I attended the first day opening of a new art exhibit at the Pacific Bonsai Museum, located in Federal Way, Washington. It’s called “Decked Out – From Scroll to Skateboard” and showcases skateboard artwork of local artists. Now you may ask, “What do skateboards have to do with bonsai?” Let me explain.

(Text taken from photo above) Traditionally, bonsai are displayed in a small alcove called a tokonoma, a repository where family heirlooms and cherished art are displayed. Within the art of bonsai, a tokonoma display consists of three elements: a bonsai, a hanging scroll, and a small accent plant or art object which are of the highest quality in both beauty and craftsmanship. These three components work in harmony to evoke a specific natural setting or story.

The Decked Out exhibit reinterprets the traditional hanging scroll used in bonsai display with modern skate deck art. Each display is presented in a three point tokonoma-style arrangement. The exhibit runs through October.

I was happy to see many people attending the all-day event. There was a schedule of events, including a bonsai demo, poetry workshop, artist panel discussion, tour, kusomono demo (potted arrangements of wild grasses and flowers in unique pots or trays), and a ticketed evening event.

I don’t want to spoil anyone’s planned visit to the exhibit and so I will post only one photo of one of the many art exhibits. Each skate deck art is quite different from the others and represents many styles of art. I encourage you to check it out. The Pacific Bonsai Museum is free to the public. Donations are welcome. For more info, visit pacificbonsaimuseum.org