TRENING

The first peak of the season in TORA is coming, February and March are usually the most popular months among students. Today Matej and Henrik came in for basic workshop. Matej cashed voucher he get for a gift, Henrik has take a workshop alone. Both with one goal: to know the secrets of bonsaism. After an hour of theory and breaking some myths, we went to see bonsai trees and collection of first class yamadoris. Then the work on junipers started. This time also Raje joined on work with small trees. More of us, merrier it is! And time passed by ...  

Bliža se prvi vrhunec sezone poučevanja v šoli TORA, februar in marec sta običajno med učenci najbolj popularna meseca. Tokrat sta se na tečaju za začetnike oglasila Matej in Henrik. Matej je izkoristil bon, ki ga je dobil za darilo, Henrik si je tečaj privoščil sam. Oba pa z istim ciljem: spoznati skrivnosti bonsajizma. Po urici teorije in razbijanju običajnih mitov, ogledu zbirke bonsajev in vrhunskih jamadorijev, je sledilo praktično delo na kitajskih brinih. Natančnemu delu na malih drevesih se je v tem delu tokrat priključil tudi Raje. Več nas je, bolj je veselo! In čas je še hitreje minil ...

 

Matej and Henrik showed a lot of enthusiasm, patience and they enjoyed learning. I take work on this junipers as training for new talent contest at EBA convention in Germany this autumn, where I'll be representing Slovenia. In February I am planning a workshop for advanced students; there will be room for three students! 

Matej in Henrik sta pokazala veliko mero intuziazma, potrpežljivosti in z veseljem srkala znanje. Meni delo na teh brinih pride zelo prav kot trening za jesenski nastop na tekmovanju novih telentov v Nemčiji, kjer bom zastopal Slovenijo. V februarju načrtujem delavnico za izkušene bonsajiste, tako kot prejšnjo zimo, bo tudi tu prostora za tri študente!

NOELANDERS TROPHY

You can find so many photos and impressions on the internet already that is almost impossible to add something new about XII. Noelanders Trophy. I got great impressions. At the top level exhibition European yamadoris finally prevailed over the expensive imported trees! The winner also is a typical representative of the Alps - Pinus mugo. That's the way, Europe!

Na internetu je že toliko slik in vtisov o XII. Noelanders Trophyju, da je težko dodati kaj novega. Name je razstava naredila odličen vtis. Končno so na razstavi najvišjega nivoja prevladovali evropski jamadoriji in ne draga uvožena drevesa. Tudi zmagovalec je tipičen predstavnik Alp - ruševje. Tako se dela, Evropa!

SAMOBOR

Opening of new Tora's brunch in Samobor, Croatia, was a success. On invitation of Croatian bonsai club we, me together with Raje, prepared the school program; after a short lecture first session was dedicated to learning basic bonsai techniques. The group is homogeneous and hungry for knowledge, they are great bunch of guys, we look forward to meet them again. Next session will be in March. 

Tora je uspešno odprla svojo podružnico v Samoboru na Hrvaškem. Na povabilo Hrvatskega bonsai kluba sva z Rajetom pripravila program šolanja; prvo srečanje je minilo ob uvodnem predavanju in učenju osnovnih tehnik. Skupina je homogena in lačna znanja, fantje so krasna družba, veselimo se nadaljnega druženja. Na drugi delavnici se bomo srečali že marca.

Most of the students are total beginners, they meet the real bonsai for the first time. And so was the material. Immediately they figured out that you can't learn just from books and internet. Interesting is the fact that total beginners had less problems with learning the right wiring technique then the guys with some experience had. It is hard to explain how to do it to someone who think that he knows how to wire. He must forget his technique and start to learn form the beginning. Total beginners don't have that problem.

Večina študentov je popolnih začetnikov, ki so se prvič v živo spoznali s pravim bonsajem. In takšen je bil tudi material. Takoj so ugotovili, da se samo iz knjig in interneta res ne da veliko naučiti. Zanimivo je dejstvo, da so popolni začetniki hitreje osvojili pravilno tehniko žičenja, ki smo ji dajali največji poudarek, kot tisti, ki so že imeli nekaj izkušenj z drevesi. Nekomu, ki misli, da žičenje že obvlada, je težko razložiti, kako in kaj, da naj pozabi na svojo tehniko in se loti učenja na novo, med tem ko tisti brez "predznanja" te težave nimajo.

For group in Samobor there is a lot of work still waiting. But now they got the way which can lead them forward with big steps. They have a lot of will and enthusiasm! I am looking forward to meet them again! 

S skupino v Samoboru naju čaka ogromno dela. Toda zdaj imajo pred sabo pot, po kateri lahko napredujejo z velikimi koraki. Volje, zagnanosti in intuziazma jim ne manjka. Se že veselim naslednjega srečanja!

NATAŠA

Natasha is one of my students, she soaks bonsaizm in with her heart and soul. Here is no middle way; when people come to basic workshop there are only two options: they figured out that this is not for them and never come back or they are completely overwhelmed by art. Yes, Natasha is among latest. She wants to learn all about bonsaizm, she wants to know all secrets of this beautiful art. She is also prepared to invest her time and resources into it. And she is in the right way.

Nataša je ena od mojih študentk, ki bonsajizem vpija z srcem in dušo. V bnonsajizmu pravzaprav ni srednje poti; ko pridejo ljudje na tečaj za začetnike ostaneta samo dve možnosti: ali ugotovijo, da to ni zanje in jih ni več na spregled, ali pa jih umetnost popolnoma prevzame. Da, tako je, Nataša je med slednjimi. Bonsajizem hoče spoznati do obisti, se vpeljati v vse skrivnosti te lepe umetnosti in pripravljena je v to vložiti svoj čas in seveda, brez tega ne gre, tudi sredstva. In je na pravi poti.

This time we concentrated on itoigawa juniper, it was cultivated to became a beautiful bonsai someday. Twisted trunk, dense crown, a lot of possibilities. Dead wood, the contrast between white and dark, ying and yang must take the main role here.

Tokrat sva se posvetila delu na itoigavi, od mladosti vzgajanem zato, da nekoč postane lep bonsaj. Zavito deblo, bogata krošnja, veliko možnosti. Mrtev les, kontrast med belim in temnim, jingom in jangom mora tu prevzeti osrednjo vlogo.

Natasha did a step forward. She can prepare a brunch for wiring, she can wire a brunch in right way, she got a new nice experience. And she is now owner of a little tree which will gain on quality from year to year, this was only the first shaping!

Nataša je napravila korak naprej. Samostojno pripravi vejo na žičenje, jo pravilno ožiči, za njo je nova lepa izkušnja. In postala je lastnica drevesca, ki bo z leta v leto pridobival na kvaliteti, kajti to je bilo šele prvo oblikovanje! 

P.S.: Meanwhile Raje is dreaming about winning the Noelanders trophy ... ;-)  His great Camaecyparis will be this year's TORA contribution to the Noelanders Trophy.

P.S.: Med tem Raje sanja o osvojitvi pokala Noelanders ... ;-) Njegova krasna pacipresa je letošni Torin prispevek k Noelanders Trophyju.

LEV

From last night even members of Lions club Ljubljana knows what is real bonsai. Lecture about bonsai art was a success. Their wonder at myth bustering lecture ended in enthusiasm. This is a clear evidence that we must take our job of spreading the knowledge very seriously.

Od sinoči tudi člani Lions kluba Ljubljana vedo, kaj je pravi bonsaj. Predavanje in predstavitev umetnosti članom je povsem uspela; njihovo čudenje ob razbijanju mitov, ki je na koncu prešlo v navdušenje, je jasen dokaz, da moramo nalogo širjenja znanja jemati zelo resno.

Lectures, demonstrations, learning those who want to, even though they are not so prestigious society as last night, gives me a great joy and satisfaction. And calendar is filling out nicely ...

Predavanja, demonstracije, učenje uka željnih, pa čeprav ne gre za tako prestižno družbo, kot je bila sinočnja, mi je vedno bolj v veselje in zadovoljstvo. Koledar pa se lepo polni ...