A long lasting workshop
The history of this tree begin
with the Italian trip of Master Kimura (Pescia 1995).
My interest on his art works
it's always a strong feeling very alive in my mind.
To me and many others which
were able to see his art works, aven only in pictures..., it was a
marvellous opportunity.
The object was to attend one
of his workshops, the first organized by A.I.B. and the other by untiring
Costantino Franchi.
With lucky and great happiness,
a few weeks before his arrival, I was told to be accepted as studend
for one of that workshop.
The matter was to find a suitable
tree, maybe a juniper, right to better appreciate the master's peculiar
techniques.
I went to“Oltre
Il Verde” nursery and I look around until I find a juniperus
chinensis, from nursery, a raw material coming from China ( pic.
# 1 ).
Before the workshop, in order
to gain time, I made a barch selection and foliage cleaning ( pic.
# 2 ).
And finally the most wanted
moment arrived, the participants prepared the tools and the tree on
the working table waiting with anxiety for the first glance and suggestions
coming from the master (pic. # 3).
When it was my turn, the tension
was very high, the master asked me, as usual, if I had a project in
my mind.
: : : : : : : : : : : : : :
: : : : : : : :
I explained to him, I decided to avoid to get any ideas because I
wanted a bonsai shaped following his mood, so I preferred to get the
solution for first step modelling from him.
: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
After a thouroghly observation (He need only few seconds)he began
to cut away the superflous explaining that according himself the better
solution was a mother-son tree (pic. # 3 and 4 ).
I was amazed by his way to
transfer his bonsai techings. In spite of language difficulties with
few gesture he draw sketches on the air letting imagine the trunk
movement and every single branch position.
6 o'clock pm, workshop shutting
time, arrived very quickly and even if I couldn't completing the tree
I was extremely satisfaied for the work done in the short time at
our disposal.
I had, by the way, perfectly understood wat master Kimura imagined
the tree. (pic. #: : : : : : :).
When the tree was back home
I ended the modelling omitting the refinement to let it growing freely
for a whole season.
Next spring I made the first repotting with akadama for a good rootage
( pic. # 6 ).
On October 1997 I decided to
remodel it (pic. # 7 and 8 ) keeping in mind that in the following
November, during a trip in Japan, I would had the opportunity to show
master Kimura thr progress of the tree.
In the trip program in fact,
there were 2 days as guests at master Kimura house, first one to take
a look at his collection, second one for a workshop on a Juniperus
chinensis tree.
Our arrive was in the middle
of a storm that prevent us to deep visit the garden, but gave us the
opportunity to discuss with him on his sitting room drinking green
tea.
Afer lunch, making the most
of our host, I show him the picture of my work remembering him the
work done together in Pescia; I explained the work done and ask for
a suggestion.
He watched many times the picture
and said: “the mother is too perfect, the second trunk is better
because it seems a kid playing and escaping mother's attentions”
and again: “...it is having fun with its mother. However, the
apex of the main should seem more protective, going toward the son.
It's a thin tree, so it should have less branches and more room among
them, it's not a bunjin but it is very close to this style”.
Then I asked him: “Someone
suggest me to completely remove the mother, what do you think?”
He answered:
“If you can do what I told you, nobody will tell you again to
cut it”.
I carried on: “ Do the
first branch, on mother's right side, weighten the global harmony?”
: : : : : : : : : : : : : :
: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :Kimura : “this branch
avoid to see the tree too long, for this it shpuld be long”.
And after“...it's important to bend the mother's apex toward
the son, it must be a protective mother!”. : : : : : : : : :
: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
Then I
asked him: “Must the son come with the mather movement?”
Kimura : “Is it possible
to bend the mother?, how is it thick?”
I show him the diameter with
the fingers and tell him that in the middle there is a dead wood,
so it wouldn't be simple.
He took paper and pencil and
drew what he wanted to explain me ( pict #. : : : : ), than he said:
“I suggest you to try with an iron bar or a guy wire to do what
i drew. Trunk dimensions are not an obstacle for the necessary work”.
I let you imagine how much
satisfaction I had from this simple speech with a so talented person.
Back from the trip, after jet lag passed, i began to remodel the tree
according his soggestion.
I cut two top branches on left side, i lightened the foliage, and
with a single wire guy I succeded in bring near the mother tree to
the son.
After few touches, necessary
for bend branches, the work was done.
There's still a lot to do,
but the son can quitely play under his lovely mother's protection.
“THE HARMONY”,
one among the thousands master Kimura secrets, it's indeed improved.
 |
Pic # 1
March 1995
Tree cultivated on field for bonsai market, coming from
Taywan.
|
 |
Pic # 2
April 1995
Work beginning below master Kimura directions studying the
best solution for the tree.
|
 |
Pic # 3
A mother-son style was choosen.
Foliage layer refinement was next step.
The third trunk on the left will be splitted in another
movement, making another tree.
|
 |
Pic # 4
Spring 1996
Repotted in a growing pot to fasten the foliage development.
|
 |
Pic # 5
This is the picture I show to the teacher to update him
on project preogress.
|
 |
Pic # 6
Japan, autumn 1997
After long explanations, he decided to skatch all he said.
|
 |
Pic # 7
The draw is very clear, and helps a lot in balance and slope
verification.
|
 |
Pic # 8
Autumn 1999
The foliage had a great development, I did a new wiring,
to order and balance the foliage layers.
|
 |
Pic # 9
Before wiring, the right inclination has been decided with
the helps of wedges, working this way the foliage positioning
will be correctly balanced even after next repotting.
|
Pic # 10 - Spring 2000
|
|
