, texture, and landscape-driven ceramic surfaces
Thor Holvila – Nordic-influenced bonsai ceramics with strong silhouettes
Locations & keywords for context:
White Mountains (CA), Patriarch Grove, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Yosemite National Park, Bonsai Mirai (Portland, OR), anagama kiln, wood ash glaze, salt as flux, field study, alpine ecology.
Chapters:
00:00 – Intro: Triskele Collective departs Bonsai Mirai
00:45 – On the road: White Mountains & bristlecone ecology
03:00 – Patriarch Grove: wind, age, and tree form lessons
06:20 – Yosemite: scale, water, and translating landscape to clay
11:00 – Material experiments: surface ideas
12:40 - 40-foot wood firing anagama kiln
13:45 – Reflections: collaboration, influence, and future of bonsai ceramics
About Bonsai Mirai
Bonsai Mirai, led by Ryan Neil, merges horticulture, design, and ecology to advance contemporary bonsai. Learn with us, shop tools and ceramics, or become a member for deep-dive education.
Call to action:
👍 Like the video if you love bonsai, ceramics, or wood firing
🔔 Subscribe for field studies, kiln firings, and design critiques
🛒 Explore bonsai tools & vessels: [goods.bonsaimirai.com/]
🎓 Join Mirai Academy (education + community): [live.bonsaimirai.com/academy]
▶️ Watch next: The 3rd Wheel Potters | Artist Residency at Mirai [youtu.be/iZUtDmUjXZs]
Credits
Artists: Tom Benda, Andrew Pearson, Thor Holvila
Host/Creative Direction: Ryan Neil – Bonsai Mirai
Special thanks: Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest & Yosemite stewards
Hashtags
#Bonsai #BonsaiMirai #TriskeleCollective #BristleconePine #Yosemite #Ceramics #BonsaiCeramics #Anagama #WoodFiredCeramics #RyanNeil #WhiteMountains #PatriarchGrove
Triskele Collective x Bonsai Mirai: wood-fired bonsai ceramics inspired by ancient bristlecone pines (White Mountains + Yosemite).
A residency with Tom Benda, Andrew Pearson, and Thor Holvila, guided by Ryan Neil, exploring how wild environments shape bonsai and the ceramic vessel.
On this artist-in-residence journey, the Triskele Collective travels with Bonsai Mirai from the Patriarch Grove’s ancient bristlecone pines to Yosemite, gathering insights (and even natural salt) that inform a wood-fired anagama kiln firing back at Mirai. See how landscape, material, and collaboration converge into one-of-a-kind bonsai ceramics.
What you’ll see:
Bristlecone Pine ecology & form → how it influences bonsai design
Field study at 11,400–11,600 ft in the White Mountains (Patriarch Grove)
Yosemite hikes, waterfalls, and how scale/spirit translate into clay
Triskele’s process: material experiments
40-ft anagama kiln: 5-day wood firing, ash as natural glaze
Reflections on collaboration, art, and the future of bonsai vessels
Featured artists (Triskele Collective):
Tom Benda – wood-fire sculptural vessels & functional bonsai ware
Andrew Pearson – form, texture, and landscape-driven ceramic surfaces
Thor Holvila – Nordic-influenced bonsai ceramics with strong silhouettes
Locations & keywords for context:
White Mountains (CA), Patriarch Grove, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Yosemite National Park, Bonsai Mirai (Portland, OR), anagama kiln, wood ash glaze, salt as flux, field study, alpine ecology.
Chapters:
00:00 – Intro: Triskele Collective departs Bonsai Mirai
00:45 – On the road: White Mountains & bristlecone ecology
03:00 – Patriarch Grove: wind, age, and tree form lessons
06:20 – Yosemite: scale, water, and translating landscape to clay
11:00 – Material experiments: surface ideas
12:40 - 40-foot wood firing anagama kiln
13:45 – Reflections: collaboration, influence, and future of bonsai ceramics
About Bonsai Mirai
Bonsai Mirai, led by Ryan Neil, merges horticulture, design, and ecology to advance contemporary bonsai. Learn with us, shop tools and ceramics, or become a member for deep-dive education.
Call to action:
👍 Like the video if you love bonsai, ceramics, or wood firing
🔔 Subscribe for field studies, kiln firings, and design critiques
🛒 Explore bonsai tools & vessels: [goods.bonsaimirai.com/]
🎓 Join Mirai Academy (education + community): [live.bonsaimirai.com/academy]
▶️ Watch next: The 3rd Wheel Potters | Artist Residency at Mirai [youtu.be/iZUtDmUjXZs]
Credits
Artists: Tom Benda, Andrew Pearson, Thor Holvila
Host/Creative Direction: Ryan Neil – Bonsai Mirai
Special thanks: Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest & Yosemite stewards
Hashtags
#Bonsai #BonsaiMirai #TriskeleCollective #BristleconePine #Yosemite #Ceramics #BonsaiCeramics #Anagama #WoodFiredCeramics #RyanNeil #WhiteMountains #PatriarchGrove
