Willy and Antje started with bonsai in the 1980’s. They were members of a young division of the Flemmish Bonsai Association. After a while Antje became a member of the board of this “Dender-devision” and later the president of this bonsai club. Satsuki are the trees Antje, loves the most she has had a special bond with them from the beginning.
Willy started as the ‘right hand’ of Antje in their club and from the beginning his focus was the photography of the trees. In 1987 he made a book with black and white pictures of all trees exhibited in Bruges at the 10th anniversary of their club. From then on Willy was asked to make pictures of the exhibited trees in many big and small exhibitions. He did the photography of the first editions of the Ginkgo-Award and is since the beginning the lead photographer of “The Trophy” by Bonsai Association Belgium.
Together Antje and Willy made a lot of journeys to foreign countries and many times this was to make the great pictures we all know off. Since the photography became such an important part of their hobby the two of them work together very intense. Willy takes the technical and artistic part on his behalf and Antje does the administration of the pictures. Every picture made in the studio of “The Trophy” is a collaboration of hard work of both of them and also perfectly made. We therefore want to nominate them as a couple as they made their whole bonsai-journey together and still do. We hope to enjoy their work for many more years and meet them as often as possible for more warm conversations.
Bonsai Angels 