Roy Nagatoshi Workshop 04/24/13

Needle Juniper

Roy and Brian Hollowell with a collected Rocky Mountain Juniper

R

Trident Maple

Hill-Billy Omnibus, Lurey, V.A.

Maple Wired with Christmas Lights, Bush Gardens Williamsburg, V.A.

The Artist and the Tree

The Artist and the Tree

How do we perceive ourselves in nature?  Many see nature as a trip to the park or a vacation to the wilderness.  In essence nature is all around us from the tiny ant crossing your kitchen table to the legendary redwoods of the Californian coast.  Take a moment to stop and think about how you perceive nature.  Do you see yourself as being part of it or do you view it from afar?  If we look back to the early practitioners of bonsai, the Literati Scholars of ancient China.  We can see their interpretation of nature demonstrated by painted landscapes on scrolls.  More than 98% of the composition is represented by natural elements such as mountains, rivers, rocks, trees, and animals.  Then if you look very closely the keen observer may spot a tiny hut tucked away in the corner or perhaps a stick figure of a man fishing in the river.  The human element in these works tend to be very minimal.  Why is that? 

We all alter our natural environments in one way or another and in doing separate ourselves from our natural roots.  With the rise of civilization comes buildings, pavement, technology, man-made structures and devices created to make our lives easier.  Perhaps somewhere along the way we have removed ourselves from our original environment.  We plant trees, shrubs, and flowers in parks, yards, and gardens in an effort to redevelop a place where tranquility and a peace-of-mind can be found.  When we do so we strive to bridge the gap between humanity and nature.

When we practice bonsai we just don’t create an identical version of nature in miniature.  We highlight natural elements which are familiar to us to create an image.  This image may convey a focused message of life, death, and/or survival.  We bridge the gap for others so they may enjoy and understand that feeling.  Many artists see their bonsai as natures ambassadors.  Creatures which bridge the gap between man and the natural world.  They also make us stop for a moment and view what we otherwise might overlook.  Together the artist and tree convey their message in unity to the unsuspecting viewer.

Wabi-Sabi

The term Wabi-Sabi is deeply rooted in Japanese tradition.  It is a way of seeing beyond an objects physical or structural value.  It could be compared to how coin collectors value patina.  It is the result of graceful aging, use, and ware.  An objects Wabi-Sabi is sometimes referred to as “The crack that lets the light shine through.”  It may be an objects imperfection which is valued.  The element of an object such as a chip in a tea cup which tells the story of its life.  The ware and wrinkles of an experience face.  The bottom step of a farm house whose stair had been trodden upon by multiple generations.  It is an emotional value which is extremely difficult to replicate.  An artist who can see the Wabi-Sabi of a tree may work to highlight this feature and make it the focus of his composition.

The Way you Think

The way we think has great influence over how we see and operate.  Are you open to new ideas and ideologies?  Obviously we are all a product of your environments and histories.  It is however important to keep an open mind, and not just the idea of an open mind.

Following someone else's lead may create a solid foundation for us to work from but sometime the chicks will need to leave the nest.  Some people see the glass as half full and some see it as half empty, but an engineer sees that he needs a different glass.  We all have different ideas, ideologies, and typifications.  However, innovation can create whole new glasses to fill.  The world is full of ideas, perceptions, and theories.  Identify what you find interesting then work with it.

Vision

This is by far the most powerful tool humanity has to offer.  Without vision we would still be scavenging the world for a living.  Ideas, theories, and innovation would not be possible without vision.  Taking something from our environment and manipulating it to fill our needs and/or wants is a unique anomaly rarely found in nature.  One could almost dedicate our entire civilization to this natural trait.  Vision is a fluke of creation/evolution that has drastically changed the surface of our planet.  It exists through us, providing us great power and responsibility.  Vision is a force that perhaps stands side-by-side with mother nature herself.  So the next time you stand back and envision how you are about to wire that branch, use your power wisely.

 

Inspiring Images

San Jose Juniper

Shohin Juniper Procumbens nana

Ponderosa Pine

Ponderosa Pine

Fowering Artichokes

Drift Wood Horse

Possibly the oldest native red maple in Virginia

Hollow Native White Oak

Magnolia

Walter Pall Bonsai Academy - Natures Way Nursery

Walter Pall & Jim Doyle

Walter making the decision to remove a lower branch on "Buffalo"

Removing the branch

Pots From San Diego California

Set of rustic handmade pots from, San Diego, CA

Fantastic handmade cascade pots.  When I saw these at a local street market, I purchased them right away, what a great find!

Wild collected Ponderosa Pine at a street vendor in Old Town, San Diego.

Chinzan Azalea

Chinzan Azalea, purchased as pre-bonsai stock from Adams bonsai in 2009.  The results of 3 years of wiring and maintenance.  The first two years the buds were pinched in early spring to promote early shoot growth.  After the first flush of growth was hardened off it was trimmed again.  This resulted in two flushes of growth per year speeding up ramification.  The third year I let the tree bloom and then trimmed the shoots and wired it to it's current form.

Japanese Red Pine and More

Japanese Red Pine grafted onto Black Pine Stock.  I have been working on this tree for about 4 years.  This is the second wiring the tree has received.  I have been working on developing the foliage by bringing down the main branches and separating the tertiary branches into fans to promote healthy growth.  I would still like to add some more movement into the lower branches and fill out the apex.  

Here is a picture of the back side of the same tree.  When I first purchased the tree in 2008.  I re-potted it the following spring.  The needles were yellow and the roots were in pretty rough shape.  After cleaning out the old soil and fertilizing for one growing season the tree recovered nicely and was ready the next spring for its initial wiring.

San Jose Juniper nursery stock.  The lower movement of this nursery stock caught may eye.  I have been working with numerous San Jose specimens and have just began styling many of them this year.  When I purchased the group 4 years ago many were root bound in their nursery containers.  I have found that they recover much quicker when first becoming established in their training pots.  I have made it a priority to first establish them before any wiring is done.  I wired a few right away while they were still in their nursery containers and they have been recovering on the bench for 2 years.  I won't make that mistake again.

Here is the Procumbens juniper I worked on during the Roy Nagatoshi workshop this spring.  I just removed the wire and the branches have set nicely.  It hasn't missed a beat and is growing profusely.