It’s funny how things seem to be so much older looking back a year and a half. Perhaps it’s not really the age but the improvements over that time that makes things in the past seem so old. For example, this photo of the first tree I ever styled at Aichien. I looked through my files and this seems to be the only picture I have of it, which is still a mystery to me why that is. Compared to the more current photos, this picture just seems old and it makes a year and a half seems like such a long time ago. Not that I’m that much better at photography these days, but I’d say there is an improvement among other things.
This Black Pine was one of the first post I wrote on my old website back in March of 2011. Working on this tree taught me heaps about how to get creative with bending branches and styling concepts. The lowest main branch use to be a not so low back branch and became the main branch because it was the thickest and oldest. The branch on the middle right was to become a backup main branch if the main branch were to die from the bend. Reason for having the backup is because we did a lot of twisting of the main branch, which can be very risky.
Looking back at this tree reminds me of how much I’ve learned since the beginning. This tree really moved me away from my focus on the exterior of the tree and more into the interior structure of the tree. That’s what the work on this tree is really all about. It wasn’t about showy pads, or clean lines, or a bonsai silhouette but setting the main branches and core of the tree to create a more interesting and structurally sound tree. After all was done, the tree was put in a corner in nursery and in a way forgotten for over a year as it continued to grow.
Now the tree is back! In July, this tree was brought back into the workshop to move it on to the next stage of its development. The tree grew very well, including the heavily bent branches. I was pleased and happy that the tree has grown well and reinforced what I’ve learned in the early days here. Now it’s time to de-candle the tree, pull some needles, remove the wires and the black plastic rope on the bent branches.
Now that all of the wire, rope and candles have been removed, it’s time for the tree to rest and grow new candles. The tree will probably be repotted in the following Spring so I’m looking forward to that since the pot is extremely heavy for its size! That’s it for now, and it’s on to the next job! More on this tree in the Spring of 2013.
August and Bonsai
August is considered the slow month for many Bonsai professionals in Japan. For many Bonsai apprentices, this is the month that they get their annual 3-6 day vacation (haha, I’m not that luck). The temperature is high (especially in Nagoya) and most of the time, we’re just trying to keep all the trees hydrated. Currently we are watering the deciduous trees three times a day and the conifers two times a day. That means that if I were to water everything in the yard myself, I would spend about 3 hours just in watering!
Though it is August and the slow time, there always seems to be something that needs doing here at Aichien. Haha! Most of the things that I’ve been doing, I’ve written about already so not much to talk about, hence why there has been so much time in between post. That in combination with just trying to make it through the hot days and nights, time seems to have just blurred together for me. But rest assure, I have many post lined up and lots more to talk about. Though I haven’t been writing as much, I have been taking lots of photos of future topics. I’ll be focusing more on short quick post in the future to get the info out to you sooner and more often.
Here are some examples of future topics:
So stayed tuned, I will get those post written up and out to you as soon as I can.
The Mighty Vending Machine
Thanks for straightening it all out Mark!
Thanks for reading!