ITO

In the relationship between master and disciple there is always a moment when this relationship is not one-way only anymore. Instead of that, it becames a two-way relationship, a mutual growth of both: master and his student. I found some 'masters' hard to admit that. Gašper came to Tora international school some four years ago, and started an apprentice-program a year later. He is really talented and in only two years time he completed the program. He continues to work in my atelier, but he is now more like a partner than a student. Can I still teach him something? Probably, but as I wrote before, now we can benefit both from this relationship.     

V odnosu med mojstrom in učencem vedno pride do trenutka, ko odnos ni več le enosmeren. Postane dvosmeren, skupna rast obeh: učitelja in študenta. Veliko 'mojstrov' to težko prizna. Gašper je v Toro prišel pred kakšnimi štirimi leti, vajeniški program pa začel leto kasneje. Je izjemen talent in program je končal že v dveh letih. Še vedno dela v ateljeju, toda zdaj je bolj partner kot študent. Ga še vedno lahko česa naučim? Verjetno, toda, kot sem napisal že zgoraj, zdaj lahko imava od najinega odnosa koristi oba.

Of course I don't trust my best trees to everyone. But Gašper gradually climbed up on that ladder of trust, his works were always exactly as I expected, so now It was time for the ultimate test: I trusted him a Shimpaku from my personal collection.

Seveda svojih najboljših dreves ne zaupam kar vsakemu. Toda Gašper se je počasi vzpenjal po lestvici tega zaupanja, njegovi izdelki so bili vedno točno taki, kot sem pričakoval. Zdaj je prišel čas za največji test: zaupal sem mu brin iz moje osebne zbirke.

This Shimpaku came to my collection with the help of friend Piotr Czerniachowski, who imported it from Japan. In spring 2012 it finally arrived in my garden.

Ta brin je v mojo zbirko prišel s pomočjo prijatelja Piotra Czerniachowskega, ki ga je uvozil z Japonske. Spomladi 2012 je končno prispel v moj vrt.

Shimpaku as arrived to atelier, April 2012

After a year of acclimatization, in that year it reacted extremely well, I started to work. And already after first styling it looked great.

Po letu aklimatizacije, v katerem je reagiral izjemno dobro, sem začel z delom. In že po prvem oblikovanju je izgledal odlično.

After one year of acclimatization it reacted good, April 2013

After first styling, April 2013

In Januar 2014 I prepared it for Noelanders trophy, and exhibited it in one of the biggest European show.

Januarja 2014 sem ga pripravil za Noelanders trophy in ga razstavil na eni največjih evropskih razstav.

Shimpaku at Noelanders trophy, January 2014

After repoting in spring 2015 the problems started. First one of the small branches at bottom crown died, next year two more branches died further up the tree. Dyeing of the branches was a result of a combination of two reasons: too much green mass on grafted branches, so the live veins couldn't support it anymore, and the bark beetle. The latest, so the bark beetle was far more dangerous. But luckily we found it soon enough and treated it with insecticide. 

Po presajanju spomladi 2015 so se začele težave. Najprej je odmrla manjša veja v spodnji krošnjici, naslednje leto še dve višje na drevesu. Vzrok odmiranja vej je bila kombinacija dveh stvari: preveč zelene mase na cepljenih vejah, tako da je žive vene niso mogle več hraniti, in podlubnik. Hrošček je bil seveda veliko nevarnejši. Na srečo smo ga odkrili dovolj zgodaj in drevo tretirali z insekticidom.

Traces of bark beetle on the dead branch ...

Now, with all problems solved (hopefully) the tree was ready for wiring again. I trusted this job to Gašper. He did it slowly but surely :-) and in the few weeks he completed the job:

Potem, ko so bili vsi problemi rešeni (upajmo vsaj), je bilo drevo pripravljeno za novo žičenje. Delo sem zaupal Gašperju; opravil ga je počasi a zanesljivo :-) in ga dokončal v nekaj tednih:

Shimpaku before wiring, September 2016

Gašper started to work in late summer heat ...

And finished in early fall cold :-)

Shimpaku after wiring and cleaning. Superb work by Gašper!

Yes, he did a superb job again! The Shimpaku called Mama is shining again, and Gašer - he passed the ultimate test with honors!

Da, spet je opravil sijajno delo! Brin imenovan Mama spet blesti in Gašper - največji test je opravil z odliko!