NOV DOM

Chamaecyparis got it's new home. From the time I cut it, we didn't feel each other anymore, so it was better for it to find a new home. Helena came in for basic workshop and she choose it! Great! After it was neglected for a while, the Chamaecyparis is wired again and it will pleased it's new owner.

Grahka je dobila nov dom. Že vse od kar sem jo porezal, se nisva več ujela, začutila, zato je bilo bolje, da dobi nov dom. Helena je prišla na začetni tečaj in med ponujenimi drevesi izbrala prav grahko. Super! Potem, ko je bila nekaj let pozabljena, je ponovno ožičena in bo razveseljevala svojo novo lastnico.

Helena could be a great bonsai-artist in the future. She is amateur painter and photographer and wiring is not a big problem for her.

Helena bi se lahko razvila v odlično bonsajistko. Je ljubiteljska slikarka in fotografinja, žičenje ji ne dela večjih preglavic.

PROJEKTI

In last few days students in TORA school worked on long-term projects. Lets start with last one: this morning me and Primož, we did a step forward on his spruce. Now the spruce is really close to it's goal - re-potting in to bonsai-pot, final definition of crown and at the end exhibiting. Max two years more. We started with this project in autumn 2010:

V zadnjih dveh dneh smo s študenti v TORA šoli delali na dolgoročnih projektih. Naj začnem z zadnjim: dopoldne sva s Primožem na njegovi smreki napravila še en korak naprej. Zdaj je res že blizu svojemu cilju - presaditvi v bonsajsko posodo, dokončnemu definiranju krošnje in razstavljanju. Še največ dve leti. Na projektu sva začela delati jeseni leta 2010:

October 2010 - starting material

October 2010 - after first intervention

August 2011 - before second step

August 2011 - after second step

April 2012 - before third step

April 2012 - after third step

Dejan's pine got it's new pot. Pine is great in upper part but it missing nebari. Dejan did a long journey with this tree and he likes it as it is. We started this project exactly one year ago: 

Dejanov bor je včeraj dobil novo posodo. Boru, ki je v zgornji tretjini izvrsten, sicer manjka nebari, a Dejan je z drevesom prehodil že dolgo pot in mu je všeč, kakršen je. Začetek tega projekta je star točno eno leto:

April 2011 - starting material

April 2011 - after first shaping

October 2011 - after second wiring

April 2012 - re-potted in to new pot

Step by step. Students getting familiar with new techniques and they learn how to take care of the tree. And fresh project - last night Miha did a first step on his black pine. With heavy bending he create a good line and from now one everything is a little easier!

Korak za korakom. Študentje sproti spoznavajo nove in nove tehnike in se učijo skrbeti za drevo. In še čisto sveži projekt - Miha je sinoči opravil prvi poseg na črnem boru. Z močnim krivljenjem je prišel do dobre linije od tu naprej je vse veliko lažje! 

Miha's Pinus nigra after bending

Close-up of bending area

NITRA

Bonsai Slovakia is a special event. Special because of many reasons: because of great hosts Alenka and Vladimir Ondejčik who make every guest to feel like a king; because of guests from all over the world who are coming to Nitra to show their bonsai knowledge; because of new friends; because of tea; and because of trees. Because of all that I am returning in Nitra with pleasure.

Bonsai Slovakia je poseben dogodek. Poseben iz večih razlogov: zaradi izjemnih gostiteljev Alenke in Vladimirja Ondejčika, ki poskrbita, da se vsi njuni gostje počutijo kot kralji; zaradi gostov iz vsega sveta, ki v Nitro prihajajo predstavljat svoje bonsajsko znanje; zaradi prijateljskih vezi, ki se tam stkejo; zaradi čaja; in nenazadnje tudi zaradi dreves. Zaradi vsega tega, se v Nitro vedno rad vračam.

Alenka and Vladimir were great hosts

Bonsai Slovakia is also about suiseki and most of all - tea!

This time Bonsai Slovakia, this was a 15th edition, hosted bonsai artists from South America, Africa and many European countries. At demonstrations we could saw different styles and approaches, the program was running non-stop for four full days. Alenka and Vladimir Ondejčik are not only great hosts but also a great organizers. 

Tokrat je Bonsai Slovakia, ki je letos praznoval 15-to obletnico, gostil bonsajiste iz Južne Amerike, Afrike in številnih evropskih držav. Na demonstracijah smo lahko spremljali različne sloge in pristope, spremljevalni program je brez predaha potekal polne štiri dni. Alenka in Vladimir Ondejčik sta ne samo izvrstna gostitelja, ampak tudi izjemna organizatorja.

Non-stop program on main stage. Not only bonsai-demonstrations ...

One can not go to Nitra with bonsai-preconceptions. Everybody can exhibit on this show. There is no selection, so the exhibition is not at an average high level. But it is great because of other things. Of course there are also great trees. But the demonstrations are the greatest. Me and Roland will remember the demonstration of Bernie O'Callaghan from Namibia who performed a typical African "tree turned over by elephant" style on Larix. :-) Great!

V Nitro človek ne sme priti obremenjen z bonsajskimi predsodki. Na razstavi lahko razstavlja vsak, ki si želi, selekcije ni, zato v povprečju razstava ni na visokem kvalitetnem nivoju. Toda krasijo jo druge stvari. Seveda se najdejo tudi vrhunska drevesa. Predvsem pa navdušujejo demonstracije. Z Rolandom si bova gotovo najbolj zapomnila demonstracijo Bernia O'Callaghana iz Namibije, ki je na macesnu prikazal tipično afriški "drevo, ki ga je prevrnil slon" slog. :-) Super!

Bernie O'Callaghan and Vladimir discussing "elephant" style

Me and Roland, who was great assistant, worked on a Janez's spruce. There was a lot of wiring, but at the end the result was good. The responses from audience were good too.

Z Rolandom, ki je bil izjemen asistent, sva delala na smreki, ki jo je za demosntracijo žrtvoval Janez. Ogromno žičenja, toda na koncu je bil rezultat spodoben. Odzivi so bili dobri.

Spruce before

Spruce after our demonstration

I could go on and on with writing about Nitra. So many different talks, exchanges of views, old and new friends. One must come to Nitra and experienced by himself, then one can understand. I'll be back for sure.

V bistvu bi lahko o vtisih še kar pisal in pisal. Toliko različnih pogovorov, izmenjave mnenj, starih in novih prijateljev. V bistvu mora vsak sam priti v Nitro in doživeti, potem bo razumel. Jaz se tja gotovo še vrnem.

Pinus sylvestris by Andrea Melloni, the winner of the exhibition

Taxus baccata by Erik Tomko

My composition

Quercus pubescens by Karl Thier and Silvia Wiedel

MONS

We started with promotion of EBA convention , which will be held from 11th to 13th May in hotel Mons. In lobby we are exhibiting some bonsai and welcoming the visitors to the convention. Last three days my composition with Juniper was there. And today, when I came to pick it up I met a group of Japanese tourists who photographed the bonsai ... 

Te dni smo v hotelu Mons začeli s promocijo evropske konvencije, ki bo tam od 11. do 13. maja. V avli bomo ves preostali mesec razstavljali bonsaje in obiskovalce vabili na konvencijo. Zadnje tri dni je bila v Monsu moja kompozicija s kitajskim brinom. Ko sem danes prišel menjat svojo kompozicijo z Rajkotovo, sem naletel na skupino japonskih turistov, ki se je ob bonsaju veselo fotografirala ...

My composition in hotel Mons

P.S.: Today me and Roland will travel to Nitra, to Bonsai Slovakia. I'll exhibit one bonsai there, in Saturday we'll perform a demonstration. See you there!

P.S.: Opoldne z Rolandom odpotujeva v Nitro na Bonsai Slovakia. Tam bom razstavljal, v soboto pa bova z Rolandom nastopila tudi kot demonstratorja. Se vidimo tam!

TO JE LEPI PAR

Yesterday Miha started a new project on Taxus, today Urša and Jan came in atelier. Jan is interested in bonsai already for a long time, Urša is in bonsai because of him :-). We all spent a great time working on red pine, a little bigger material as usual for beginners. But it was just big enough, so both had a lot of work. 

Potem, ko je včeraj Miha začel nov projekt na tisi, sta se danes v ateljeju oglasila še Urša in Jan. Jana bonsajizem zanima že dolgo, Urša je z njim prišla v paketu :-). Dopoldne smo preživeli ob uživanju na rdečem boru, ki je bil nekoliko večji začetniški materijal, kot običajno. Pač ravno pravšnji, da sta imela z njim oba dovolj dela.

Miha working on Taxus

Jan and Urša working on red pine

Urša concentrating on wiring

Now they could be proud of their first real bonsai. Well, they must transplant it in to right pot first, but due to compact root ball this will not be a bigger problem.

Zdaj se bosta lahko pred svojimi prijatelji pohvalila s čisto pravim bonsajem. No, še prej ga bosta morala presaditi v pavo posodo, kar pa zaradi kompaktne koreninske grude ne bo večja težava.

Pinus sylvestris before

Pinus sylvestris after Jan and Urša worked on it

MOJCEJ

At last night session of Tora group some trees did a step forward. Marija worked on Chamaeciparys, shonin size, Tomaž worked on a little bigger one - he did his first independent work on a tree.  

Na sinočnjem srečanju skupine Tora je nekaj dreves napravilo korak naprej v svojem razvoju. Marija je delala na pacipresi šohin velikosti, Tomaž je na malce večji opravljal prvo samostojno delo:

Tomaž working on his first project

More experienced students joined their power at Janez's Juniperus, after they finished work on their own trees. Well, some gave only moral support :-)

Bolj izkušeni študentje so potem, ko so opravili delo na svojih drevesih, moči združili na Janezovem brinu. No, eni so dajali zgolj moralno pomoč pri žičenju :-)

Miha giving moral support to hard workers ...

Juniper did another step forward. It is full of stress needles for now, because many things had happened to it in short time, isn't so Janez? With proper care, detailed wiring, working on details it could be in exhibition form in no time.

Brin je napravil še en korak naprej. Zdaj je sicer poln stresnih iglic, saj se mu je v njegovi kratki zgodovini zgodilo že marsikaj, a ne Janez! S pravilno oskrbo in še detaljnejšim žičenjem, obdelavo podrobnosti, pa lahko kmalu postane razstavno drevo.

Juinperus before

Juniperus after last night session

This morning Mojca came in for beginners workshop. She went home as happy owner of new tree!

Danes dopoldne se je na začetnem tečaju oglasila še Mojca. Domov je odšla srečnejša za svoje prvo drevo!

MATJAŽ

Matjaž spent the Easter Saturday in TORA atelier. He is from Slovenian coast; he has a lot of theoretical knowledge, but almost no practical experiences. So we picked up a special material, field elm, Ulmus campestre and we created really nice, classical tree. Like it a lot! Matjaž will have a lot of work to do with this tree and if he'll take proper care, it can be in exhibition form in just one season. We can easily imagine how the tree will look with some additional branch structure, that will make the picture even more perfect. Just a proper pot next spring ... Not bad for a first time, don't you think? 

Velikonočno soboto je v Torinem ateljeju preživel Matjaž. Doma na Obali, z veliko teoretičnega znanja, a brez praktičnih izkušenj. Zato sva izbrala prav poseben materijal, navadni brest, Ulmus campestre in nastalo je lepo, klasično drevo. Zelo všeč! Drevo, s katerim bo imel Matjaž dovolj dela in če bo pravilno skrbel zanj, je lahko že v eni sezoni lepo razstavno drevo. Zlahka si je predstavljati dodatno razvejanost, ki bo sliko napravila še bolj popolno. Le še prava posoda prihodnjo pomlad ... Ni slabo za prvič, kaj?  

Matjaž concentrating

Matjaž finishing wiring

Preparing for photo-shooting

Ulmus campestre - before

Ulmus campestre - after

P.S.: Atelier TORA still invites all to our school, if you are interested just join our students!

P.S.: Atelje TORA še naprej vabi vse, ki vas zanima poglobljeno šolanje, da se pridružite našim študentom!

PRAVA DREVESA

At last night TORA session  I finished (more or less) the work on Fagus for this spring. Beech was collected by Roland and then it find the way in to my garden. The main branches are positioned, I'll deal with details in next seasons. But even now I can see, that this will be a great tree!

Na sinočnji delavnici skupine TORA sem bolj ali manj dokončal delo na bukvi za to pomlad. Bukev je izkopal Roland, potem pa je našla pot v moj vrt. Osnovne veje so pozicionirane, z detajli se bom ukvarjal v naslednjih sezonah. Že zdaj pa slutim, da bo to izjemno drevo!

Fagus before

Fagus after first spring work

I finished my work despite tiredness, we returned from Czech in the middle of the night. We bring the trees for NTC from Vaclav Novak center. On this junipers candidates from 16 countries will work in May at EBA convention. The winner will be pronounced for European new talent.

Delo sem opravil kljub veliki utrujenosti, ponoči smo se Tomaž, Janez in jaz namreč vrnili s Češke, kjer smo pri Vaclavu Novaku nabavili drevesa za NTC. Na teh brinih bodo maja v Monsu na konvenciji EBA delali kandidati iz 16-ih držav in se potegovali za naslov novega evropskega talenta.

Vaclav Novak - always buisy

Vaclav is preparing his trees to send them for exhibition in Korea!

The Czech NTC candidate Jan Culek is preparing for competition at Vaclav's place

So, we returned home with truck full of trees. But this toll tree is not for NTC, of course. It is my new treasure. Juniper is the project for next two or three seasons, and then it will became a winner. ;-) After a long journey it find a new home. It is very interesting, how one tree, which could stay in one place for all its life, with roots firmly in the ground, travel a half of the world to make a person in the other side of the planet happy. I am not complaining!

Domov je torej prispel poln kombi dreves. Tisto štrleče drevo seveda ni namenjeno tekmovanju novih talentov. To je moj novi zaklad. Brin je projekt za naslednji dve-tri sezone, ko bo postal zmagovalec. ;-) Po dolgem potovanju je dobil svoj novi dom. Zanimivo, da drevo, ki bi po definiciji moralo življenje preživeti na enem mestu, vkoreninjeno v tla, takole prepotuje pol sveta in osreči človeka na drugi strani planeta. Nič se ne pritožujem!

Juniper - future front?

Juniper - future back?

ZAGREB

Me and Roland spent this weekend in Zagreb. Workshop with Croatian group of TORA students passed in a pleasant atmosphere, Nikolaj and Dean, great enthusiasts, did take care of everything. In Saturday we did a demo on spruce; after six hours of work on the tree the makeover was evident - another tree has a great future. Tired from the week we spent with Hans Van Meer, Dean just take us to eat famous Samobor cream cake and then we went to early sleep ... 

Konec tedna sva z Rolandom preživela v Zagrebu. Delavnica s hrvaško skupino TORA je minila v prijetnem vzdušju, Nikolaj in Dean, izjemna intuziasta, sta tudi tokrat poskrbela za vse. V soboto sva z Rolandom opravila demonstracijo na smreki, po šestih urah dela na drevesu je bila preobrazba očitna - še eno drevo ima lepo prihodnost. Utrujena še od tedna preživetega s Hansom Van Meerom sva v Deanovi družbi pojedla še slavno Samoborsko kremno rezino in že zgodaj sladko zaspala ...

Spruce before the demo

Result

In Sunday we concentrated on re-potting. At the end of the day two trees, which we work on since the first workshop, did another step forward. It is a shame that we didn't have appropriate pots, if we did have them, this trees would be "finished" and ready for show. But there will be time for that in the future. For now both are a proof that with right work even on ordinary material from garden center we could achieve a lot. What will happen, when we'll work on great material!?

V nedeljo smo se posvetili presajanju. Ob koncu dneva sta dve drevesi, ki nastajata že od prvega srečanja, napravili še en velik kokrak naprej. Škoda, da ni bilo na voljo primernih posod, sicer bi bili drevesi že "dokončani", pripravljeni na razstavljanje. Ampak tudi za to bo še čas. Sta pa obe dokaz, da se s pravilnim delom tudi na povsem običajnem materijalu iz drevesnice lahko daleč pride. Kaj bo šele, ko bomo delali na vrhunskem materijalu!

Roland and Dean discussing the tree

Nikolaj re-potting

As a great pine somewhere at cliff

Nice tree from ordinary garden-material