Page 51 - BSAM 2016 Q4

More time passed and growing in me was the idea of returning the juniper to its primordial charm and dignity of a tree as it grew in nature, characteristics that originally had attracted me and many other bonsai artists. How to persuade the owner that it was time to intervene?
It was that in June, 2016 that the opportunity to return to juniper its primordial appearance presented itself.
e bonsai club Bonsai Insieme, Carignano, Italy and my Bonsai Study/Work Group agreed to hold an exhibition at the Castello della Rovere in Vinovo, Turin, Italy, that would promote, exhibit and teach bonsai. For educational purposes, I proposed the styling of this plant, explaining the characteristics and purpose. e idea was welcomed by both the Bonsai Club and owner of the juniper and we decided to take the initiative.
First Stage: Cleaning, Pruning and Carving
e juniper was prepared before the styling process to facilitate our task during the limited time when the bonsai techniques have to be applied. It was a job of cleaning the trunk and the dead inner parts so as to improve the view of the tree and develop the rst basic ideas on how to intervene—challenging work that took a whole day. Gradually, as the cleaning proceeded, the features that were part of its primordial charm emerged again and ideas were not lacking.
Top left; Castello della Rovere,
Top right; Cleaning the trunk and the dead inner parts so
as to improve the view of the tree and develop the rst basic ideas on how to intervene took a whole day.
Bottom; The juniper is ready for pruning and carving.
April/May/June 2017 | BCI | 49