VELIKO V MALEM

INTENZIVNO

2012-01-19T12:24:00.001+01:00

Last night session with TORA group was obviously so intensive, that I forgot to take pictures. So, I can show you only the little Larix, Janez finished it yesterday. Photo is from this morning. Larix is nothing special, but is great material for learning. Janez was working mainly on wiring, because the tree has nice structure of branches. With smaller branches it was possible to build a compact and convincing crown. Janez did a good job!

Sinočnje srečanje skupine TORA je bilo očitno tako intenzivno, da sem pozabil na fotografiranje. Pokažem lahko le mali macesen, ki ga je sinoči dokončal Janez in sem ga fotografiral danes zjutraj. Macesen ni nič posebnega, gre pa za odličen materijal za učenje. Janez se je dajal predvsem z žičenjem, saj je drevo zelo lepo razvejano, z vejami in vejicami pa je bilo moč zgraditi kompaktno in prepričljivo krošnjo. Janez je opravil dobro delo.

P.S.: Larix has only one problem, but about it we'll talk another time ;-)

P.P.S.: TORA sessions will continue when I'll come back from Belgrade ...

P.S.: Macesen ima zgolj eno pomankljivost, a o tej kdaj drugič ;-)

P.P.S.: S srečanji bomo nadaljevali po vrnitvi iz Beograda ...

SPOZNAVNI VEČER

2012-01-13T09:25:00.000+01:00

Workshop at new location (there is still a lot of work to do in it) official opened its door. Last night I invited four friends (students?), who expressed a wish to participate in this small group with big plans. We spent a few hours socializing and working on trees. Time will show if they all stay in the group, if they agree with my vision and way of work. We'll talk sincerely and without obligations. So, the group is born!

Delavnica na novi lokaciji (mimogrede: še veliko dela z urejanjem me čaka) je uradno odprla svoja vrata. Sinoči sem v goste povabil štiri prijatelje (učence?), ki so izrazili željo po sodelovanju v ožji skupini z velikimi načrti in nekaj uric smo preživeli ob neformalnem druženju in drevesih. Ali bodo vsi v skupini tudi ostali, se strinjali z mojo vizijo, pogledi in načinom dela, bo pokazal čas. Pogovarjali se bomo iskreno in brez obvez. Skratka, skupina je zaživela!

The door are opened, TORA school is working with full power, all who want to learn about bonsai are welcomed!

Vrata so torej odprta, Tora deluje s polno paro, vsi željni bonsajskega znanja ste vljudno vabljeni!

BONSAI-DO

2012-01-11T10:40:00.004+01:00

It is time for a new beginning. Moving to new place was one of the most stressful thing in my life, nevertheless we survive! Things are getting normal, from day to day we enjoy a new environment more. Workshop is starting to emerge, garden is waiting for spring, little house is full of cracks but it fills so home ... Finally we ARE home!

Čas je, da začnemo na novo. Selitev je bila ena najbolj stresnih reči v mojem življenju, pa smo preživeli. Stvari se postavljajo v normalne okvirje, užitek v novem okolju je vsak dan večji. Delavnica dobiva prve obrise, vrt čaka na pomladno urejanje, hiška je polna razpok a tako zelo domača ... Končno smo doma.

There will be no lack of work in a next few years (more lack of money :-) ), but the potential we see in a new home is great. And that is important. House is full of surprising details. House with the soul. And it is in nature! The moon went to sleep when the new morning wake up at the river behind the house ...

Dela nekaj let ne bo zmanjkalo (veliko veliko prej denarja :-) ), toda pomemben je potencial, ki ga v novem domovanju vidimo. Ki kar naprej preseneča z izjemnimi detajli. Hiša z dušo. In v naravi! Luna je šla spat, ko se je na reki za hišo prebujalo novo jutro ...

P.S.: TORA school on a new location is ready. It is time for bonsai. Welcome!

P.S.: Tora na novi lokaciji je pripravljena. Čas je za bonsaje. Vabljeni!

PRVI KORAK

2011-12-07T17:48:00.010+01:00

Tomaž and me, today we started a new bonsai story. One of his many Junipers started a new journey. It is a big, long material, with green mass far from trunk. Lower part of the trunk has an interesting movement, visible live veins and everything else that good bonsai must have, but upper part of the trunk is boring. So, our job in this first step was to compact the tree as much as we can.

S Tomažem sva danes načela novo bonsajsko zgodbo. Eden izmed številnih kitajskih brinov v njegovi zbirki je začel novo pot. Šlo je za velik, razpotegnjen materijal, z zelenjem daleč od debla. Spodnji del debla ima zanimivo gibanje, izrazite vene in sploh vse, kar morajo imeti "veliki", zgornji del pa je dokaj dolgočasen. Najina naloga je torej bila, da drevo v prvem koraku skušava čim bolj skompaktirati.

starting material

After cleaning and analyzing we created some jins and then decided which branch will take the role of the future crown. We did some heavy bending, helped by levers, rafia and guide-wire and finally we did it.

Po daljši analizi in čiščenju, nekaj ustvarejnih džinih, sva se odločila za vejo, ki naj bi prevzela vlogo prihodnje krošnje. Potrebno je bilo nekaj težavnega zvijanja, s pomočjo vzvodov, rafije in sidrnih žic je vendarle šlo.

Now the green mass is where we wanted it, future bonsai is starting to emerge. For the first step this is enough. Now the tree will rest for a few months before the next step will take part. The upper branch is there for reserve.

Zelen je je tam, kjer sva ga želela, bodoči bonsaj dobiva obrise. A za prvi korak je to dovolj. Pred naslednjim posegom bo drevo nekaj mesecev počivalo. Zgornja veja ostaja na drevesu kot rezerva.

In the next step, in the beginning of the summer, we'll shape the crown and new bonsai will be born. In two or three seasons the tree will be ready for re-potting into its final pot.

V naslednjem koraku, v zgodnjem poletju, bova krošnjo že lahko zdefinirala in rojen bo nov bonsaj. V dveh do treh sezonah pa bo drevo že pripravljeno na presajanje v svojo končno posodo.

BOŠTJAN

2011-12-02T15:54:00.000+01:00

Boštjan was probably the last student at old location. For that reason alone he deserves attention ;-)

Boštjan je bil verjetno zadnji tečajnik, ki je šolanje opravil na stari lokaciji. Že zato si zasluži pozornost ;-) .

In January (maybe even sooner) we'll start at new location with new group!

V januarju (morda že prej) začnemo z novo skupino na novi lokaciji!

BARBARA

2011-11-17T17:00:00.001+01:00

For a long time Barbara wanted to learn bonsai. Now she did it - she came to TORA school, learned basic technique and created her first bonsai. Now she has all winter time to think about her ambitions in bonsai art. If she'll want to improved her skills, then we'll meet again for sure!

V Barbari je želja spoznati bonsajizem tlela že dolgo. Zdaj je željo uresničila - v šoli TORA je spoznala osnove in ustvarila svoj prvi bonsaj. Zdaj ima vso zimo časa, da razmišlja o svojih ambicijah v tej umetnosti. Če bo hotela napredovati, potem se bomo gotovo še srečali!

P.S.: Now we already counting days - our moving to new place is close!

P.S.: Zdaj pa res že odštevamo dneve do selitve!

JASTREBARSKO

2011-11-14T08:07:00.000+01:00

Croatian branch of TORA moved from Samobor to Jastrebarsko, to Croatian forest institute. Facilities are more then good for work, restless organizer Dean, who would be welcomed in every club, has provided everything else.

Hrvaška podružnica TORA se je iz Samobora preselila v Jastrebarsko, v hrvaški gozdarski inštitut. Okolje je za delo več kot primerno, neutrudni organizator Dean, ki bi si ga želel vsak klub, je spet poskrbel za vse ostalo.

Dean working on cute mugo pine

This time Roland was helping me, he met a small but hungry-for-knowledge group, which is already improved it's skills. The wire and better material are still a problem, but technique and knowledge about bonsai increase from workshop to workshop.

Tokrat je bil z mano Rland, ki je spoznal majhno a znanja željno skupino, ki se ji že pozna napredek. Še vedno ostaja težava žica in pa boljši materijal, vendar pa tehnika in znanje o bonsajih nasploh iz srečanja v srečanje napreduje.

Roland helping Nikolaj with his juniper

When they'll get a good material they'll be ready and in short time they'll put a good bonsai trees on the exhibition shelves. See you in the spring, when we'll start with second year at higher level!

Ko bodo prišli do dobrega materijala bodo pripravljeni in v kratkem času bodo na policah imeli vrhunske bonsaje. Se vidimo spomladi, ko začnemo z drugim letnikom na višjem nivoju!

BRIN NA BRIN

2011-11-11T18:12:00.000+01:00

Tomaž finally can work on his junipers which are mature now, and he has more then enough work. Today's juniper wasn't the best material, long branches with green mass only far away on the tips didn't look promising. After analyzing it carefully we decided to work on line of the trunk with only minimalistic crown on the top of it.

Tomaž je dočakal zrelost svojih brinov in zdaj ima materijala za delo čez glavo dovolj. Današnji primerek ni bil najboljše izhodišče, razpotegnjene veje z zelenjem daleč na koncu niso obljubljale veliko. Po podrobnejši analizi sva se odločila za poudarjanje linije debla z minimalistično krošnjo.

The problem is upper part of the trunk - it is too straight. This will be solved with shari and live vein, which will give visual movement. But for now this is it: contour of future bonsai which will be "finished" in two seasons if everything will go according to the plan. Meanwhile, during this winter, we'll work on many other Tomaž's junipers .

Težava linije je zgornji del debla, ki je preveč raven. To bo v prihodnosti rešeno z šarijem in živo veno, ki bo razgibala sicer ravno deblo. Za zdaj pa je to to: obris bodočega bonsaja, ki bo nared čez dve rastni sezoni, če bo šlo vse po načrtih. Sicer pa bova s Tomažem čez zimo oblikovala še kar nekaj njegovih brinov.

P.S.: There is still more than enough green mass on the tree, but it is invisible on the photo because we hid it. So the survival of the tree is not compromised ...

P.S.: Zelenja je na drevesu še več kot dovolj, vendar ga na fotki ni videti, ker sva ga zakrila. Tako da preživetje ni ogroženo ...

DAMJAN

2011-11-08T16:03:00.000+01:00

Damjan is working on this juniper for a year and a half now, and in this time the tree improved a lot. It is developing nicely and it is getting a planned shape. Today we cut some green mass and wired it again. The branches are positioned, Damjan must keep it compact during the growing season by constant pinching.

Damjan na tem brinu dela že leto in pol in v tem času je brin prehodil dolgo pot. Dobro se razvija in počasi dobiva načrtovano obliko. Danes sva ga razredčila in na novo ožičila. Veje so zdaj postavljene, na Damjanu pa je, da ga z vršičkanjem v rastni sezoni ohranja kompaktnega in stabilnega.

This kind of juniper has a problem with long an cosy growth which doesn't look good. But with constant pinching we can improved that, and this juniper already shows some sign of maturity, because the needles are much shorter and harder then a year before. Meanwhile the tree was transplanted into first bonsai-pot, so it is on a good way to became a nice literati!

Težava pri tej vrsti brinov je namreč dolga in mlahava rast, ki daje videz skuštranosti. A z vztrajnim vršičkanjem se da iglice zelo izboljšati in ta brin že kaže prve znake staranja, saj so iglice že veliko krajše in trše kot so bile pred letom dni. Vmes je drevo odbilo tudi svojo prvo posodo, skratka je na dobri poti, da se razvije v lep literati!

March 2010

November 2011

PF II

2011-11-07T08:54:00.000+01:00

This weekend we started a new PF year in TORA, led by Enrico Savini. This time we learned at higher level; first some theoretical knowledge about matter, Enrico revealed some secret about pine-growing, and then practical work on trees.

Ta konec tedna smo v TORA začeli z drugim letnikom PF pod vodstvom Enrica Savinija. Tokrat je šlo za učenje na višjem nivoju; najprej teoretično spoznavanje materije, mimogrede je Enrico razkril nekaj skrivnosti gojenja borov, potem pa praktično delo na drevesih.

New material in school is better and better, trees from first year are getting into refining stage.

Nov materijal v šoli je vedno boljši, drevesa iz prvega letnika dobivajo vedno bolj dodelano podobo.

Great weekend is over, a new dose of knowledge is here, we'll continue in February. If someone is interested, there is still a room for two new students. Just contact me!

Odličen konec tedna je za nami, nova doza znanja je tu, nadaljujemo februarja. V letniku sta še dve prosti mesti, če koga zanima, naj sporoči!

NOV LETNIK PF

2011-10-24T18:46:00.004+02:00

Začetek drugega letnika PF v Tori bo 5. in 6. novembra 2011 ob 9.00 na Vrhniki! Šolnina je enaka lanski, poravnati pa bo treba tudi članarino za 2012. Tema prve delavnice, ki jo bo vodil Enrico Savini, so bori. Teoretičnemu delu bo sledilo praktično delo na drevesih. Če kdo od lanskega letnika ne bo več sodeloval, naj mi to čim prej sporoči (recimo do konca tedna), da bomo prosto mesto lahko ponudili drugemu. Se vidimo na Vrhniki!

NT

2011-10-23T15:22:00.000+02:00

Roland is Slovenia's New Talent. Yesterday he won that flattering title in NTC in Solkan, but he also won a big commitment at the same time because he'll represent Slovenia at EBA NTC in Ljubljana, at home exhibition. Congratulations! Now - go to train! ;-)

Roland je novi slovenski talent. Na včerajšnjem izboru v Solkanu si je priboril laskavi naslov in hkrati veliko obveznost, saj bo Slovenijo na tekmovanju novih talentov pod okriljem EBA zastopal v Ljubljani, na domači prireditvi. Čestitke! Zdaj pa trenirat! ;-)

MIHA

2011-10-19T17:59:00.000+02:00

Miha choose an interesting bonsai-way, tactic if you want. When we destroyed many trees simply by lack of patience, he take care of his yamadoris for many years, getting them ready for a big moment. Without any drastic and dangerous interventions! There is not many of them, who are prepared to wait a long time before yamadoris are ready. But this is the only way. We worked on Picea. After analysis it turned out as quite difficult material. From interesting old trunk two young branches with a lot of green mass were growing. The difference between young and old bark was huge, also the transition in tapering was big.

Miha si je izbral zanimivo bonsajsko pot, taktiko če hočete. Namreč med tem, ko smo mnogi zaradi nestrpnosti in želje po hitrem rezultatu uničili mrsikatero drevo, je Miha svoje jamadorije doma leta in leta tenstal in jih pripravljal na veliki trenutek. Brez nevarnih drastičnih posegov! Malokdo je pripravljen toliko časa čakati, da jamadoriji dozorijo. A to je pravzaprav edina prava pot. Delala sva na smreki, ki se je po analizi izkazala za dokaj težek materijal. Iz zanimivega starega debla sta na vrhu rastli dve mladi košati veji. Razlika med mlado in staro skorjo je velika, velik je tudi preskok v ožanju.

The time was shortened by our interesting conversations, Miha now know all about importance of right wiring, there was even time for some philosophical wisdom.

Ob zanimivih debatah je čas hitro mineval, Miha je spoznal pomembnost pravilnega žičenja, čas je bil tudi za kakšno filozofsko modrost.

This is the result. We used the small branch for crown, the bigger one will stay on the tree as reserve. You can notice how compact and visually thicker is now tree, and how old it looks. It is much smaller then at the start of workshop, but visually is much bigger then at the start. Jins and shari at the right side are still intact, this will be done later. With chalk marked area will be drilled and smalled, by that the tapering will be much better.

Rezultat je tu. Za krošnjo sva uporabila manjšo vejo, večja bo za zdaj ostala na drevesu kot rezerva. Lepo se vidi, kako je zdaj drevo bolj kompaktno in na pogled debelejše in s tem starejše. Je veliko manjše kot na začetku delavnice, a daje vtis veliko večjega drevesa, kot na začetku. Džini in šari na desni strani še niso obdelani, to pride na vrsto kasneje. S kredo označeni deli bodo obdelani in precej zmanjšani, s tem bo tudi ožanje optično veliko lepše.

Some minor corrections, Miha is there also for size-comparison.

Še nekaj popravkov, Miha pride prav tudi za vtis velikosti drevesa.

And the last photo. For Miha this was a great step forward, he stepped into a new world, world of miraculous transformations. And there is still one thing: this was one of the worst material in his collection of yamadoris. You can just imagine what is still hiding in his garden!

In še zadnja fotografija. Za Miho je bil to preskok, odprl se mu je nov svet, svet v čudežno preobrazbo dreves. Pa še nekaj: to je bila v bistvu njegova najslabša smreka med jamadoriji. Kaj vse še skriva njegov vrt si lahko le predstavljate!

On the way home ...

ST. VEIT

2011-10-17T09:21:00.001+02:00

When one of your students gets a first prize on international exhibition - you can feel many things: joy, pride, but mostly it is confirmation of good work. Two years of work on Roland's cascade paid off. Base, which we build on our workshop he upgraded with good work in his garden. With his talent and good eye for beauty he deserved this award. One of the experts asked Roland: "Is this import from Japan? It is great." Nope, it is not from Japan. Two years ago it was ordinary garden material, but even such questions are proof for quality. And first prize came on Roland's first exhibition. Even though that presentation of the tree wasn't perfect. We have a lot of reserve on this field. Roland, congratulations from my hart!

Ko eden od tvojih učencev osvoji prvo nagrado na mednarodni razstavi, te preveva cela paleta občutkov: veselje, ponos, predvsem pa gre za potrditev dobrega dela. Dveletno delo na Rolandovi kaskadi se je obrestovalo. Osnovo, ki sva jo zgradila na najinih delavnicah je nadgradil z dobrim delom na svojem vrtu, z svojo nadarjenostjo in očesom za lepoto si je nagrado več kot zaslužil. Eden od poznavalskih obiskovalcev je Rolanda vprašal: "Uvoz z Japonske? Odlična je." Ni z Japonske, še pred dvema letoma je bila navaden vrtni materijal, ampak tudi to je dokaz, za kako kakovostno delo gre. In zmaga je prišla na prvi Rolandovi razstavi. Kljub pomankljivi predstavitvi drevesa, manjka dobra mizica, sploh je na tem področju še veliko rezerve. Roland, iz srca čestitke!

Also my Juniper was nominated. Tree needs some two seasons more to mature. As Roland said: this is new momentum to continue with hard work! Two months more and I'll move to new atelier ...

Tudi moj brin, ki mu za popolno sliko manjkata še dve sezoni rasti, je bil nominiran. Kot je rekel Roland: nov zagon za naprej! Še dva meseca in preselil se bom v novi atelje ...

Back home

P.S.: More pictures from St. Veit and about awards for Nik and other slovenian trees you can find here: http://www.bonsajklub.si/bonsajforum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=3300

P.S.: Več slik iz St. Veita in tudi o Nikovi nagradi lahko vidite in preberete na tej povezavi: http://www.bonsajklub.si/bonsajforum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=3300

PEDENANJE

2011-10-12T17:36:00.000+02:00

Dejan's red pine was styled this spring, it was growing nicely over the summer and now it was calling for new shaping.

Dejanov rdeči bor je spomladi preživel prvo oblikovanje, čez poletje je lepo napredoval in pred zimo je klical po novem urejanju.

We left all old wire on the tree, because it isn't done its job yet. On conifers wire can stay on for two or even more years before the job is done; anyhow we left wire on the tree as long as possible - until it's start to cut into bark. We cut some old needles and wire new growth. This pine has everything as big one has ... except nebari. But even though working on this little tree was a pure joy!

Vso staro žico sva pustila na drevesu, saj še ni opravila svoje naloge. Pri iglavcih je žica na drevesu lahko tudi dve leti ali več, predno opravi svoje, vsekakor pa naj bo na drevesu čim dlje - vse dokler se ne začne zajedat v skorjo. Porezala sva nekaj lanskih iglic in ožičila novo rast. Ta bor ima vse kar imajo veliki ... izjema je nebari. Toda vseeno je bilo na tem malem drevesu užitek delati!

This weekend I'll exhibit my juniper Pfitzeriana in St. Veit, Austria; so last two days I worked on it too. This will be it's first exhibition. It still need a year or two of development, but because this will not be a exhibition on a highest level I decided to exhibit it nevertheless. Details in crown, cleaning of the bark, moss. Just pot must be still oiled and we'll hit the road!

Ta konec tedna bom v St. Veitu razstavljal kitajski brin vrste Pfitzeriana, tako, da sem se v zadnjih dneh ukvarjal tudi z njim. To bo njegova prva razstava. Manjka mu še leto ali dve razvoja, toda ker ne gre za razstavo najvišjega nivoja sem se odločl, da ga vseeno pokažem. Podrobno urejanje krošnje, čiščenje skorje, urejanje mahu. Še posodo naoljimo, pa gremo ...

EVA

2011-10-10T16:06:00.000+02:00

Weekend with Van Meer was prolonged with Monday with Eva and Roland. Eva was attending a basic workshop. She is one of the few who did it as should be always: first some literature and then basic workshop. Tree from this workshop is her first. She get a right information and now she is ready for first independent steps into world of bonsai.

Konec tedna z Van Meerom se je podaljšal v ponedeljek z Evo in Rolandom. Eva je prišla na tečaj z začetnike in je ena redkih, ki se je v svet bonsaja odpravila tako, kot je treba: najprej nekaj literature, potem obisk tečaja - drevo s tečaja je namreč njeno prvo. Dobila je prave informacije in zdaj je pripravljena, da napravi tudi prve samostojne korake.

Together with Roland we prepared his great cascade for first exhibition. Photographs are not able to show all its beauty. Roland started with bonsai three years ago, like Eva he first attended a workshop at my place. Then he developed his skills really quickly. Cascade started its journey two years ago also at workshop at my place. And now it is ready for first show. Of course Roland take almost all credits: he chose the perfect pot, but the most important is that he take a really good care of the tree in this last two years. And now for both, the tree and Roland, the great moment is coming.

Z Rolandom sva na prvo razstavo pripravila njegovo izjemno kaskado. Fotografije žal ne morejo prikazati vse njene lepote. Roland se je začel z bonsajizmom ukvarjati pred tremi leti, ravno tako kot Eva se je najprej oglasil na tečaju pri meni. Od tu naprej se je razvijal z velikimi koraki. Kaskada je svojo pot začela pred dvemi leti, prav tako na delavnici pri meni in zdaj je pripravljena na prvo razstavo. Seveda ima Roland pri tem največ zaslug: izbral je odlično posodo, predvsem pa je v teh dveh letih za drevo odlično skrbel. In zdaj je za oba napočil velik trenutek!

We worked on details, a little branch for a centimeter left or right, we prepared the pot and take care of the moss.

Delala sva na podrobnostih, vejica centimeter levo ali desno, priprava posode in mahu.

Beauty will be shown in St. Veit, Austria, in this upcoming weekend!

Lepotica bo na ogled prihodnji konec tedna v St. Veitu v Avstriji!

VAN MEER

2011-10-09T20:11:00.000+02:00

Last three days I spent with Hans Van Meer. Slovenian bonsai club organized a workshop with him. As his host I spent some great hours with him and I know now how great person he is. He is my new friend!

Zadnje tri dni sem preživel v družbi Hansa Van Meera. V okviru Slovenskega bonsaj kluba smo organizirali delavnico z njim. Kot njegov gostitelj sem s Hansom preživel kar nekaj uric in ga spoznal kot izjemnega človeka. Novega prijatelja!

On workshop I worked on interesting juniper with sharp lines.

Na delavnici sem delal na zanimivem brinu z ostrimi linijami.

It is a good starting point for a new half-cascade :-)

Dobro izhodišče za novo polkaskado :-)

After some work on dead-wood my concentration was gone and so I'll do the dead-wood in next phase of development. There is still a lot of green mas for safety, next year it will still be in a training pot. I feel, that it has a great future!

Po začetnem obdelovanju suhega lesa mi je zmanjkalo koncentracije in sem to prepusti naslednjim fazam razvoja. Na brinu je še ogromno zelenja za rezervo, prihodnje leto bo še preživel v trening posodi. Čutim, da ga čaka lepa prihodnost!

TADEJA

2011-10-06T17:40:00.001+02:00

OK, the life goes on, TORA school continues its mission. Tadeja came back for additional workshop, she decided that she want to know bonsaism. For that years are needed, but Tadeja is prepared to wait and learn.

Dobro, življenje teče dalje. TORA nadaljuje z svojim poslanstvom. Tadeja se je vrnila na dodatni tečaj, odločena, da bonsajizem spozna do obisti. Zato so sicer potrebna leta, a Tadeja je pripravljena v svojo željo vložiti veliko časa.

With New Year in new atelier I'll start small group of students, who'll study bonsai seriously and they'll take their knowledge at very high level. I'll write about details later, but for now there is room for 5-6 students. As it is for now, Tadeja will be one of them.

Z novim letom v novem ateljeju nameravam ustanoviti ožjo skupino učencev, ki bi bonsajizem študirala podrobno in znanje dvignila na zelo visok nivo. Podrobnosti sicer še sledijo, a na začetku bo prostora za 5-6 ljudi. Tadeja bo kot vse kaže ena izmed njih.

EBA NTC

2011-10-03T12:23:00.000+02:00

Everyone probably expect that I'll write about my experience on EBA New Talent Contest in Ratingen, Germany. OK, I will, even though this was my by far worst bonsai experience in my life. I was 1st runner up, the second in Europe, but this were four hours of pure torture with tree that didn't suit me. I am used to work on material which calls me. I must feel the material and then we could enjoy together in creating something beautiful. Even among the trees at NTC were such materials, but no my number 11.

Vsi najbrž pričakujete, da bom pisal o svoji izkušnji na tekmovanju novih talentov pod okriljem Evropske bonsajske zveze, ki je bilo ta konec tedna v Ratingenu v Nemčiji. OK, bom, čeprav gre za mojo doslej najslabšo bonsajistično izkušnjo. Osvojil sem drugo mesto v Evropi, a za mano so štiri ure čistega mučenja na drevesu, s katerim se nisva ujela. Navajen sem delati na materijalu, ki me pokliče. Z leti vedno bolj. Morava se začutiti, da potem skupaj uživava v ustvarjanju. Tudi med drevesi na NTC-ju je bilo nekaj takšnih, a ne moje, nesrečna 11-ke.

After few second I realized, that I have bad luck with draw. Stifled bush with curled branches. The only solution was cascade - the style I don't like. Sarcastically - on the competition where I am supposed to do the best work I am forced to work on material which don't suit me and in style which I don't like! I was even thinking to step down before finishing the tree, because I really don't need such a torture.

Že po nekaj sekundah analize mi je bilo jasno, da sem imel pri žrebu veliko smolo. Potlačen grm s prepletenimi vejami je nudil le rešitev v meni neljubo kaskado. Kako sarkastično - na tekmovanju, na katerem naj bi pokazal vse kar znam moram delati na materijalu, ki mi ne ustreza in to v slogu, ki ga nemaram! Niti za trenutek nisem užival, še več, razmišljal sem celo, da bi prizorišče predčasno zapustil, saj takega mučenja res ne potrebujem.

I finished my work by routine, as many trees before. And took second place. If I can take a second place on European contest with such approach, then I must be really good! What could happened If I drew the number 10, upright tree with strong line, on which I could create a masterpiece!? But I get confirmation. Years of hard work are payed out, technique and feelings for shaping are here, the way is right. And this is the most important lecture of this experience, even though my feelings are still bad. And they would be the same even though I would be winning the contest ...

Oddelal sem do konca, na rutino, kot že na stotine dreves doslej. In osvojil dugo mesto. Če lahko s takšnim načinom na evropskem tekmovanju osvojim drugo mesto, potem moram biti res dober. Kaj bi šele bilo, če bi izžrebal številko 10, pokončno drevo z izrazitimi linijami, v katerem bi lahko ustvaril mojstrovino!? Ampak potrditev je tu. Leta trdega dela so se obrestovala, tehnika in občutki za oblikovanje so tu, pot je prava. In to je najpomembnejša lekcija te izkušnje, kljub temu, da so občutki slabi. In bi bili enaki, tudi če bi zmagal ...

TJAŠA

2011-09-23T08:48:00.001+02:00

Tjaša is new student of Tora school. She went through basic workshop and now she knows what is real bonsai. Wiring was not a big problem for her, so we could hope, that we'll see Tjaša again! :-)

Tjaša je novopečena bonsajistka, ki je opravila začetni tečaj v Tori. Spoznala je, kaj bonsaj pravzaprav je, žičenje pa ji ni predstavljalo prevelike muke ... Znak, da bomo Tjašo v prihodnje še videvali v naših krogih! :-)

In the afternoon I was attending the meeting of EBA 2012 organizing committee. We already did a lot of work, the new web page (http://www.eba2012.si/ ) is already on-line, but still more work is there to be done in next months. Can we fix it? Yes we can!

Popoldne še na sestanek org. odbora EBA 2012. Opravili smo že veliko dela, zaživela je nova spletna stran (http://www.eba2012.si/ ), ki ta veliki dogodek napoveduje, še več dela pa nas čaka v prihodnjih mesecih. Bomo zmogli? Bomo ja!

MACESEN

2011-09-20T16:57:00.001+02:00

Story of this Larix is very special; in short: Tina bought this little tree from Aleš seven years ago at Flora fair. She did take great care of it all this time and Larix gain his quality. It survived cold winters, hot summers, even bet that it is dead and that it will not grow in the spring, Tina watered it, fed it, even cut it, but the tree lost its shape during all this years. This spring Tina brought it to Flora again, Modri re-potted it, the pot is not good but this will be another story, and we agreed for autumn shaping. And this is where I came in. Wiring was preatty tricky (wasn't it Matej?) because needles are still on the tree. We take care of new buds, the needles have already done their job for this season. Ramification is great - all because of Tina's great care. It take two days, because we did not have enough time (well, was me ...) but in the end Larix is in full glory again. We have nice bonsai, happy owner and great story goes on!

Zgodba o tem macesnu je zelo zanimiva; če jo skrajšam: Tina je macesenček kupila od Aleša pred sedmimi leti na Flori. Ves ta čas je zanj skrbela z veliko ljubeznijo in macesen je samo pridobival na kvaliteti. Preživel je mrzle zime, vroča poletja, tudi stavo, da je mrtev in, da spomladi ne bo ozelenel je preživel, Tina ga je zalivala, gnojila, tudi obrezovala, a z leti je drevo izgubljalo obliko. Letos spomladi se je Tina z njim spet oglasila na Flori, Modri ga je presadil, sicer nazaj v glazirano in neprimerno posodo, a to še pride, dogovorili pa smo se tudi za jesensko oblikovanje. In tu pridem na vrsto jaz. Žičenje je bilo zahtevno (a ne Matej), ker so na drevesu še iglice, toda paziti je bilo treba le na nove brste, saj so iglici že opravile svoje delo. Razvejanost je zavidjiva - vse posledica Tinine dobre oskrbe. Trajalo je sicer dva dni, ker sva bila oba v stiski s časom (no bolj jaz) a na koncu je macesen spet zablestel v vsej svoji lepoti. Dobili smo lep bonsaj, srečno lastnico in lepa zgodba se lahko nadaljuje!

Before

After

With happy owner!

SAMOBOR 3

2011-09-19T21:03:00.001+02:00

I was in Samobor this weekend, spending some nice time with Croatian friends, Tomaž H. was my assistant this time. Croatian branch of Tora school with its tireless leader Dean is working good, we did a third workshop of bonsai-school. There were some new faces. This complicates the process of learning but increasing the number of students. Progress of those who already attended previous workshops is obvious. Now we are just waiting for better material and results will be excellent. As everytime the socializing is very important. And this time was first-class again! See you at next workshop!

Ta konec tedna sem preživel v Samoboru v družbi prijetnih hrvaških prijateljev, vlogo asistenta je tokrat odlično opravil Tomaž H. Hrvaška podružnica Tore z neutrudnim vodjo Deanom deluje dobro, izpeljali smo tretjo delavnico bonsajske šole. Videti je bilo nekaj novih obrazov, to sicer otežuje sam proces učenja, a povečuje bazo učencev. Pri tistih, ki so se že udeležili prejšnjih delavnic je videti dober napredek. Zdaj čakamo le še na boljši materijal in rezultati bodo izvrstni. Tako kot vedno je pomembno tudi druženje. In to je bilo spet prvovrstno. Se vidimo na naslednji delavnici!

Tomaž was great assistant ...

... he documented every detail

Dean was a great host again, he is also good student

A lot of time we spent on wiring, level of wiring is better and better

Croatian Bonsai Club is a host of Tora branch

Even though materials were not first-class the results were quite good

DOKONČANO DELO

2011-09-15T13:39:00.001+02:00

Grega was here, we finished what we started this spring. At first shaping of this Chamaecyparis we figured out that finishing the tree in one step would be to dangerous because to much of green mass should be removed. So, during the summer Grega take a nice care of it and today we completed the work.

Grega se je oglasil dokončat spomladi začeto delo. Takrat sva ugotovila, da bi bilo oblikovanje do konca za drevo nevarno, saj bi bilo treba naenkrat odstraniti preveč zelene mase. Čez poletje je Grega za pacipreso lepo skrbel in zdaj sva lahko dokončala delo.

ŠOHIN

2011-09-08T16:48:00.000+02:00

Bonsai-story of this shohin Juniper started in May 2006 in Klagenfurt, Austria. There was a New Talent Contest or something similar. I returned home with new little tree.

Bonsajska zgodba brina šohin velikosti se je začela maja leta 2005 v Celovcu v Avstriji. Bilo je tekmovanje novih talentov ali nekaj takega. Domov sem se vrnil z novim dreveščkom.

May 2006 - before

May 2006 - after

Six years later we are still fighting together. It is potted into its second bonsai-pot and it is slowly developing. It is a problem, because for the moment I couldn't get him enough of sun, but this will change soon with moving into new atelier. This morning I cleaned it and did a autumn cutting. In between this two interesting photos were taken:

6 let kasneje se še vedno boriva. Presajen je že v svojo drugo bonsajsko posodo in se počasi razvija. Težava je, ker mu trenutno ne morem zagotoviti dovolj sonca, a to se bo z selitvijo v nov atelje kmalu izboljšalo. Dopoldne sem ga očistil, opravil jesensko obrezovanje in pripravo na zimo. Vmes sta nastali zanimivi fotki:

SMREKA S

2011-09-06T14:58:00.001+02:00

Today I finished what I started in Friday - I completed maintaining works on Picea. This spruce started it's bonsai life last December in Enrico Savini's workshop in Bologna, got over winter in Raje's greenhouse and developed during summer as planned. Everywhere are thousands of new buds, just waiting for next spring. Even dough I was planning re-potting into bonsai pot for next spring, I'll wait for another year. I'll let spruce to gain new power and growth of new buds which will fill in the crown.

Danes sem končal, kar sem začel že v petek - dokončal vzdrževalna dela na smreki. Smreka je svojo bonsajsko pot začela lani decembra v delavnici Enrica Savinija v Bologni, zimo preživela v Rajetovem rastlinjaku, čez poletje pa se razvijala po pričakovanjih. Povsod po starem lesu je na tisoče brstov, ki nestrpno čakajo na novo pomlad. Čeprav sem načrtoval presaditev v bonsajsko posodo že prihodnjo pomlad, bo že pripravljena posoda morala počakati še eno leto. Smreki bom dovolil, da se v trening posodi naužije novih moči in dobro požene vse nastavljene brste in popolni krošnjo.

Spruce before wiring

Ready for fotoshooting

Spruce after wiring

Raje working on his Pinus

It is a joy to work in Raje's corner, after long time we were working together. And this is noticeable also on the finished product. When my new atelier will be available, you will see as together even more often!

Užitek je delati v Rajetovem kotičku, tokrat sva po dolgem času tudi delala skupaj. Tudi to da svoj žmoht izdelku. Ko bo na voljo moj novi atelje, naju boste morda še pogosteje srečali skupaj!

DRUŽENJE

2011-09-05T17:18:00.000+02:00

This was a weekend full of socializing with bonsai-friends! In Saturday Nik was a great host, at his garden he organized a small workshop for bonsaists from nearby. There was a great atmosphere!

To je bil konec tedna poln druženja z bonsajističnimi prijatelji! V soboto je bil odličen gostitelj Nik, ki je na svojem vrtu organiziral manjše srečanje bonsajistov iz soseščine. Dobre volje ni manjkalo!

Nik and Jože talking about bonsai

Nice working space

In Sunday I exhibited a tree on a small international exhibition in Staranzano, Italy. Day in company with friends from Slovenia, Austria and Italy was too short!

V nedeljo sem razstavljal na manjši medklubski razstavi v Staranzanu v Italiji. Dan med prijatelji iz Slovenije, Avtrije in Italije je minil kot bi mignil!

Exhibition place

David was exhibiting a miniature suiseki

David working on Pinus nigra

DUH

2011-08-30T19:23:00.001+02:00

Today I was working with Primož. We are shaping his Picea step by step, this is his best yamadori so far. After spring cleaning of crown and after he fed it strongly trough summer, Picea was ready for next step. It showed that by many buds all over the tree. But even this time we were not exaggerated. Just first shaping of main branches. As ghost from the mist bonsai starting to show out of the bush. We left a lot of green mass on the tree because of the safety of the tree, almost all left trunk is intact. We'll cut it next year if Picea will react as we plan.

Danes sem delal s Primožem. Smreko, njegov dosedaj najboljši jamadori, oblikujeva korak za korakom. Po spomladanskem čiščenju krošnje in potem, ko jo je čez poletje Primož dobro gnojil, je z številnimi brsti praktično povsod po drevesu pokazala, da je pripravljena na naslednji korak. Toda tudi tokrat nisva pretiravala. Prvo oblikovanje osnovnih vej, iz grma se kakor duh iz mraka začenja nakazovati bodoči bonsaj. Zaradi varnosti drevesa sva na njem ohranila še veliko zelenja, praktično večino levega debla, ki ga bova odrezala naslednje leto, če bo smreka seveda sodelovala tako, kot načrtujeva.

MIHA

2011-08-27T21:07:00.001+02:00

I responded with pleasure on Miha's invitation; we had great Saturday's morning! We worked on small Juniperus chinensis, on first sight this was not a promising material. But detailed analysis, we spent first hour of our work for it, showed some possibilities. Anyway Miha wanted a classical style. Classical it is! But still we discovered quite a character in this small tree!

Z veseljem sem se odzval na Mihatovo povabilo; sobotno dopoldne je minilo kot bi mignil! Delala sva na majhnem kitajskem brinu, ki na prvi pogled ni obetal prav veliko. Kljub temu, da je podrobna analiza materijala, za katero sva porabila uvodno urico, pokazala kar nekaj možnosti, si je Miha zaželel klasično oblikovanje. Pa naj bo klasično. A vseeno sva v drevescu odkrila kar nekaj karakterja!

Starting material, Miha already worked on it in the past.

Začetni materijal na katerem je Miha v preteklosti že delal.

Then we put on some rafia.

Potem sva navila kar nekaj rafije.

Almost there ... (Miha said: you must be on the photo :-) )

Skoraj tam ... (Miha je rekel - moraš se slikat zraven :-) )

Mission accomplished!

Misija končana!

VROČINA

2011-08-24T17:05:00.001+02:00

"Are you mad, it is so hot," Nataša complained, but enjoyed shaping the Chamaecyparis anyway. The new season is here, Tora opened its doors again, school is in progress! With or without incredible heat we have this days.

"Kaj si ti nor, kak je vroče," je jamrala Nataša, a vseeno uživala v oblikovanju paciprese. Nova sezona je tu, Tora je spet odprla svoja vrata, šolanje je v polnem teku! Vročina gor ali dol.

POLETJE

2011-08-17T18:14:00.000+02:00

Even though that summer seems as time of idleness for bonsaist in reality is completely different. There is a lot of work with everyday watering, pinching and cutting, maintenance of dead-wood. I was working on two Juniperus this days - Itoigawa named Pelican and Virginiana, which got it's first bonsai-pot this spring: pinching, maintenance of dead-wood ... The work never runs out.

Čeprav se na prvi pogled zdi, da bi moralo biti poletje za bonsajista čas brezdelja, pa je v resnici povsem drugače. Ogromno dela je z vsakodnevnim zalivanjem, vršičkanjem in obrezovanjem, urejanjem suhega lesa. V teh dneh sem se posvetil dvema brinoma - itoigavi imenovanem Pelikan in virginiani, ki je letos dobil prvo posodo: vršičkanje, vzdrževanje suhega lesa ... Dela nikoli ne zmanjka.

PRIPRAVE

2011-08-13T11:12:00.001+02:00

Time of collecting is slowly approaching, so, the looking for the material is now the main task. Yesterday we were in the company of Andrej and of course we found some nice specimens. This searching is also good for analyzing and admiration of work of nature. My attention was taken by jin on 100 yrs old spruce. If someone would show it to me on photograph I'd say: like in school, bravo! But this jin was made by our teacher Nature. The case, which could be an example for our work!

Počasi prihaja čas jesenskih izkopov, zato so ogledi in iskanje materijala v polnem teku. Včeraj smo šli v oglede z Andrejem in seveda našli nekaj obetajočih primerkov. So pa takšni ogledi tudi čas za analizo in občudovanje dela narave. Mojo pozornost je pritegnil džin na 100-letni smreki. Če bi mi ga kdo pokazal samo na fotografiji, bi dejal: šolsko, bravo! Toda izdelala ga je naša učiteljica narava. Primer, ki je lahko za vzgled!

IGRAČKANJE

2011-07-25T21:03:00.000+02:00

After a few weeks of other jobs bonsais are my main concern again. Red pine in Literati style was just right for afternoon playing. Spring growth is mature, it is time for needle plucking and new wiring. We had a good time together! (first photo is a material)

Po nekaj tednih premora so spet na vrsti bonsaji. Rdeči bor v slogu literati je bil pravšnji za popoldansko igračkanje. Spomladanska rast je dozorela, čas je bil za redčenje iglic in novo žičenje. Lepo sva se imela! (prva slika je začetni materijal)

FIKUS

2011-07-17T14:55:00.000+02:00

It is always interesting to compare old pictures of the trees with updated ones. What incredible transformation could happen in few years! It would be very interesting to fast-forward some 5-6 years and compress them into a few second of a film ... Bonsaism is mostly long-term activity. First pic is from autumn 2007, the second is from today:

Vedno se mi zdi zanimivo primerjat stare fotografije dreves z najnovejšimi. Kakšne neverjetne transformacije se zgodijo v nekaj letih! Zelo zanimivo bi bilo na hitro zvrteti recimo 5-6 let in jih stisniti v nekaj sekund filma ... Bonsajizem je večinoma tek na dolge proge. Prva slika fikusa je iz jeseni 2007, druga je današnja:

POLETJE

2011-07-16T21:28:00.001+02:00

Tomaž came in summer school; his ficus waited all winter long for this part of the year. When he bring it into workshop, it was completely overgrown:

Tomaž se je oglasil v poletni šoli; njegov fikus je že celo zimo čakal na ta letni čas. Ko ga je prinesel v delavnico, je bil pošteno skuštran:

First we defoliated it - structure of crown was then visible and we could wire it:

Najprej sva ga razlistila, da se je pokazala struktura vej in sva ga kasneje lahko ožičila:

Then wiring take place (Tomaž improved his skills very much, he still need some practicing though) and new look of bonsai is here:

Sledilo je natančno žičenje (Tomaž je že zelo napredoval, manjka mu le še kondicija, ki jo bo dobil s prakso) in nova podoba bonsaja je tu:

ŠE MUGO

2011-06-29T20:48:00.001+02:00

Mrs. Milojka was enjoying in shaping the Pinus mugo cultivar, we spent nice three hours together. This was just a right amount of bonsaism for her to feel how nice cerativity in live material is. She promised that she'll return. And because she realy enjoyed the shaping of that pine, I beleive her!

Z gospo Milojko sva uživala v oblikovanju kultivarja ruševja in skupaj preživela prijetne tri urice. Ravno prava doza bonsajizma, da je gospa začutila, kako lepo je ustvarjati v živem materijalu. Obljubila je, da se nismo srečali zadnjič. Glede na to, da je v ustvarjanju res uživala, verjamem, da res!

During the summer we'll focus on work on dead-wood and shaping of tropical species. And we'll not forget to water!

Čez poletje se bomo v Tori posvetili delu na suhem lesu in oblikovanju tropskih vrst. Pa na zalivanje ne bomo pozabili!

ZADNJA

2011-06-26T20:47:00.000+02:00

Grega was probably the last student who worked on Chamaecyparis in this part of the season. We'll continue to work on this species in the autumn! There will be still some workshops, but during the summer we'll concentrate on other techniques, we'll do the shaping only on tropical trees.

Grega je bil verjetno zadnji, ki je to spomladansko sezono delal na pacipresi. Na tej, za učenje zelo primerni vrsti, bomo nadaljevali spet jeseni! Nekaj tečajev se še obeta, toda čez poletje se bomo posvetili drugim tehnikam, oblikovanje pa izvajali le na tropskih vrstah.

I would like to inform all the students who successfully ended the first year of PF school in Tora that we are intensively preparing the program for the second year. There will be four weekends - one in October, February and April, and then the last meeting in June. All workshops will be led by Enrico Savini. Theme of first weekend will be pines, the main theme of whole year will be understanding of reactions of the trees caused by interventions in different times. This will be a interesting year of study, I am already excepting applications, the price is the same as last year. In the same time Tora also invite all students who want to start a first year of study - three workshops led by Ivo Saporiti will be in the same time period (with the exception of April), this will be basic study suitable for all. I am waiting for your applications!

Vsem študentom, ki so uspešno zaključili prvi letnik šole PF v Tori sporočam, da je v intenzivni pripravi program drugega letnika. Šlo bo za štiri konce tedna - po enega v oktobru, februarju in aprilu, ter zaključno srečanje v začetku junija. Vsa srečanja bo vodil Enrico Savini. Tema prvega srečanja bodo bori, sicer pa bo v tem letu poudarek na razumevanju reakcij dreves v povezavi s časom in načinom posegov ter tudi našim podnebjem. Obeta se zanimivo leto študija, prijave že sprejemam, cena ostane nespremenjena.

Tora obenem razpisuje tudi ponoven vpis v prvi letnik - prvi letnik bo vodil Ivo Saporiti, šlo bo za tri srečanja v približno istem terminu (z izjemo aprilskega), šolanje bo potekalo praktično od osnov, tako, da je primerno za vse. Tudi v prvi letnik prijave že sprejemam!

MATURA

2011-06-12T09:31:00.000+02:00

This weekend the members of first year of Progetto Futuro school had a last meeting in Tora. Led by Enrico Savini students analyzed their work in last year and complemented their knowledge. Atmosphere was great again, there were a good trees, school has a great success.

Konec tedna se je na zadnjem srečanju v Tori zbral prvi letnik šole Proggeto Futuro. Pod vodstvom Enrica Savinija so študenti analizirali delo v zadnjem letu in dopolnjevali svoje znanje. Vzdušje je bilo spet sijajno, drevesa dobra, šola popoln uspeh.

During the summer the candidates for second year of school can sign up with me or Raje, there will be also free spots for a new generation of first year. In both groups there will be a room for 10 students. We welcome also international students!

Čez poletje bova z Rajetom sprejemala prijave za drugi letnik šole, prav tako pa bodo na voljo mesta za novo generacijo prvega letnika. V obeh skupinah bo prostora za 10 študentov. Vabljeni tudi ljubitelji bonsajev iz tujine!

PROGETTO

2011-06-04T08:33:00.000+02:00

Vse študente prvega letnika šole Progetto Futuro prosim, če mi čim prej potrdijo udeležbo na zaključni delavnici prve sezone. Vidimo se 11/12. junija v Tori!

LP
Tomaž

BELGIJC

2011-05-23T20:27:00.000+02:00

Last two days I was working on juniper which found its way into my garden almost three years ago. It is a urban yamadori, probably garden material. Firstly I was planning to shape it in autumn, but It was growing so vigorously after re-poting that I decided to do it now. I'll remember it's smell the most and peace at wiring in morning, when work became meditation.

Zadnje dva dni sem delal na brinu, ki je pot v moj vrt našel pred slabimi tremi leti. Gre za urbani jamadori, najverjetneje je nekoč rastel na kakšnem vrtu. Sprva sem njegovo drugo oblikovanje načrtoval za jesen, a ker se je po presajanju odzval z bujno rastjo, sem se ga lotil že zdaj. Najbolj mi gre do živega njegov vonj in pa jutranji mir ob žičenju, ko delo postane meditacija.

before wiring

After two and a half years of work on it, it is showable for the first time. I'll exhibit it probably at autumn exhibition in St. Veit in Austria!

Po dveh letih in pol dela na njem, je prvič pripravljen za rasztavo. Najbrž bo debitiral jeseni na razstavi v St. Veitu v Avstriji!

October 2009

May 2011

SMREKA

2011-05-19T20:29:00.001+02:00

The season of workshops in Tora is almost over, the summer break is near. Davorin came in for advanced workshop; after some years of break he started to do a bonsai again. Now he want to push his knowledge on to higher level. We worked on simple spruce, but we gave it a lot of character. Davorin surprised me with his wiring. He was on one beginner workshop but he is wiring like he do this everyday. He does only a few errors. It is true that his concentration is quickly fading with time, but this could be improved by practice. Davorin has proved that he know how to do it.

Sezona delavnic v Tori se počasi končuje, bliža se poletni predah. Davorin je prišel na nadaljevalni tečaj; po nekaj letih premora se je spet začel ukvarjati z bonsaji in svoje znanje hoče dvigniti na višji nivo. Delala sva na enostavni smreki, ki pa sva ji dala veliko karakterja. Davorin me je izjemno presenetil z znanjem žičenja. Za njim je le en osnovni tečaj, toda žiči tako, kot da bi ožičil že veliko dreves. Komaj kakšno napako napravi. Res da mu s časom koncentracija hitro pada, a tovrstno kondicijo lahko pridobiš le z vajo. Da znanje ima, pa je Davorin dokazal.

A little bit more problem for him is shaping. What is hiding in the bush, how to create a bonsai out of bush. But so why he came to the school. With some practice he'll improve on that too. First some simple trees and then better and better ones. Davorin is on a good way!

Nekoliko več težav mu dela oblikovanje. Kaj se skriva v grmu, kako iz grma ustvariti bonsaj. A zato je prišel v šolo. Z nekaj vaje, bo tudi tu napredoval. Najprej enostavna drevesa, potem pa počasi vedno boljša in boljša. Davorin je na dobri poti!

For me season is far from over. I am planning to wire a complicated juniper, after a week or two I'll defoliate a ficus ... Meanwhile someone will come in Tora, for sure!

Zame sezone še zdaleč ni konec. Pred mano je žičenje zahtevnega brina, čez kaka dva tedna razlistenje fikusa ... Vmes pa se bo gotovo našel še kdo, ki bo znanje iskal v Tori!

ZABAVA

2011-05-05T07:55:00.000+02:00

This was the most fun group of students ever! We were already freezing in the evening, but the joy of work on trees overcome everything. Three new bonsaists are born. Usually on this workshops I only give much, but this time I've got some good energy back. In the afternoon Damjan and me were re-potting his juniper which we shaped last year at basic workshop.

Tako zabavne skupine učencev, kot je bila tokrat, pa že dolgo ne. Zvečer nas je že pošteno zeblo, a užitek dela na drevesih je premagal vse! Rojeni so trije novi bonsajisti. Običajno na tečajih veliko samo dajem, tokrat pa sem nekaj dobre energije dobil tudi nazaj! Še prej sva z Damjanom presajala lani na tečaju oblikovan brin.

KSIAZ

2011-05-03T09:46:00.004+02:00

From afar castle Ksiaz in the middle of Fagus woods looks mighty and a bit mysterious. Like mirage in the distance. Up close impression is no different. It is one of the biggest polish castles; some years ago there was a EBA convention, this time it was a host of Polish national exhibition. Me and my assistant Tomaz were performing as demonstrators. Exhibition was part of Flower and art festival, whole weekend there was a great river of people running trough castle countless halls. But castle is so huge that one can find a place only for himself where one can admire work of masters from the past.

Grad Ksiaz sredi bukovih gozdov že od daleč deluje mogočno in malce skrivnostno. Kot privid v daljavi. Od blizu vtis ni nič drugačen. Gre za enega največjih gradov na Poljskem, pred leti je gostil konvencijo EBA, tokrat pa je bil prizorišče poljske nacionalne razstave, kjer sem skupaj z asistentom Tomažem nastopil kot demonstrator. Razstava je bila v sklopu festivala rož in umetnosti, cel konec tedna se je v grad in po njegovih brezštevilnih sobanah valila ogromna reka ljudi. A grad je tako ogromen, da kljub vsemu lahko najdeš kotiček zase in občuduješ delo rok mojstrov iz preteklosti.

Bonsais were hiding in a dance hall, revealed some interesting views.

Bonsaji so se skrivali v plesni dvorani, razkrivali so se zanimivi pogledi.

My Prunus, this time exhibited in tokonoma, got EBA's Certificate of Merit and with that a proof that it is in a good way. This was one of the awards in the exhibition.

Moja rešeljika, tokrat razstavljena v tokonomi, je s certifikatom kakovosti, ki jo podeljuje EBA, dobila potrdilo, da je na dobri poti in eno od nagrad na razstavi.

The main job we did in Saturday. My friend and organizer Piotr Czerniachowski gave me a Picea pungens for a demo. "It needs your Italian hands," he said and that what he get. We, me and Tomaz, were analyzing the Picea in Friday evening, I drew the sketch and with that we started the demo. We were on the stage together with great Seok Ju Kim form Korea and Milan Karpisek from Czech republic (his assistent was a great pot-maker Tom Benda).

Osrednja naloga me je čakala v soboto. Prijatelj in organizator razstave Piotr Czerniachowski je za mojo demonstracijo pripravil srebrno smreko. "Potrebuje tvoje italijanske roke," je dejal Piotr in to je tudi dobil. S Tomažem sva smreko že v petek zvečer analizirala in nastala je skica, s katero sva demo tudi začela. Oder sva si delila z odličnim Korejcem Seok Ju Kimom in Čehom Milanom Karpinškom (njegov asistent je bil mojster izdelovaja posodo Tom Benda).

Great atmosphere, far from wild rivalry which is too often the feature of exhibition in the west; here the soapy Slavic soul prevailed. Socializing, endless talks, friendship. That is why I like to come back in this part of the world!

Krasno vzdušje, daleč od divje tekmovalnosti, ki je vse prevečkrat značilno za razstave na zahodu; tu je prevladovala mila slovanska duša. Druženje, neskončni pogovori, prijateljevanje. In zato se v tal del sveta rad vračam!

PO PICO V NOVO GORICO

2011-04-28T19:17:00.000+02:00

On invitation of Nova Gorica students club we were there presenting bonsaism. A lecture and demo on easy, simple material. My students Natasha and Miha were performing infront of audience for the first time. They will use this experience in the future for sure. Working on tree when people are watching you and under pression is totally different from working in peace at home. But they both did a good job. And we even get the icecream!

Na povabilo Kluba goriških študentov smo v Novi Gorici predstavljali bonsaizem. Predavanje in manjša demonstracija na enostavnem materijalu. Z mano sta bila Nataša in Miha, ki sta prvič nastopila pred večjo skupino ljudi in jima bo takšna izkušnja prišla še kako prav. Delati, ko ti drugi gledajo pod prste in pod pritiskom, je nekaj povsem drugega kot v miru doma. Ampak sta se izkazala. Pa še na sladoled smo šli!

CIRKUS

2011-04-22T08:19:00.000+02:00

Yesterday was a complete circus. In the morning Roman was attending a basic workshop which his wife gave to him as a gift. He returned home with nice Chamaecyparis. Me and Tomaz were finishing Tomaz's Chamaecyparis in the afternoon in Ljubljana. Meanwhile I forgot my computer at Raje's place and had to return to pick it up.

Včeraj je bil cel cirkus! Dopoldne je Roman opravil tečaj za začetnike, ki ga mu je podarila žena; domov je odšel z lepo pacipreso. S Tomažem sva delo na njegovi dokončala popoldne v Ljubljani. Vmes sem pozabil računalnik pri Rajetu in se moral vrniti ponj.

Little Prunus is in full bloom!

Pa mala rešelika je v polnem cvetu!

And circus in the evening. The real one. After I don't know how many years me and my son Jakob went to watch a circus. Jakob enjoyed clowns, I was enjoying artists. A nice end of the day!

Zvečer pa še cirkus. Tapravi. Po nevemkoliko letih sva si ga privoščila z Jakobom. Jakob je užival ob predstavah klovnov, jaz ob predstavah artistk. Lep konec dneva!

BONSAI SLOVAKIA 2011

2011-04-18T22:06:00.002+02:00

It was a wonderful weekend in Nitra, Slovakia. Olena and Vladimir Ondrejčik showed once again how great hosts they are. They organized exhibition Bonsai Slovakia for 14th time and invited bonsaists from all over the world. Bonsai Slovakia is more then ordinary exhibition, it is gathering of friends and exploring tastes. I am glad that I was part of this for second time; me and Raje were demonstrating in Friday.

Za mano je čudovit konec tedna v Nitri na Slovaškem. Olena in Vladimir Ondrejčik sta znova dokazala, da sta izjemna gostitelja. Že 14-ič sta organizirala razstavo Bonsai Slovakia in nanjo povabila bonsajiste z vsega sveta. Bonsai Slovakia je več kot običajna razstava, je druženje prijateljev in raziskovanje okusov. Vesel sem, da sem bil lahko že drugič del te družbe; z Rajetom sva demonstrirala v petek.

Nitra still has some socialistic wounds, but here and there you can find some pearl from the past. Fortified Basilica on the hill in old town is one of them. The interior is beautifully decorated, the true feast for the eyes and soul.

Nitri se še poznajo socialistične rane, toda tu in tam se le najde tudi kakšen biser iz preteklosti. Eden teh je gotovo utrjena bazilika na hribu v starem delu mesta. Notranjost je čudovito okrašena, prava paša za oči in dušo.

Me and Raje were representing Slovenia. There were also bonsaists from Slovakia, Venezuela, Colombia, Poland, Brazilia, Denmark, Lithuania, UK and more. We were on stage in Friday, together with Corin Tomlinson from UK and nice couple from Poland - Jaczek & Marta Pietakiewicz. Interview with Corin, the son of well-known Harry Tomlinson, you have one of his books for sure, will be published in next Literati. We were enjoying the demonstration and we were satisfied with result.

Z Rajetom sva torej na razstavi predstavljala Slovenijo. Tu so bili še bonsajisti iz Slovaške, Venezuele, Kolumbije, Poljske, Brazilije, Danske, Litve, Velike Britanije pa še koga sem najbrž pozabil. Z Rajetom sva si v petek delila oder s Corinom Tomlinsonom iz Velike Britanije in simpatičnim zakonskim parom Jaczek & Marta Pietakiewicz iz Poljske. Intervju s Corinom Tomlinsonom, sinom znanega Harryja Tomlinsona, gotovo imate kakšno od njegovih knjig, bo objavljen v naslednji številki Literata. Midva sva uživala, z rezultatom demonstracije sva bila zadovoljna.

"Are you serious?!"

"Saj ne misliš resno!?"

Many demos are one of the attraction of exhibition in Nitra. You can see many different demonstrators, with many different styles, materials, knowledge. Unfortunately, the audience is a bit too reserved and there is no real interaction. So more time is left for the work! We missed Thursday demonstrations, but here are all others:

Prav številne demonstracije so ena od privlačnosti razstave v Nitri. Na odru se zvrstijo različni demonstratorji z različnimi slogi, materijali, znanjem. Žal je publika nekoliko preveč zadržana in ni prave interakcije. Je pa zato več časa za delo! Žal sva z Rajetom zamudila četrtkove demonstracije, zato pa so tu ostali:

Karim Alfaro,Venezuela

Exhibition is open for all, there is no selection. So, you can see beginners-trees, but also some masterpieces. All together more then 300 trees. Everybody can find something for himself ...

Razstava je odprta za vse, brez selekcije. Zato so na ogled drevesa začetnikov, pa tudi mojstrovine. Vsega skupaj več kot 300 dreves! Vsak najde kaj zase ...

Pinus sylvestris by Corin Tomlinson

Rdeči bor Corina Tomlinsona

Even though without table - the best tree of exhibition was this Olea europea by Jana Jandaskova

Čeprav slabo predstavljena (brez mizice in spremljevalne rastline) je bila za najboljše drevo izbrana oljka Jane Jandaskove

Pinus penthafylla by Piotr Cherniakowski was also awarded

Nagrajen je bil tudi beli bor Piotra Cherniakowskega

Even suiseki-lovers find something for themselves.

Na svoj račun so prišli tudi ljubitelji suisekijev.

Bonsai Slovakia is also about pots, a lot of beautiful pots and above all tea. Magic evening in tea-house of Ondrejčik family is always something special ...

Bonsa Slovakia pa so tudi posode, veliko lepih posod in predvsem čaj. Čarobni večer v čajnici Ondrejčikovih je vedno nekaj posebnega ...

Olena, Vladimir and all new and old friends - thank you again for wonderful weekend!

Olena, Vladimir in vsi novi in stari prijatelji, še enkrat hvala za čudovit konec tedna!

RDEČI

2011-04-13T20:37:00.001+02:00

Dejan was intending a basic course a year ago, now he was back to re-pot his little spruce. So, Dejan has passed a test - he was taking care of a tree successfully for one year! Now is time for buying a better material. To my great joy he buy a red pine ;-)! In Monday small group of my students gathered together at my place (desperately need a bigger working place!). Natasha and Joze helped Dejan with work on his pine. All three together were cutting needles, but the job was not done until dusk. This was one really bushy pine! We have only enough time left to wire the first branch.

Dejan je bil na začetnem tečaju pred letom dni, zdaj se je z smrekico s tistega tečaja oglasil za presajanje. Dejan je torej opravil test - eno leto je uspešno skrbel za drevo! Čas za nakup boljšega materijala. Na moje veliko veselje se je odločil za rdeči bor ;-) ! V ponedeljek se je pri meni zbrala četica učencev (definitivno potrebujem večjo delavnico!). Dejanu sta se pri delu na njegovem boru pridružila še Nataša in Jože. Trije so se spravili na čiščenje iglic, a ga do mraka komaj spravili v red. Tako zelo zaraščenega bora že dolgo nisem videl! Le še za ožičenje prve veje nam je ostal čas.

Dejan and me continued the work in Tuesday evening and finished it in three more hours. In between we listened to comments like we ruined the nice tree, but in the end this comments disappeared ... Dejan is now a happy owner of first good bonsai! If the tree had a nice nebari, then it would be a great one. But nevertheless the makeover is outstanding.

Z Dejanom sva potem delo nadaljevala v torek zvečer in v treh urah dokončala delo. Vmes sva sicer poslušala pripombe, da sva prej lepo drevo uničila, a na koncu teh pripomb seveda ni bilo več. Dejan se lahko veseli svojega prvega resnejšega bonsaja! Če bi drevo imelo še spodoben nebari, potem mu pravzaprav ne bi manjkalo nič več. A kljub temu je preobrazba izjemna.

Before ...

After

Today it was time for yamadori-hunting. Tomorrow me and Raje will be traveling to Nitra, Slovakia, we are invited there as demonstrators.

Danes je bil čas za lov na jamadorije. Jutri sva z Rajetom na poti v Nitro, na Slovaško, kjer bova nastopila kot demonstratorja.

BELI

2011-04-08T20:39:00.000+02:00

Ales is animal lover, he likes all beautiful things. In recent years he is successfully raising Japanese carps, known as koi. Looking in his pond is something special ... Along koi one must have also one or two bonsais and Ales bought him self two of classical Japanese species - Acer palmatum and Pinus pentaphylla. Ales is not my student, he is more like a customer but more than that. He can grows his trees properly, they are in excellent condition. He needs my help only occasionally, for re-potting, or as this time for shaping a white pine which was starting to overgrow its shape. So, we started to work, Jakob meanwhile enjoyed a pond full of koi carps.

Aleš je ljubitelj živali in vsega lepega. V zadnjih letih se uspešno ukvarja z gojenjem japonskih krapov koi, pogled v njegov ribnik je res nekaj posebnega ... H kojem seveda sodi tudi kak bonsai ali dva in Aleš si je pred leti privoščil bonsaja klasičnih japonskih vrst - javorja in belega bora. Aleš ni moj učenec, je prej stranka, a vseeono več kot to, saj zna skrbeti za svoja drevesa tako, da so v izvrstni formi. Mojo pomoč potrebuje le tu in tam, za presaditev, ali pa kot tokrat za urejanje belega bora, ki je že začel izgubljati obliko. In med tem, ko je Jakob užival ob ribniku, sva se midva lotila dela na boru.

First two hours of thinning of crown, then all together six hours of wiring, more then enough work for two days. But on such strong, healthy trees work is clear pleasure. In the end some cleaning of nebari overgrown by moss, the rest will be done by Ales. Pine is ready for admiration of all who will be tired of playful koi carps in nearby pond ...

Najprej dve uri čiščenja in redčenja krošnje, potem pa še skupaj šest ur žičenja, dela za dva dni več kot dovolj. A na takšnih, močnih, zdravih drevesih je užitek delati. Na koncu še malo čiščenja z mahom poraščenega nebarija, za vse ostalo bo poskrbel Aleš. Bor je spet pripravljen na občudovanje vseh, ki se bodo naveličali razigranih kojev v bližnjem ribniku ...

TORNADO

2011-04-05T17:41:00.000+02:00

Pinus which I find this winter in known location is finally home. Now in the pot It is looking even better that I expected. Extraordinary movement for red pine, It is wound like tornado! Goofiest yamadori I've ever seen! If It will survive, it will be a great, even a first class literati!

Bor, ki sem ga na znanem lovišču našel letos pozimi, je doma. V bistvu je v posodi še boljši, kot sem mislil. Izjemno gibanje za rdeči bor, navit je kot tornado! Totalno odbit jamadori! Če preživi, bo to odličen, kaj odličen, vrhunski literati!

JAMI

2011-04-03T19:50:00.000+02:00

We, Raje and me, moved all yamadoris which are a year or more in pot and which are hungry for sun to a new location. The trees are better visible here. If you are looking for top class material - welcome!

Z Rajetom sva jamadorije, ki so v posodi leto ali več in si želijo sonca, preselila na novo lokacijo. Tu so bolje vidni in bolj padejo v oči. Če iščete vrhunski materijal - vabljeni na ogled!

In the afternoon I finished wiring my azalea. In a year it did a big step forward, next spring I'll re-pot it into first bonsai pot. Until then new grafts will fill the empty space!

Popoldne sem do konca ožičil azalejo. V letu dni je napravila velik korak naprej, prihodnjo pomlad gre v prvo bonsajsko posodo. Do takrat bosta tudi cepiča že zapolnila prazen prostor!

2010

Today

BUKUNA

2011-03-31T19:16:00.003+02:00

Fagus sylvatica as bonsai is always long term project. I know that for a while. Tree produces its buds only once in a season, so one must work with it with a lot of patience and right feeling. Totally different as Carpinus which sprout from everywhere; more you cut it, more it grows. So, the Lady, which I worked on today is in pot for last five years. Before she grew happyly in a mountains for 70 yrs. Her first photograph shows how dense she was, but the green was too far from trunk. I was impressed by her line, obviously she was wounded in a struggle for survival. But I was prepared for long process of branch-selection and getting green closer to the trunk.

Da je bukev kot bonsaj vedno dolgoročen projekt, mi je že dolgo znano. Drevo nastavlja brste za naslednjo sezono le enkrat in zato je z njo treba delati z zvrhano mero potrpežljivosti in občutka. Povsem drugače kot z gabrom npr., ki poganja od vsepovsod, bolj kot ga režeš, bolj poganja. Skratka gospa, na kateri sem delal danes, je v posodi zadnjih pet let, prej je 70 let zadovoljno živela visoko v hribih. Njena prva fotografija jasno kaže, kako gosta je bila, žal pregosta, saj je bilo zelenje daleč od debla. Navdušila me je linija debla, očitne šosledice boja za preživetje, toda treba se je bilo pripraviti na dolgotrajen proces izbora vej in bližanja zelenja deblu.

After two years I did a first selection of branches, the rest were cut to the last bud. A long voyage started.

Po dveh letih sem že napravil močnejšo selekcijo vej in ostale skrajšal do zadnjega brsta. Dolgo potovanje se je šele začelo.

After two more years the skeleton of future bonsai started to show. Slowly opening of the crown and cutting at the right time was resulting with budding near trunk. On thicker basic branches first smaller ones grew, I'll use them for creating a crown.

Minili sta še dve leti in okostje bodočega bonsaja se je začelo kazati. Počasno odpiranje krošnje in pravočasno obrezovanje se je obrestovalo s poganjanjem brstov bliže deblu, na debelejših osnovnih vejah so se pokazale prve tanjše veje iz katerih bom sproti ustvarjal krošnjo.

This year I cut branches even more, some of them are already so short as I want them, I already started with detailed shaping on that ones. I must still cut others. But silhouette is emerging. The long voyage is still waiting ...

Letos sem jo še skrajšal, nekaj vej je že tako kratkih kot jih želim, na njih sem se že lotil detaljnejšega oblikovanja. Druge še čaka krajšanje. Toda počasi se kaže obris. Pred nama pa je še dolga pot ...

PELIKAN

2011-03-30T16:53:00.000+02:00

After three days the works on Pelican are over. If I must talk about feeling, then I just can say: this is it. Such a tree can give you absolute satisfaction. Last day I was already tired. I have a hard time to get me into a rhythm that I need for wiring. But then the hours went like minutes. So. First work on dead wood, details, searching for live veins which were covered by old bark.

Tri dni dela na Pelikanu je za mano. Če bi govoril o občutkih, potem bi na kratko lahko strnil v: to je to. To so drevesa, ki človeku dajo popolno zadovoljstvo. Zadnji dan je bil že malce naporen. Težko sem se spravil v ritem, ki ga moraš imeti ob žičenju. Ko pa je steklo so ure minevale kot minute. Skratka. Najprej delo na suhem lesu, na detaljih, odkrivanje ven, ki jih je prej zakrivala stara skorja.

Wiring, wiring, all together 15 hrs of wiring. Branches needed thinning for air and sun to come in.

Žičenje, žičenje, vsega skupaj 15 ur žičenja. Veje je bilo potrebno razredčit, vanje spustiti zrak in sonce.

Cleaning. Applying lime sulfur on dead wood. Cleaning the pot which turn out as nice Tokoname.

Čiščenje. Suh les na novo premazati z apnenim žveplom. Očistiti posodo, ki se je izkazala za lep primerek Tokoname.

Finally top layer of substrate was changed and Pelican is ready for new season!

Še zamenjana vrhnja plast substrata in Pelikan je pripravljen na novo sezono!

PELIKAN

2011-03-29T19:56:00.000+02:00

Last two days I am working on Pelican intensively. It is Juniperus chinensis Itoigawa, top class, I am preparing it for next EBA convention in Ljubljana next year. Cleaning and wiring, wiring. More then 10 hrs of wiring already done, but still one day to go. This afternoon Miha and his azalea came by. It was a lot more fun to work in company ;-) .

Zadnje dva dni intenzivno delam na Pelikanu. Gre za kitajski brin vrste itoigawa, vrhunske kvalitete, ki ga pripravljam za konvencijo EBA prihodnje leto v Ljubljani. Čiščenje in žičenje, žičenje. Že več kot 10 ur žičenja. Pa še za kakšen dan ga je ostalo. Danes popoldne mi je družbo prišel delat Miha z svojo azalejo. Šlo je veliko hitreje ;-) .

Pelican, starting material

Still one or two days of working and I'll show the result!

Še kakšen dan ali dva dela torej in pokažem rezultat!

SAMOBOR 2

2011-03-27T19:58:00.000+02:00

This weekend we, me and Raje, were in Samobor, Croatia, in our branch school. This time we spoke about collecting yamadori trees and aftercare. Of course we also worked on material and learned some bonsai-skills. Material was better then first time, there were some new faces.

Ta konec tedna sva z Rajetom preživela v Samoboru na Hrvaškem v tamkajšnji podružnici šole TORA. Tema tokratnega srečanja je bila kopanje in vzdrževanje jamadorijev, seveda pa smo tudi tokrat delali na materijalu in se učili bonsajskih veščin. Materijal je bil za korak boljši kot prvič, pridruižilo se je nekaj novih obrazov.

Dejan was a great host once again, boys (and some girls too) are all real bonsai-enthusiasts!

Dejan je bil ponovno izjemen gostitelj, fantje (in tudi nekaj deklet) pa so vsi po vrsti pravi bonsajski intuziasti!

MOTORKA

2011-03-25T18:06:00.000+01:00

If day would be 48 hrs long it would be just right in this time of year ... In the morning we, me and Joze, were working on giant Crataegus, which is joined by dead Sorbus. At the end we did it by chainsaw!

Če bi imel dan 48 ur, bi bil v tem obdobju ravno prav dolg .... Dopoldne sva z Jožetom delala na velikanskem glogu, ki ga objema suh mokovec. Na koncu sva se ga lotila kar z motorko!

In the afternoon I finally find some time for my trees. Juniper which I brought from Belgium in 2009 (it is urban yamadori) get his first bonsai-pot. When I took it out of plastic container it was clear that combing the roots will not be possible. In reach humus Juniperus grew so many roots that if I would try to comb the roots I would be damaging the root ball. So I simply cut 1/3 of the root ball and put it into pot.

Popoldne sem le našel čas tudi za svoja drevesa. Brin, ki sem ga leta 2009 pripeljal iz Belgije (gre za urbani jamadori), je dobil svojo prvo posodo. Ko sem ga vzel iz plastičnega kontejnerja je bilo kmalu jasno, da ne bo nič z razčesavanjem korenin. V bogatem humusus se je brin tako prekoreninil, da bi z vsakim razčesavanjem napravil več škode kot koristi. Zato sem enostavno odžagal tretjino korenin in ga posadil v novo posodo.

Despite of high pot it is still planted too high. But I'll change that next time. Now I'll concentrate on detailed wiring of crown and work on dead wood.

Kljub relativno visoki posodi je še vedno posajen previsoko. Ampak vse ob svojem času. Zdaj me najprej čaka detaljno urejanje krošnje in delo na suhem lesu.

Still, from autumn 2009 until now It did a great step forward ...

Vseeno pa je od jeseni 2009 napravil kar lepo pot ...

ŽEGEN

2011-03-24T19:13:00.000+01:00

In years from now, at some exhibition, I'll telling the weird story about tree: it grew peacefully for 40 yrs at graveyard until I dig it out ... All for good material! :-) Graveyards are potentially one of the best finding places. Abandoned graves, overgrown by junipers and pines ... Roland helped me collect a mugo pine, which developed a massive, 30 cm wide nebari in last 40 yrs growing at grave. It has also some movement and according to it's vitality it liked the earth ...

Nekoliko čudna bo zgodba tega drevesa, ko jo bom čez leta pripovedoval na kakšni razstavi: 40 let je mirno rasel na pokopališču, dokler ga nisem izkopal ... Vse za dober materijal! :-) V bistvu pa so pokopališča potencialno ena najboljših nahajališč. Zapuščeni grobovi, ki že leta samevajo in jih preraščajo brini in bori ... Roland mi je pomagal izkopati ruševje, ki je v 40-ih letih življenja na grobu razvilo izjemno masiven 30 cm nebari, tudi nekaj gibanja, glede na vitalnost pa mu je bila zemlja rahla ...

Before collecting

Pred izkopom

Ready for transport

Pripravljen na transport

In training pot

V trening posodi

NOV DAN

2011-03-23T20:52:00.002+01:00

Despite fatigue after such a day you must be satisfied. What a day in TORA! In the morning Mrs. Jolanda came for the basic workshop. Because she live in coastal area we could not work on Larix or Picea as she would have problems with them there. So she picked an azalea - this was no beginners material. With courage and enthusiasm we worked on it, in a year or two Mrs. Jolanda will have a very nice bonsai!

Po takšnem dnevu se človek kljub utrujenosti počuti izpolnjen. Dan v TORI kot se šika. Dopoldne je na tečaj za začetnike prišla gospa Jolanda. Ker živi na Obali, se nisva mogla učiti na macesnu ali smreki, ker bi z njima tam imela težave. Pa si je gospa privoščila nič začetniško azalejo. Pogumno in z veliko intuziazma sva se je lotila in končala. Gospa bo v sezoni ali dve imela zelo lep bonsaj!

As I was just in azaleas I take a chance and did an "self-grafting" on one of my own. Because in a last two years it didn't produce a branch in spot I wish, I drilled a hole and pulled a longer branch trough it and elegantly solved a problem.

Ko sem bil ravno pri azalejah, sem izkoristil priložnost in na svoji izvedel "samogrebeničenje". Ker v dveh sezonah ni pognala vej na željenih mestih, sem daljše veje potegnil skozi izvrtane luknje in tako elegantno rešil težavo.

Then Miha and Jan helped Raje with re-potting his giant Larix, a little bit later Raje helped Jan with re-potting his a lot smaller Chamaecyparis ...

Potem sta Miha in Jan pomagala Rajetu pri presajanju mrcine od macesna, Raje pa je malce kasneje Janu pomagal presaditi njegovo veliko manjšo pacipreso ...

At the end David came in. He is in bonsai for a long time. But as he chose a way which requires the most patience (as he said: I'm the most patient among all of us), he is growing a trees from a seed, his little elms are now just ready for a group planting. With green mass It will be nice!

Za konec se je oglasil še David, ki se že dolga leta ukvarja z bonsaji. A ker se je odločil za pot, ki zahteva največ potrpljenja (ki ga ima največ med nami, kot je sam poudaril), namreč za vzgojo dreves iz semen, so njegovi sejančki bresta zdaj ravno pravšnji za gozdiček. Ko bo ozelenel bo prav simpatičen!

P.S.: Happy birthday, Raje! I hope that you enjoyed as I was!

P.S.: Vse najboljše Raje, upam da si užival vsaj pol tako kot jaz!

FUL

2011-03-22T19:50:00.002+01:00

Today was fulfilled with bonsaism. Great weather made all even more nice - truly first day of spring! In the morning me and Natasha were working on Carpinus betulus. Not nice material, without movement, but with enough branches that she could trained wiring. From bush she created nice crown. Natasha was a nice host!

Za mano je bonsajistično izpolnjen dan. Da je bilo vse skupaj še lepše, je poskrbelo vreme - res pravi prvi pomladni dan! Dopoldne sva z Natašo delala na gabru. Nesimpatičen materijal, brez gibanja, vendar že dovolj razvejan, da je lahko trenirala žičenje in iz grma ustvarila simpatično krošnjo. Nataša je bila prijeten gostitelj!

In the afternoon I was helping Primoz with re-poting his Chamaecyparis. After a few years of work on them he decided to re-pot them into first bonsai pots. This could be even final pots. Especially the second one which fit the tree perfectly! "Finally I could say that I have a bonsai at home," Primož said. But it is true. Now he'll have more will to do bonsai. This Chamaecyparis are perfect material for learning!

Popoldan sem Primožu pomagal pri presajanju pacipres. Po letih ukvarjanja z njima se je odločil, da ju presadi v prvi bonsajski posodi, ki bi utegnili biti kar končni. Še posebej drugi posoda paše kot ulita! "Končno lahko rečem, da imam doma bonsaj," je pomodroval Primož. Pa je res. Zdaj bo imel še veliko več veselja do bonsajizma. Spet se je pokazalo, kako dober materijal za učenje so paciprese!

P.S.: This is TORA school!

P.S.: To je šola TORA!

FLORA

2011-03-21T16:18:00.001+01:00

I was on fair Flora in Celje this weekend. We prepared a small club exhibition, demonstrations, meeting friends. I took nice minde off !

Ta konec tedna sem preživel na sejmu Flora v Celju. Manjša klubska razstava, demonstracije, druženje s prijatelji. Prijeten odklop!

ONA

2011-03-15T15:57:00.001+01:00

Queen Prunus mahaleb is home. Safely in pot. Almost two hours we, me and Joze, were sweating before we freed her from stone armor; also nearby growing Fraxinus held her tightly. Far bigger then her, tall tree, but much younger, so it's roots grew around her and held her tight. But we manage to rescued her. We worked slowly and with respect as it is proper for more than 150 yrs old lady.

Kraljica rešelika je doma. Varno v posodi. Slabi dve uri sva se z Jožetom potila, da sva jo osvobodila kamnitega oklepa; v svojem objemu pa jo je trdno držal tudi blizu rastoči jesen. Veliko večji od nje, visoko drevo, a hkrati veliko mlajši in njegove korenine so obrasle rešelikine in jih stisnile v trden objem. A sva jo rešila. Delala sva počasi in s spoštovanjem. Kot se za več kot 150 let staro damo spodobi.

Then we planted her in her first pot. She immediately showed which side will be her front and how glad we could be for her future. Fragile but at the same time also full of power. Outstanding bark with lichen and moss, fantastic movement. Top class bonsai material!

Potem sva jo posadila v prvo posodo. Takoj je nakazala, katera stran bo njeno lice in kako zelo se lahko veselimo njene prihodnosti. Krhka a hkrati polna moči. Izjemna skorja obraščena z lišaji in mahom, fantastična linija. Vrhunski bonsajski material!

2011-03-14T17:16:00.001+01:00

I finished what I started yesterday. Well, preservation of dead wood is still waiting, also some detail, but Prunus mahaleb is ready for new season. Tomorrow I'll go for her older sister!

Končal sem, vsaj približno, včeraj začeto. No, zaščita suhega lesa še pride na vrsto, tudi še kakšna podrobnost a rešelika je pripravljena na novo sezono. Jutri hitim po njeno starejšo sestro na Kras!

My son cought me working on prunus

DAMA

2011-03-13T19:00:00.000+01:00

So, we are starting for real. Today I was working on ancient Prunus mahaleb, which always fills me with respect. Work on it is something special - concentrated but full of enjoyment. Natasha joined me, she was learning by watching this time. In silence and talking with tree. Work is not finished yet, this is only after first day:

Začenjamo torej zares. Danes sem delal na stoletni rešeliki, ki me vedno navda s spoštovanjem. Delo na njej je vedno nekaj posebnega - zbrano a polno užitka. Pridružila se mi je Nataša, ki se je tokrat učila z gledanjem. V tišini in v pogovoru z drevesom. Delo še ni končano, za nama je šele prvi dan:

Prunus mahaleb 2009

Prunus mahaleb 2011 after first day of working

Natasha is first member of the pack, Joze the second, they joined intensive program by Tora - they will be noticed about my bonsai plans and they will join whenever they feel so. So they will be in all year-round school, they will learn about all phases of working on and caring for the trees.

Nataša je prva v jati, Jože drugi, pridružila sta se intenzivnejšemu programu Tore - sproti bosta obveščena o mojih bonsajskih načrtih in se, ko se bosta za to odločila, pridružila. Tako bosta pravzaprav deležna celoletnega šolanja, spoznala bosta vse faze obdelave in skrbi za drevesa.

ZAČETEK

2011-03-11T11:49:00.000+01:00

Traditionally I start spring works on my trees with small Prunus mahaleb, which is in my collection for last 15 years. Nothing special but it is one of my first trees. And we always remember first one! Next week I'll start for real. Spring is here and serious work on serious trees will begin!

Že po tradiciji spomladanska opravila na svojih drevesih začenjam na mali rešeliki, ki je v moji zbirki že več kot 15 let. Nič posebnega, je pa ena mojih prvih. In te si vedno zapomnimo! Prihodnji teden se začenja zares. Pomlad je tu in začelo se bo resno delo na resnih drevesih!

Before that: Spain here I come!

Še prej pa na kratko v Španijo!

PROGETTO DRUGIČ

2011-03-06T18:59:00.001+01:00

This weekend we have a workshop by Progetto Futuro in Tora. Group of first year of school gathered together for a second time led by Ivo and his assistant Mauro. 10 students were soaking in the bonsai-knowledge, me and Raje were dealing with organization and we were happy for all good responses. It is unbelievable how obvious is a progress of all who are involved. We needed such a school. Now we are at the right path - Ivo Saporiti figured out the same conclusion. He tried to prepare students for final meeting in June, when director of Progetto Futuro school Enrico Savini is arriving in Tora.

Ta konec tedna se je na drugi seansi v Tori zbral prvi letnik šole Progetto Futuro. Pod vodstvom Iva in njegovega asistenta Maura je 10 študentov srkalo bonsajsko znanje; z Rajetom sva skrbela za organizacijo, vesela sva dobrih odzivov. Neverjetno je, kako se iz srečanja v srečanje vidi napredek vseh, ki sodelujejo. Takšno šolo smo enostavno potrebovali. Zdaj smo na pravi poti, je ob koncu ugotovil tudi Ivo Saporiti, ki je študente skušal čim bolje pripraviti na zaključno junijsko srečanje, ko v Toro prihaja direktor šole Enrico Savini.

Workshop led by Ivo Saporiti

We analyzed every tree in details

After two days of intense work on good material some trees already reached high level of development

We had a good time!

This time I missed a big part of workshop due to other obligations, but I have seen enough that I can say: we did a new step forward!

Tokrat sem večino srečanja zaradi drugih obveznosti zamudil, a videl sem dovolj, da lahko trdim: za nami je nov uspešen korak naprej!

GOST

2011-03-03T13:30:00.000+01:00

Growing ficus and all other tropical species in our latitude is very difficult. It is like someone in tropic region would tray to grow Picea or Larix. I have only one such tree, ficus, it is my friend for last four years. It is fun to working on it while waiting to winter finally move away. And if I remember what a start we have, I must say that it came a long way:

Gojenje fikusov in sploh vseh tropskih vrst v naših zemljepisnih širinah je zelo težavno. Podobno kot bi v tropih kdo skušal gojiti smreko ali pa macesen. Imam samo eno takšno drevo, fikus, s katerim sva prijatelja zadnja štiri leta. Ob čakanju na to, da zima končno le odide, je ukvarjanje z njim kar zabavno. In če se spomnim, kakšen je bil najin začetek, je kljub vsemu zelo napredoval:

January 2008

Just for height feeling

March 2011

In Spring I'll move it outside, on air, then I'll defoliate it and do some fine wiring. And then it will accumulate some needed power for next hard winter ...

Spomladi pa hitro ven, na zrak, čaka ga novo razlistenje in natančno žičenje. In seveda nabiranje moči za novo težko zimo ...

DELAVNICA

2011-02-27T09:37:00.001+01:00

Yesterday I couldn't stay in Sempas till the end of the club's workshop. Members of Slovenian bonsai club were gathered at first spring workshop hosted by David and his Severnoprimorska section. Some new faces, all satisfied, weather was so good that we moved a part of workshop outside and enjoyed the sun. Good trees, most of them even top quality, I was impressed by David's Prunus mahaleb with amazing movement. From such a material a fantastic bonsai can be done.

Žal včeraj nisem mogel ostati v Šempasu do konca klubske delavnice. Člani Slovenskega bonsaj kluba smo se zbrali na prvi spomladanski delavnici, gostitelj je bil David z svojo Severnoprimorsko sekcijo. Nekaj novih obrazov, vsi zadovoljni, vreme pa nam je tako služilo, da smo del delavnice preselili kar na prosto in uživali v soncu. Dobra drevesa, večina kar vrhunskih, navdušila me je Davidova rešeljika z izjemnim gibanjem. Iz takega materijala res lahko nastane fantastičen bonsaj.

In our club such or even better material is not rare. I am looking forward for next workshops!

V našem klubu takšnega in morda celo še boljšega materijala ne manjka. Veselim se naslednjih delavnic!

UTRINEK

2011-02-22T17:52:00.000+01:00

I was checking my photographs on computer when I saw this photos of red pine that I was shaping during last year's demonstration in Warsaw. This are photos before (after the upper part of trunk was already twisted) and after:

Med pregledovajem fotografij sem naletel tudi na fotografije rdečega bora, ki sem ga oblikoval na demonstraciji lani v Varšavi. Tu sta sliki prej (ko je že ukrivljen zgornji del) in potem:

Movement is OK. The crown will be slimmed a bit in a year or two, it is still too dominant. Then I'll re-pot it and this is it. I like literati style more and more because of it's expression.

Gibanje je OK. Krošnjo bom v sezoni ali dveh še zreduciral, je še nekoliko predominantna. Potem pa posoda in to je to. Literati slog mi je zaradi izpovednosti veno bolj všeč!

KRALJICA

2011-02-15T15:33:00.000+01:00

I was wandering what to do with this morning when Miha called me: "Would you go?" Of course! We changed the gray city with gray nature, but in nature is easier to deal with this grayness. Miha was planning to collect an ancient Cotinus coggygria on stone. Fantastic nebari growing over rock for two hundred years, roots are one with stone. This is a great finding for this species but nearly impossible to collect. Together with roots Miha must dig out stone too. So we changed our plan and went for it's brother nearby. Also good movement and wide nebari for this species. Good finding!

Ravno sem razmišljal, kam naj z dopoldnevom, ko me je poklical Miha: "Greš?" Seveda grem! Sivino mesta sva zamenjala za sivino narave, a tam jo je veliko lažje prenašati. Miha je imel v načrtu izkop starodavnega ruja na kamnu. Fantastičen nebari, ki že dvesto let raste čez kamen, korenine so s kamnom zraščene v celoto. Za to vrsto izjemna najdba, ki pa bo zelo težavna, če že ne nemogoča za izkop. Skupaj s koreninami bo Miha namreč moral izkopati tudi kamen. Zato sva se raje preusmerila na izkop njegovega brata v bližini. Prav tako sijajno gibanje in za to vrsto širok nebari. Dobra najdba!

And then we went wandering around. To graze our souls. When we went towards car for the second time, I find Her. No photo can show all her charms as they are in nature. More then two hundred years she fought with stone and wind, one can feel a deep respect when standing near such a tree. Fantastic movement, old bark, dead wood ... She has all that yamadori must have. In one of this days I'll devoted a lot of hours to her - as archaeologist I'll dig out her roots and move her into training pot. And then ...

In potem sva se šla sprehajat. Še malo popast dušo. In kot se velikokrat zgodi, sem potem, ko sva se že drugič odpravila proti avtu na poti domov naletel Nanjo. Nobena fotografija ne more prikazati njenih čarov takšnih, kot so v resnici. Več kot dvesto let se je borila s kamnom in burjo, človek ob takšnem drevesu občuti globoko spoštovanje. Fantastično gibanje, skorja, suh les ... Ima vse, kar naj bi krasilo jamadori. V teh dneh se ji bom posvetil za več ur - kot arheolog dragocene zgodovinske artefakte bom izkopaval njene korenine in jo preselil v posodo. Potem pa ...

BONSAJSKI VIKEND

2011-02-14T08:42:00.002+01:00

This was a ... bonsai-weekend! :-) In Saturday me and Tomaz were wandering around in Karst and enjoyed a great nature, nice afternoon ended chatting at Valter's stone table.

Ta konec tedna je bil ... bonsajski! :-) V soboto sva s Tomažem vandrala po Krasu in uživala v čudoviti naravi, popoldne pa zaključila z debato za kamnito mitzo pri Valterju.

Sunday was busy again. Blaz asked me for help at juniper shaping, Grega used this day for basic workshop. Grega is curious guy, he has a lot of interesting questions about bonsai, bonsaism impressed him much. Even after he did wired ALL branches on spruce.

V nedeljo pa spet bolj delavno. Blaž me je prosil za pomoč pri oblikovanju brina, delavnico pa je izkoristil tudi Grega, ki je prišel na tečaj za začetnike. Grega je zvedav fant, ki je imel ogromno zanimivih bonsajskih vprašanj in ga je bonsajizem navdušil. In to tudi po tem, ko je moral ožičiti VSE veje in vejice na smreki.

Blaz worked on Juniperus chinensis with interesting movement and a lot of dead wood. This time we didn't go all the way with shaping, because we decided that is better to rest a tree for a while. Beside that also our time was running out ;-) . We positioned all main branches and set a nice future for this juniper. Adrian, who came all the way from Cakovec, Croatia, was observing all together and he saw how the work in Tora is held. International students are mostly welcomed in Tora!

Blaž je delal na kitajskem brinu z zanimivim gibanjem in ogromno suhega lesa. Tokrat z oblikovanjem nisva šla do konca, ker sva ocenila, da je drevesu bolje dati nekaj počitka, poleg tega pa nama je tudi časa že zmanjkovalo ;-) . Pozicionirala sva vse glavne veje in brinu določila lepo prihodnost. Z natančnim dizajnom se bova ukvarjala kasneje. Vse skupaj je pozorno opazoval Adrian, ki je prišel na obisk iz Čakovca na Hrvaškem in spoznal način dela v Tori. Mednarodni študentje ste v Tori seveda prav tako nadvse dobrodošli!

DELAVNICA

2011-02-08T18:01:00.003+01:00

Last time I mentioned a workshop for three students that I want to organize in near future. I didn't even publish a date when all free spots were already taken! Because of huge interest I'll organize more workshops in the future. Thank you all who trust our school, it is a great pleasure working with you!

If you feel pleasant restlessness and expectations in the morning then you gonna do what you like doing. Joze, Roland, Jan and Miha probably feel the same this time. After some basic workshops it was a pleasure to work on good material from experienced bonsaists. All four of them worked on broadleaved trees, Acer campestre, Acer palmatum, Carpinus betulus and Fagus sylvatica were the species we worked on.

Zadnjič sem zgolj omenil, da bom ob prvi priložnosti organiziral delavnico in da bo prostora za tri učence. Še datuma nisem utegnil objaviti, ko so bila mesta že zasedena! Zanimanje je tolikšno, da delavnic tudi v prihodnje ne bo manjkalo! Hvala vsem, ki šoli TORA izkazujete zaupanje, užitek je delati z vami.

Če zjutraj pred delavnico čutiš prijeten nemir in pričakovanje, potem gotovo delaš to, kar te veseli. In isto so najbrž občutili tudi Jože, Roland, Jan in Miha, ki so tokrat prišli v šolo; po nekaj začetnih tečajih je bilo užitek delati na kvalitetnem materijalu bonsajistov, ki že obvladajo osnovne veščine. Vsi štirje so delali na listavcih, poljski in japonski javor, gaber in bukev so vrste, ki smo jih obdelali.

Jan and Joze working

Miha was working on great Acer campestre

Some "special" techniques

Joze concentrating

Only in TORA you can work in T-shirt with snowy mountains for background

In the school we never rush, we never cut a shortcut because that could harm the tree. All of them did a great step forward today, towards final goal - bonsai. Far from being "finished", only with thoughts how to go on. With broadleaved trees this is the only possible way.

V šoli ne hitimo do končnega rezultata, ne ubiramo bližnjic, ker bi to pomenilo škodo za drevesa. Vsa so danes napravila velik korak naprej h končnemu cilju - bonsaju; daleč od tega pa, da bi bila "dokončana", le z mislijo na naslednje korake. Pri listavcih je takšen način dela pravzaprav edini možen.

The final touch ...

Before ...

After first step

Before

After ...

Every student learned something new today. That is the purpose of such workshops - to improve bonsai-skills, to get the right feeling for different species and for shaping. A little detail with wiring, special work on deadwood or protection of it ... Bonsai-knowledge is endless. Interesting is that sometimes you need just a little hint and everything is then logic and clear. And this is school for. See you next time!

Vsak med študenti se je danes naučil nekaj novega in to je tudi namen takšnih srečanj - piljenje bonsajskih veščin, pridobivanje občutka za posamezne vrste in oblikovanje. Podrobnost pri žičenju, posebna obdelava in zaščita suhega lesa ... Bonsajsko znanje se zdi neskončno globok vodnjak; zanimivo pa je, kako včasih rabiš le majhen namig in vse ti postane logično in kristalno jasno. In tudi temu je namenjeno šolanje. Se vidimo naslednjič!

MATER

2011-02-02T16:20:00.004+01:00

Grey winter morning developed into full-filed day. Even sun break trough clouds. After some clicks on FB we, Roland and me, were on our way to yamadori hunting. Red pines are my obsession for quite some time now, beside junipers they are my favorite species. So we went to explore new habitat, which not turn out so good. After an hour of walking we went back to our car and drove to my old hunting ground - a real paradise for red pines. (Well for quite some time this is not only "mine", isn't so Janez O. ;-) ) Even though I was there for many times the ground is so waste and there is so much material, that you can always find something new. Even this time I was not disappointed.

Sivo zimsko jutro se je razvilo v izpolnjen dan. Pa še sonce je posijalo. Z Rolandom sva se po nekaj klikih na FB-ju hitro dogovorila za lov na jamadorije. Že nekaj časa so rdeči bori moja obsesija, saj so poleg kitajskih brinov moja najbolj priljubljena bonsajska vrsta. In sva se najprej odpravila raziskovat novo lovišče, ki pa se ni izkazalo za preveč obetavno. Zato sva po slabi urici hoje odšla nazaj do avta in se odpeljala do mojega starega lovišča, pravega raja za rdeče bore. (Že dolgo to ni več samo "moje", a ne Janez O. ;-) ) Čeprav sem bil tam že nevemkolikokrat pa je območje tako veliko in materijal tako številčen, da se vedno najde kaj novega. Tudi tokrat nisem bil razočaran.

Meanwhile, as he looked at all this wealth, Roland whispered: " oh my God ..." I was in the same mood after exceptional finding, which I called "mother of all red pines" ... Well, probably it isn't so good, but I didn't yet see a red pine with such a movement. World class!

Med tem ko je Roland ob pogledu na vse to bogastvo vzdihoval: "o mater ...", sem bil sam podobnega mnenja ob izjemni najdbi, ki sem se ji čislal s kar: "mater vseh rdečih borov" ... Tako hudo najbrž ni, je pa dejstvo, da rdečega bora s takšnim gibanjem še nisem videl. Svetovna klasa!

To je samo detajl debla ...

This is only a detail of the trunk ...

I'll be back at appropriate time to collect. Now it is a right time for such trips, to locate the trees which will be collected in spring: days are already longer and there is not too much snow in the lower hills.

Ponj se vrnem ob pravem času; sicer pa je zdaj kar pravi čas za take izlete, za lociranje dreves, ki jih bomo izkopali spomladi: dnevi so že daljši, snega v nižinah tudi ni preveč.

TRENING

2011-01-30T17:04:00.001+01:00

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

2011-01-25T12:16:00.000+01:00

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

2011-01-16T10:06:00.002+01:00

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

2011-01-12T16:17:00.001+01:00

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

2011-01-07T08:30:00.001+01:00

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 ...

MOJ KOLEDAR / MY CALENDAR

2010-12-21T15:27:00.020+01:00

Koledar za leto 2011 / Calendar for 2011:

15.1.-16.1. - TORA SCHOOL, part 1 - Samobor (CRO)
Workshop for members of Hrvatski bonsai klub

22.1.-23.1. - NOELANDERS TROPHY - Zolder (BEL)
Just visiting, meeting friends and having a good time!

5.3.-6.3. - PROGETTO FUTURO IN TORA, part 2 - Mošnje (SLO)
2nd part of school with Ivo Saporiti and Enrico Savini in Tora

18.3.-20.3. - FLORA FAIR - Celje (SLO)
Club exhibition and demonstrations

26.3.-27.3. - TORA SCHOOL, part 2 - Samobor (CRO)
Workshop for members of Hrvatski bonsai klub

14.4-17.4. - BONSAI SLOVAKIA 2011 - Nitra (SLK)
Invited as demonstrator

30.4.-1.5. - FESTIWALU KWIATOW I SZTUKI - Castle Ksiaz (POL)
Invited as demonstrator

6.5.-8.5. - TROPHY ARCOBONSAI - Arco (ITA)
Invited as paticipant. (Together with Raje)

9.6.-12.6. - JAPAN ART FESTIVAL - Vilnius (LIT)
Invited as demonstrator

9.6.-12.6. - TORA SCHOOL, part 3 - Samobor (CRO)
Workshop for members of Hrvatski bonsai klub

30.9.-2.10 - EBA CONVENTION 2011 - Ratingen (NEM)
I'll represent Slovenia at New Talent Contest

As calendar will fill up, I'll update it! See you outhere!

FIKUS

2010-12-20T20:32:00.003+01:00

Tomaz is one of my students with really great feeling for trees. They mean a lot more for him then for ordinary people. And this is a good stuff for one who want to be a bonsaist :-) ! Because winter is long and indigenous trees are resting, Tomaz bought a ficus some time ago, and of course ficus is living in the house trough winter. In my career I saw much by the beginners but not ficus in such good health yet. Tomaz has a green fingers and the tree will easily wait for spring, when he'll put it back outside in the garden. And because the tree is in such great health and because Tomaz is hungry for bonsai-work, we did a little shaping. We bent main brunches in to position and we did a plan of it's development. Next step will be a summer defoliation and detailed shaping of crown.

Tomaž je eden od mojih učencev, ki ima neverjeten čut za drevesa. Pomenijo mu več, kot običajnim ljudem. In to je dobra predispozicija za bonsajista :-) ! Ker so zime dolge in avtohtona drevesa počivajo, si je Tomaž že pred časom omislil fikus, ki seveda zimo preživi v stanovanju. Pri začetnikih sem videl že marsikaj, toda fikusa v tako dobri formi že dolgo ne. Tomaž ima očitno zelene prste in drevo bo zlahka počakalo na pomlad, ko ga bo Tomaž spet postavil na vrt. In ker je v tako dobri formi, Tomažu pa dolgčas po bonsajizmu, sva se ga malce lotila. Usmerila glavne veje in napravila načrt razvoja. Naslednji korak bo poletno razlistenje in detaljno urejanje krošnje.

Miha, this is for you - this is how the spruce might look in a two or three years ...

Miha, tole je pa zate - takole naj bi izgledala smreka v dveh ali treh letih ...

PRIHODNOST

2010-12-15T09:31:00.000+01:00

Last two days I spent in Bologna in Enrico Savini's school. After return from Norway and furious last weeks my head wanted a break. Rajko couldn't go, so Matej, one of my students, took the opportunity of workshop with great master.

Zadnje dva dni sem preživel pri Enricu Saviniju na sedežu njegove šole v Bologni. Po vrnitvi z Norveške in tempu zadnjih nekaj tednov, je glava hotela odklop. Raje sicer ni mogel zraven, zato pa je priložnost delavnice z vrhunskim mojstrom izkoristil eden mojih učencev Matej.

We just stepped out of a car when Enrico was already asking: "What are you thinking about this tree? What are your plans? OK, start working!" Half hour break for a modest lunch, then work until dinner. Fatigue already crawled into bones, my body wanted to rest. "Until ten o'clock wiring, I'll check, then we'll go to sleep. Tomorrow we'll start early," Enrico sent us back into workshop. OK, I confess, at 10.30 pm also my head had enough. Still a little more wiring and then saving message on my cell fone arrived from villa above: "Come on Tomaz, we go to bed :-) "

Še nisva dobro stopila iz avtomobila, ko je Enrico že spraševal: "Kakšne načrte imaš z drevesom? Aha, dobro, loti se dela!" Pol urice odmora za špartansko kosilo, delo do večerje. Utrujenost je že lezla v kosti, telo si je želelo počitka. "Do desetih še malo navijat žico, pridem pogledat, potem pa spat. Jutri začnemo zgodaj," naju je Enrico poslal nazaj v delavnico. OK, priznam, ob pol enajstih zvečer, je imela tudi glava vsega dovolj, še nekaj žice in potem je iz vile zgoraj v delavnico le prišlo odrešilno SMS sporočilo: "Come on Tomaz, we go to bed :-) "

In the morning we continued. My spruce is wired: "OK, shape it. Don't mind too wide crown, use all brunches, I want to see your level." Next two hours I spent shaping the tree. Meanwhile Matej was helping with wiring other student's tree. Of course Enrico did find some mistakes, but that why I am here. Until lunch and some hours after we together worked on details. Master reveals his secrets, my knowledge is growing. Perfect!

Zjutraj nadaljevanje. Smreka je ožičena: "OK, oblikuj. Ne oziraj se na preširoko krošnjo, uporabi vse veje, želim spoznati tvoj nivo." Naslednji dve uri, Matej med tem drugim Savinijevim učencem pomaga pri žičenju, oblikujem drevo. Jasno, Enrico je našel kar nekaj napak, toda zato sem tu. Skupaj se potem do kosila in še nekaj ur po njem posvečava podrobnostim. Mojster razkriva svoje skrivnosti, vreča mojega znanja se polni. Popolno!

Two days of intensive work with Enrico was invigorating. I still don't know how to wire :-) Of course,when master wants a perfection: "80% of shaping is in right wiring." Right shaping of brunches, details makes a difference. I'll definitely return in Bologna. Probably already in the spring!

Dva dni intenzivnega dela z Enricom je bilo poživljajoče. Žičit še vedno ne znam. :-) Seveda, ko pa mojster na drevesu hoče perfekcijo: "80% oblikovanja predstavlja pravilno žičenje." Pravilno oblikovanje vej, podrobnosti, ki delajo razliko. V Bologno se gotovo še vrnem. Najbrž že spomladi.

SKICE

2010-11-28T13:18:00.000+01:00

Snowing.

When I started to write this blog I promised myself that I'll write only about my bonsai-life. This is a huge part of me but there are also some other things in my life beside bonsai. In this days a lot is happening at this other part of my life. That's why here is not a lot to read.

Sneži.

Že ko sem začenjal z blogom sem si obljubil, da bo tu prostor zgolj za moje bonsajsko življenje. Ki predstavlja kar velik kos mene. A vendar obstaja še kaj drugega kot bonsaji in v teh dneh se je in se še veliko dogaja tudi na drugih področjih. Zato nekoliko manj zapisov.

Winter is time for many things. For example: planning, drawing a sketch. Sketches are one of technique which helps to explain your plans with the tree to others. Here are some sketches of my projects and well known bonsai trees. I drew them in last few days!

Zima je v bonsajskem smislu čas za marsikaj. Recimo načrtovanje; risanje skic. Skice so en od tehnik, s katero lahko drugim poveš, kako vidiš svoje drevo, kako naj bi se v prihodnsoti razvilo. Tu je nekaj skic mojih projektov in skic znanih bonsajev, ki so nastale v zadnjih dneh!

P.S.: Still practicing ...

P.S.: Še vadim ...

KARMEN

2010-10-29T16:47:00.001+02:00

Karmen is interested in bonsai for quite some time. Last time, when we re-potted the junipers at Tomaz's place, she decided to come in Tora for basic workshop. We worked on spruce cultivar; small, nice tree was changing into her first bonsai.

Karmen že nekaj časa zanimajo bonsaji; zadnjič, ko smo pri Tomažu sadili brine, pa se je odločila, da pride v Toro na začetniški tečaj in začne zares. Delala sva na kultivarju smreke, majhno simpatično drevesce se je pod njenimi rokami spreminjalo v njen prvi bonsaj.

Finished tree is more valuable then every Chinese industrial-serial bonsai from department store. She put her soul into her first bonsai and so it is something special. Maybe it is beginner's tree, but nevertheless it is her first real bonsai. Just follow your path, Karmen!

Izdelek, ki je za bonajske poznavalce seveda neprimerno več vreden, kot vsi kitajsko industrijsko-serijski primerki iz veleblagovnic. V svoj prvi drevešček je Karmen vdihnila svojo dušo in je zato nekaj posebnega. Morda začetniški, a vseeno njen prvi pravi bonsaj. Zdaj pa le pogumno naprej!

NE DELJA

2010-10-24T19:49:00.000+02:00

Tomaz, one of my students, won a jack pot: he is a proud owner of almost 50 junipers which were yesterday still growing in a concrete container in nearby city. Even I would be smiling in such case ...

Tomaž, eden mojih učencev, je zadel glavno nagrado: postal je ponosni lastnik skoraj 50-ih kitajskih brinov, ki so še včeraj rasli v mestnem koritu. Tudi meni bi se ob takem dobitku smejalo ...

I was helping with cleaning and re-potting; in good company the hard working day was soon over and we couldn't complete our job. But junipers will be re-potted in following days. All of them were digged out with compact root ball, so there is no worries.

Pomagal sem pri čiščenju in sajenju v posode; ob dobri družbi se je dan hitro prevesil v večer in dela žal nismo mogli dokončati. Toda brini bodo v naslednjih dneh vseeno dobili nov dom. In ker so vsi po vrsti izkopani s skoraj celotno koreninsko grudo, ni nobene bojazni.

Re-potting was a city attraction, if someone would be helping would be OK too :-). But even with some cheering it was fine to work. We moved most of the junipers in the pots.

Presajanje je bila atrakcija za ves kraj, če bi kdo posodil kakšno roko ne bi bilo nič narobe :-) , ampak tudi ob vzpodbujanju je bilo lažje delati. Večina brinov se je preselila v posode.

Tomaz has more then enough work for some years now. He said, that he'll get even better material. Super! He'll sell some junipers in the future for sure, but we must wait first and be sure that junipers survived. Then Tomaz will be available for all informations!

Tomaž ima za naslednjih nekaj let več kot dovolj dela. Pravi, da bo kmalu lastnik še boljšega materijala. Odlično! Prav gotovo bo v prihodnosti kak brin tudi naprodaj, a najprej je treba počakati na vkroninjenje. Potem pa bo Tomaž na voljo za vse informacije!

ANKILOZAVER

2010-10-15T20:53:00.000+02:00

Today I worked with my student Primoz. On Picea abies which Primoz collected two years ago we did a first step. It is a good material but not strong enough so I decided that full shaping would be too much for a tree. Such a material is too valuable to waste it with impatience. Instead we did a plan for a new project and did a first step: we cut all superfluous brunches (a little more then a third of green mass), we cleaned a crown letting light and air in, we worked on dead wood.

Danes je bil moj učenec Primož. Na smreki, ki jo je Primož izkopal pred dvemi leti, sva napravila prvi korak k bonsaju. Gre za dober materijal a ne najbolj pri moči, zato sem prvič po dolgem času začutil, da bi bila obdelava do konca za drevo preveč. Takšen materijal je predragocen, da bi ga z neučakanostjo uničil. S Primožem sva tako raje napravila načrt novega projekta in opravila prvi korak: porezala sva vse odvečne veje (nekaj več kot tretjino zelene mase), očistila krošnjo, vanjo spustila svetlobo in zrak in delala na suhem lesu.

This Picea has a good nebari, good tapper, special story are jins, which at tachigari all are pointing in one direction. This speciality we'll use also in final design and we might name this tree Ankilosaurus ... The first step is done. We only prepared this tree for next step. If the tree will react good and will grow good during spring and summer then we'll do a next step at the end of next summer. Sometimes is better to be patient; this time for sure!

Smreko krasi dober nebari, dobro ožanje, posebna zgodba pa so džini, ki v delu tačigarija vsi štrijo v eno smer. Posebnost bova izkoristila tudi v končnem dizajnu in drevo morda poimenovala Ankilozaver ... Prvi korak je napravljen; drevo sva le pripravila za naslednji korak. Če se bo dobro odzvalo in spomladi ter čez poletje dobro odgnalo, potem bo naslednji korak na vrsti konec prihodnjega poletja. Včasih se pač splača počakat, tokrat prav gotovo!

ZLATO

2010-10-14T18:15:00.000+02:00

Today I was a guest in kingdom of Larix. Everything is sparkling of gold there and golden needles are snowing from the sky. Smell of incoming winter, of first snow, is in the air. Ancient giants with harsh bark are saluting by-passers. Raje did fight with a new monster and he was a winner in this battle. Perfect day!

Danes sem bil gost v kraljestvu Macesna. Vse se blešči od zlata, z neba snežijo zlate iglice. Vonj po zimi, po prvem snegu je v zraku. Na vsakem koraku te pozdravljajo večstoletni očaki s hrapavo skorjo. Raje se je ruval z novo beštjo in iz boja izšel kot zmagovalec. Popoln dan.

PREOBRAZBA

2010-10-13T15:35:00.000+02:00

When Raje said: nobody will buy this ugly thing, it was clear that something has to be done. This is Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, which is on the shelves of TORA for quite some years now. It's bonsai-life started some more years ago at one of my demonstration in garden center. So, I did take my scissors and wire, letting my self to the tree and enjoyed the time. Here and there Raje peeped in and monitored this makeover with interest.

Ko je Raje rekel: tega grduna pa res ne bo nihče kupil, je bilo jasno, da je treba nekaj storiti. Gre za Lawsonovo pacipreso, ki se že nekaj let valja po policah v Tori, svoje bonsajsko življenje pa je začela še nekaj let več nazaj na eni od mojih predstavitev v Kaliji. V roke sem vzel škarje in žico, se prepustil drevesu in užival. Tu in tam je v delavnico pokukal tudi Raje in z zanimanjem spremljal stilsko preobrazbo.

"Well, now somebody might buy it, " Raje said at the end. Chamaecyparis is still for sale. The price is the same as before: very good ...

"No, zdej pa jo bo mogoče le kdo kupil, " je na koncu pribil Raje. Pacipresa je še na prodaj, cena pa ostaja ista, kot pred preobrazbo: ugodna ...

ŠE NAPREJ

2010-10-07T19:45:00.001+02:00

From outside it looked as Raje's Larix searching for a new home. But in reality me and Raje were looking where our new home could be in the future ...

Na zunaj je sicer zgledalo, da nov dom išče Rajetov macesen, v bistvu pa sva šla pogledat, kje je v nadaljevanju lahko najin dom ...

Enrico Savini living his bonsai-life in suburban villa near Bologna. He is a boutique collector; his garden is a small version of Masahiko Kimura's garden ... In did, some masterpieces of Japanese master now are owned by Enrico Savini. All of them with new, Savini's soul, of course. But there are also completely his trees, from raw material to "finished" bonsai. One could not believe that this is an indigenous species of Juniperus phoenicea and not imported Itoigawa. Even with material Enrico is extremely fastidious. He picks up only the best, so in his garden you would not find a hundreds of trees. There are just a few, but they are very very promising.

Enrico Savini svoje bonsajsko življenje živi v primestni vili blizu Bologne. Pravi zbirateljski sladokusec; njegov vrt je pomanjšana verzija Kimurinega vrta ... V resnici je kar nekaj mojstrovin japonskega bonsajista zdaj v lasti Enrica Savinija. Vsem je seveda z redizajnom vdihnil svojo dušo. Tu so tudi povsem njegova drevesa, od grobega materijala do "končanega" bonsaja. Človek skoraj ne more verjeti, da gre za avtohtono vrsto feničanskega brina in ne uvoženo itoigavo.Tudi pri izboru materijala je Enrico izjemno izbirčen. Izbira samo najboljše, zato v njegovem vrtu ne boste našli na stotine dreves. Le nekaj jih je, a ta obljubljajo največ.

Rajko standing beside a new Noelander's Trophy winner? Enrico is preparing this Juniperus phoenicea for next trophy.

There is just a top raw material

Behind the school door every time something is going on. This time Enrico with his student Tomas are working on new Kimura's masterpiece - he will re-design another juniper.

Za vrati šole se ves čas dogaja. Tokrat se Enrico z svojim študentom Tomasom ukvarja z novo Kimurino mojstrovino - po svojem okusu bo preoblikoval še en brin.

P.S.: On the web page of Progetto Futuro school http://www.progettofuturobonsai.it/members.asp you'll find also our members, from first year in Tora. Enrico in sending a nice hello to everybody and he is also sending a cool member's card. You'll get them as we meet!

P.S.: Na strani šole Progetto Futuro http://www.progettofuturobonsai.it/members.asp se boste med člani šole našli vsi iz prvega letnika slovenske podružnice. Enrico vam pošilja prisrčne pozdrave in kulske članske izkaznice. Dobite jih ob prvi priložnosti!

P.P.S.: Barcelona, here I come!

P.P.S.: Barcelona, prihajam!

FUTURO

2010-10-04T23:21:00.000+02:00

Every time I attend a workshop or demonstration at the end of the day I ask my self: did I learned something new? If the answer is yes then the goal is achieved. Last two days in Tora absolutely achieved this goal. Even more than that.

Vedno, ko se udeležujem delavnic ali demonstracij, se po koncu dneva vprašam: sem se naučil kaj novega? Če je odgovor pritrdilen, potem je namen dosežen. Dvodnevno druženje v Tori je prav gotovo doseglo svoj namen. Več kot to.

This weekend we opened the brunch of Progetto Futuro school. The lecturer was Ivo Saporiti who fulfilled all expectations of 10 students. "This is not a demonstration, this is a school," he repeated many times and works on the trees developed into a projects. He was focused, every tree get amount of attention that it deserved. For me and Rajko this weekend was a new step at our way: we have a big plans with Tora and the school is only the beginning.

Ta konec tedna smo v Tori odprli prvi letnik podružnice šole Progetto Futuro. Predavatelj je bil Ivo Saporiti, ki je izpolnil pričakovanja 10-ih študentov. "To ni demonstracija, to je šola," je ves čas ponavljal in dela na drevesih so se razvila v projekte. Osredotočen; vsako drevo je dobilo pozornost, ki si ga zasluži. Zame in za Rajkota je bil ta konec tedna nov korak na najini poti: s Toro sva in še vedno imava velike načrte, šola je le začetek.

Ivo Saporiti

Progetto Futuro in Tora

Ivo focused on each and every tree and student

We used a lot of rafia ...

... and wire ...

The working atmosphere was great

Every step was carefully documented

And results were not bad ... (before)

Tomaz's juniper (after)

Next session of first year will be next spring, in March

Naslednje srečanje prvega letnika bo prihodnjo pomlad, marca.

Varšava

2010-09-27T21:55:00.000+02:00

I spent this weekend in Warsaw. It was a good thing ... Far away from everything, a lot of time for thinking. Jure, thank you for opportunity that I was able to be a small part of you life!

Ta konec tedna sem preživel v Varšavi. V bistvu še dobro ... Stran od vsega, veliko časa za razmišljanje. Jure, hvala, da sem bil lahko delček tvojega življenja!

Marek Gajda organized a small bonsai exhibition as part of festival of far-eastern culture and he invited some friends to take part. Nik was taking care of music in the car, I was trying to avoid all holes in a bad Polish roads. But because of great hospitality of organizers you quickly forgot all troubles on the road!

Festival was taking part in old factory complex in Warsaw downtown. Bonsai exhibition and demonstrations were taking a lot of interest among visitors.

Marek Gajda je v okviru festivala vzhodnjaške kulture organiziral manjšo razstavo bonsajev in v goste povabil nekaj prijateljev. Nik je v avtu skrbel za glasbo, jaz sem se skušal ogniti luknjam na slabih poljskih cestah. Gostoljubje organizatorjev popravi še tako slab vtis. In tudi tokrat ni bilo nič drugače!

Festival se je odvijal v opuščenem tovarniškem kompleksu v središču Varšave, zelo podobnem centru Metelkova v Ljubljani. Razstava bonsajev in demonstracije so med obiskovalci požele veliko zanimanja.

Warsaw is the city where new quickly replacing old

Varšava je mesto, kjer novo hitro nadomešča staro.

Festival area

Prireditveni prostor

Demonstrations were taking part outside of the main building

Demosntracije so bile pred glavno stavbo

Marek Gajda - demonstrator in organizator

This is the only photo from my demo

To je edina fotografija z moje demosntracije

There was a lot of interesting events and presentations

Na festivalu je bilo tudi veliko drugih zanimivih dogodkov in predstavitev

Exhibition hall was small but for 60 trees quite good. Only the exhibition shelves were too narrow.

Razstavni prostor je bil majhen in špartansko urejen, a za približno 60 dreves čisto primeren. Le razstavne police so bile nekoliko preozke.

Nik and Piotr analizing Nik's juniper

Nik in Piotr analizirata Nikov brin

One of the best trees on the show: Piotr's Larix

Eno od najboljši dreves na razstavi: Piotrov macesen

Interesting species . subtropical Duranta erecta. A new thing to me.

Zanimiva vrsta - subtropska drobnolistna duranta. Zame novost.

The main bonus of this exhibitions is for sure meeting a new friends and seeing old ones. We, Nik and I, were enjoying a company of Polish, Czech and Dutch friends and spent a three wonderful days in their company!

Glavni dobropis takšnih srečanj je gotovo spoznavanje novih prijateljev bonsajistov in poglabljanje starih prijateljstev. Z Nikom sva v družbi poljskih, čeških in nizozemskih ljubiteljev bonsajev preživela tri čudovite dni!