Page 67 - BSAM 2016 Q3

Growth and Re nement
By nature bonsai is comprised of living entities and is always changing. Unlike the traditional plastic arts, a bonsai is never actually completed. ey always grow. Do remember, this is not necessarily a bad fea- ture, as apparent growth and exuberant foliage are o en synonymous of health, predominantly in works in progress that need additional development to reach adequate proportions. Such was the case of our forest.
As I always nd an opportunity to teach my students about speci c and general aspects of bonsai cultiva- tion, I decided that it was the time to make the re ne- ment process of our Mysterious Forest a group e ort. Before my students came into play, minor adjustments were made to a few branches since the original setting was arranged, but, in general terms, the group was le to rest. is break period allowed the development of a uni ed root structure that permitted my pupils to remove anchor and guy wires. During the almost ve and a half years that passed between the original arrangement and this re nement session, a substan- tial amount of old bark, lichen and dirt accumulated in every tree. Using the proper protective gloves and with the aid of a sharp knife given to me by my good friend Wu Hsiao Feng (Bonsai Wu) of Argentina, we carefully removed the plaques of old bark to reveal the reddish bronze hue that is so highly prized in juniper bonsai. Comparison between the dirty and clean bark versions of the pictorial images resonate in a fresh, lively and vigorous picture that should be a constant in all aspects of bonsai creation.
Top right; It was the time to make the re nement process of our Mysterious Forest a group e ort and provide my students with some hands-on experience.
Top left; A substantial amount of old bark, lichen and dirt accumulated on every tree.
Middle and bottom: We carefully removed the plaques of old bark to reveal the reddish bronze hue that is so highly prized in juniper bonsai.
Following page; Three views of the Mysterious Forest.
July/August/September 2016 | BCI | 65