Steve Tolley

English bonsai artist Steve Tolley began his bonsai education under the guidance of Dan Barton, with the emphasis on bonsai aesthetics and philosophy. He later studied with some of Europe’s finest bonsai artists including Japanese bonsai master Hotsumi Terakawa, and is now most well known for his work with pines, junipers and Taxus.

Steve has recently become a full time bonsai artist and has achieved one of his main ambitions to start a bonsai school. Here, students are able to come and work in his home studio where they find his enthusiasm and love of bonsai infectious and view his garden which holds wonderful bonsai material with the emphasis on yamadori for clients, students and other bonsai artists.

When not teaching and demonstrating Steve can be found designing and styling bonsai in the tranquillity of his studio, with many articles and photographs published in international bonsai magazines being based on this work. He also maintains some private collections in the U.K. and in Europe, and many of the trees worked on by Steve have received awards both in the UK at national exhibitions and in Europe at the prestigious Ginkgo Award in Belgium.

He is known for being an excellent technician and for the attention to detail that he places in his work.