MAXI

Yesterday we prepared a short club demonstration for visitors in a shopping mall in Ljubljana. I spoke a lot, Tereza, Matej in Joze were working. It was quite refreshing after three days of illness, although tiring for a weak body ... But it is important that soul is flying! And we earned some money for our next year's international exhibition. I was surprised but also delighted that some of the people were there specially for our demonstration and they were there until the end. Feelings? Good, of course ...

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Včeraj smo v Maxiju v Ljubljani za obiskovalce v okviru kluba pripravili krajšo predstavitev bonsajizma. Veliko sem govoril, Tereza, Matej in Jože so delali. Po treh dneh bolezni je bilo prav osvežujoče, čeprav naporno za šibko telo ... A pomembno je, da duša leti! Pa še nekaj denarja za razstavo prihodnje leto bo padlo. Presenetilo a razveselilo me je dejstvo, da je nekaj ljudi tja prišlo prav zaradi nas in so vztrajali do konca. Občutki? Jasno, spet dobri ...

DEČIN

After we met Tomaž at main Prague railway station there was still one hour of driving waiting to be done. This time Czech bonsai association organized its annual exhibition in Decin, near German border, at mighty river Lab. Vaclav Novak, the president of association, gathered a nice international group of demonstrators (I was one of them), there were also demonstrations of Czech bonsaist and New talent contest. Even more then trees on exhibition the pots were really excellent. Czech and Slovak potters are really great masters.

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Potem, ko sva Tomaža pobrala na glavni železniški postaji v Pragi, je bilo pred nami še dobro uro vožnje proti severu. Vsakoletno nacionalno razstavo je Češka bonsajska zveza tokrat organizirala v Dečinu, na nemški meji, ob mogočni Labi. Vaclav Novak, predsednik zveze, je na razstavi zbral pisano mednarodno druščino demonstratorjev, bogat program so z svojimi demonstracijami dopolnili najboljši češki bonsajisti in tekmovanje novih talentov. Še bolj kot drevesa, so navdušile posode. Toliko čudovitih posod na eni razstavi še ni bilo videti. Češki in Slovaški lončarji so izdelovanje bonsajskih posod izpopolnili do popolnosti!

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Decin castle over heading the town which is slowly gaining his old glory after falling of socialism. 12. national exhibition was in private cultural center which was once prestigious shooting range. 

"Oh, you are all here, you east european bonsai mafia," Walter Pall saluted, he was a main demonstrator and moderator. In international group of demonstrators were also Kestutis Ptakauskas from Litva. Uwe Krotenherdt from Germany, Enrique Castano from Mexico, Vladimir Ondrejcik from Slovakia and me. Vaclav Novak was a great host and four days in Decin were special. 

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Dečinski grad kraljuje nad mestom, ki po propadu socializma počasi spet dobiva minuli meščanski sijaj. 12. vsedržavno razstavo je gostilo nekdanje prestižno strelišče, zdaj zasebni kulturni center.

"O, saj ste vsi tu, vsa vzhodnoevropska bonsajistična mafija," je pozdravil Walter Pall, tokratni glavni demonstrator in moderator, poleg njega smo mednarodno vrsto sestavljali še Kestutis Ptakauskas iz Litve, Uwe Krotenheerdt iz Nemčije, Enrique Castano iz Mehike, Vladimir Ondrejčik iz Slovaške in moja malenkost. Vaclav Novak je kot gostitelj poskrbel za vse in štirje dnevi v Dečinu so minili v sijajnem vzdušju.

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Friday morning we were exploring the suroundings. We visited the Silent gorge, cut into send stone, part of national park a few kilometers north of Decin. In such places one can always find something for bonsai inspiration ...

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Petkovo dopoldne smo izkoristili za raziskovanje okolice. Obiskali smo Tiho sotesko, ki jo je v sklade peščenjakov nekaj kilometrov severno od Dečina vrezal pritok Labe in je zdaj del narodnega parka. Paša za dušo in telo; vedno pa se na takšnih krajih najde tudi kaj, kar je lahko bonsajska inspiracija ...

The main event was Saturdays simultaneous demonstrations by six international masters. The main role was taken by Walter Pall who was once again excellent preacher and rhetoric but bad demonstrator. I was working on Juniperus chinensis, Raje was my assistant (without his help I would never finished the tree), at the end even Tomaz helped with wiring. But even so four hours were too short to finished all details. But feelings were good, tree has a good future.

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Osrednji dogodek je bila sobotna simultana demonstracija šestih mednarodnih mojstrov. Glavno vlogo je prevzel Walter Pall, ki se je ponovno izkazal za izjemnega govorca in retorika a slabega demonstratorja. Delal sem na kitajskem brinu, asistiral je Raje, brez njegove pomoči seveda ne bi šlo, na koncu je vskočil še Tomaž. Pa so bile štiri ure vseeno premalo za dokončanje čisto vseh podrobnosti. A občutek je bil dober. Drevo čaka lepa prihodnost.

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V konkurenci približno sto dobrih dreves je glavno nagrado v združeni kategoriji odnesel Michal Budik z svojo izjemno kompozicijo šohinov v izjemnih posodah Klike&Kuratkove. Nasploh so na razstavi navduševale posode čeških in slovaških lončarjev; posode iz centra v Nitri so od svetovne konvencije sem tudi uradno najboljše na svetu!

Krasna bukev Vaclava Novaka

Izjemna sahalinska smreka Kestutisa Ptakauskasa

Zmagovalna kompozicija Michala Budika

Čehi so z razstavo dokazali, da sodijo med pomembnejše bonsajske narode. Mi smo ponovno odnesli nove izkušnje, znanje in predvsem nova prijateljtsva; tista stara so le poglobljena. Bonsajisti smo velika družina, ki jo druži ljubezen do lepega.

Raje je na poti domov na dušek prebral knjigo, Tomaž je menjal CD-je, mene je zaposlovala vožnja. Vsi pa smo bili z mislimi pri drevesih. In tišina je bila zgovorna ...

ZAKLAD

Today Andrej took me to his treasure. To picea which is close to 600 years old, some might say. No matter how old it is, it is an extraordinary finding and excellent material. We prepared it for next year digging. We returned home with another spruce, which will now be part of mine collection. Thank you Andrej!

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Danes me je Andrej peljal k svojemu zakladu. K blizu 600 let stari smreki, bi rekli nekateri. Kolikor je že stara, gre za izjemno najdbo in vrhunski materijal. Pripravila sva jo za izkop za naslednjo jesen. Domov sva se vrnila z drugo smreko, ki je obogatila mojo zbirko. Andrej hvala!

Tomorrow morning me and Raje will travel towards Czech republic. In Prague we'll meet Tomaž and together we'll be guest at XII. national exhibition in Decin. My demonstration will take part in Saturday. Report will follow!

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Jutri zjutraj z Rajetom odrineva proti Češki. V Pragi pobereva še Tomaža, potem pa bomo gostje na XII. nacionalni razstavi v Dečinu. Moja demonstracija bo v soboto. Se beremo!

ZA DUŠO

Today I was biking again and of course I was looking around for yamadoris. Oh yes, I'll return up there as soon as possible. And I am in good shape too - a climb which I was never able to ride is now my new trophy. A feeling of fulfilment is doubled. And views are astonishing ...

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Dopoldne sem bil spet na kolesu in se seveda oziral za jamadoriji. O ja, tja gor se bo treba čim prej vrniti. Pa še v dobri formi sem - klanec, ki ga doslej še nisem uspel zvoziti, je nova osvojena lovorika. Občutek izpolnjenosti je tako dvojen. Da razgledov ne omenjam ... 

This is Triglav, the highest Slovenian mountain through spokes of my bike ...

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Takole se je skozi špice mojega kolesa videl Triglav ...

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When I was returning home I stopped in Tora for making some good photos of juniper which I was working on in Pordenone in Sunday. Yes, there is good future waiting it!

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Nazaj grede sem se ustavil še v Tori, da sem napravil nekaj boljših posnetkov brina, ki sem ga v nedeljo oblikoval v Pordenonu. Jap, čaka ga lepa prihodnost!

LUNA

I thought that I'll just be among the visitors in Pordenone. But It was not so. Early sun, on the western part of the sky was still moon in its full glory, we were on our way to Italy. Roberto Nogeroth organized a meeting in Villa Varda. There were Italian, Austrian and Slovenian clubs. This was an extraordinary day; a lot of laughing, I was enjoying with my tree.



Mislil sem, da se bom srečanja v Pordenonu udeležil le kot gledalec. Pa je naneslo drugače. S prvimi sončnimi žarki, ko je na zahodnem delu neba še kraljevala luna (a ne Raje), smo bili že na poti v Italijo. Roberto Nogherot je v vili Varda organiziral srečanje italijanskih, avstrijskih in slovenskih klubov. Bil je izjemen dan; veliko smeha, sam sem neizmerno užival v ustvarjanju svojega drevesa.


Roberto Nogeroth - always full of energy


Roberto Nogeroth - vedno poln energije in dobre volje


I was working on juniperus rigida. With friends watching me and Raje were enjoying our trees and in the end we were satisfied with the results.
From complicated material I created a han-kengai with a lot of shari. Tree has strong character and when it will be transplanted into proper pot next spring this will be a fine bonsai!


Delal sem na trdolistnem brinu. S prijatelji za hrbtom, sva z Rajetom uživala vsak na svojem drevesu in bila na koncu z rezultatom zadovoljna.
Iz dokaj zahtevnega materiala sem ustvaril polkaskado, z veliko suhega lesa, ki ga bom seveda še dopolnjeval. Drevo ima izjemen karakter in ko ga bom naslednjo pomlad presadil v primerno posodo bo to bonsaj kot se šika!

Thanks Raje, Andrej and all the others who did make this day extraordinary!

Tako prijetnega bonsajskega dne že dolgo nisem doživel. Hvala Rajetu in Andreju in vsem ostalim, ki ste dan napravili izjemen!

OGENJ

Juniper, which was first time styled last December in Tora, was re-styled today. I was not satisfied with it, so in the spring I cut all the wire off and let it grow freely. Now it was time for shaping. Tomaž was my assistant ant there is a completely new tree:

Kitajski brin, ki sva ga z Rajetom oblikovala lani decembra, je doživel preobrazbo. Spomladi nisem bil zadovoljen z njegovim izgledom, zato sem ga razžičil in pustil prosto rasti. Zdaj je bil čas za novo oblikovanje. Na pomoč je priskočil Tomaž in tu je povsem novo drevo:

I wanted to film this re-stiling. But it was something wrong with camera. If I'll save some material I'll publish it.
In Sunday Raje will be the main man in Pordenone, then we'll travel to Czech Republic. On their national exhibition I'll be one of the demonstrators. This time Raje will be my assistant.

Zgodbo preoblikovanja sem hotel ujeti tudi na filmski trak. Žal je v nepravem času zatajila tehnika. Če bom nekaj materiala le uspel rešiti, ga seveda objavim.
Prsti so torej ogreti. V nedeljo je na vrsti Pordenone, kjer bo v glavni vlogi Rajko, potem pa že potujemo na Češko, kjer bom na njihovi nacionalni razstavi nastopil kot demonstrator. Tokrat mi bo Raje pomagal.

P.S.: I named this tree Fire. Anyone knows why?

P.S.: Drevo sem poimenoval Ogenj. Ali kdo ve zakaj?

VARŠAVA

In the early morning we were already on Austrian highways, but there was still three countries waiting to driving thru. In the evening we were at the outskirts of Warsaw where Marek Gajda has his bonsai center. He is a student of Salvatore Liporace and one of the leading Polish bonsaist. Together with Wlodzimierz Pietraszka, Marta and Jacek Pietakiewicz, Piotr Czerniachowski and some other bonsaist they are a strong group which is establishing itself even abroad. I was a guest-demonstrator at their annual exhibition which is part of 'Green is life' fair. Tomaž and I worked on a juniper from a huge Marek's collection. They were great hosts, the exhibition was at club level, a lot of people was visiting the demonstrations.

Jutro sva srečala na avstrijskih avtocestah, pred nama pa še za tri države vožnje, zvečer sva prispela v južno predmestje dvomiljonske Varšave, kjer ima svoj center Marek Gajda. Učenec Salvatoreja Liporaceja je eden od vodilnih poljskih bonsajistov, ki skupaj z začetnikom bonsajizma na Poljskem Wlodzimierzom Pietraszko, Marto in Jackom Pietakiewicz, Piotrom Czerniachowskim in še nekaj posamezniki tvori močno skupino, ki se vse bolj uveljavlja tudi izven meja. Tokrat sem na Marekovo povabilo kot gost-demonstrator iz tujine nastopil na njihovi vsakoletni razstavi v okviru sejma Zeleno je življenje. S Tomažem sva delala na brinu iz velike Marekove zbirke. Navdušila je gostoljubnost gostiteljev, razstava je bila na klubskem nivoju, predstavitve pa si je ogledalo ogromno ljudi.

First we put our trees on the shelves in Warsaw fair and then we set at Marek's center and drink some beer an have some snacks. The center is nice and the collection of material is huge. Of course the master keep the best material at his privet part of the garden … Beside the Polish bonsaist there was also Roman Bona, who has Polish-German backgrounds and work in Germany. Great company, nice environment, we almost forget that I must choose a material for Saturday's demonstration.

Potem ko smo še v petek zvečer drevesa razporedili po policah v razstavni dvorani Varšavskega sejmišča, smo v Marekovem centru posedeli ob vrčku piva in prigrizku. Lepo urejen center vabi k sprehodu, velika je zbirka materiala. V privatnem delu najboljše primerke mojster seveda hrani zase … Poleg uveljavljenih poljskih bonsajistov je bil tu tudi Roman Bona, bonsajist poljsko-nemškega rodu, ki deluje v Nemčiji. Družba kot se šika, prijetno okolje, skoraj bi pozabili na to, da moram pred sobotno demonstracijo še izbrati material.

By my opinion the best tree on the show was this Juniperus communis of Wlodzimierz Pietraszka

Po moje najlepše drevo na razstavi - slavni navadni brin Wlodzimierza Pietraszke

Well, let's say that the juniperus was the best ...

No, recimo, da je bil brin najepši ...

Nice Marek Gajda's center with huge collection of material.

Lepo urejen center Mareka Gajde z veliko izbiro materijala.

Master keeps the best material in private part of the garden.

Mojster najboljše primerke hrani zase.

Tomaž find something for himself.

Tomaž je našel nekaj zase.

In the dark I choose a juniperus, which I could saw for the first time just hours before the show, I did the analyse before the audience on the stage. But this is the part of the show, the real bonsaizm is a little different. Piotr Czerniachowski worked on Taxus, me and Tomaž take a stage, Marek Gajda was announcer.

V temi sem izbral brin, ki sem si ga lahko dobro ogledal šele naslednji dan tik pred demonstracijo, analizo pa opravil kar pred številno publiko, ki se je ob napovedanem času nabrala v avditoriju: tudi to je del šova; pravi bonsajizem se seveda gremo nekoliko drugače. Piotr Czerniachowski je obdeloval tiso, s Tomažem sva zasedla oder, povezoval je vedno duhoviti Marek Gajda.

Piotr was working on Taxus

Piotr je delal na tisi

Even Roman Bona was checking the demonstration

Tudi Roman Bona je prišel pogledat demonstracijo.

Result. Sorry for the poor picture.

Rezultat. Žal boljše slike nimam.

Juniperus has a great lower part, but the upper part is too strait. We tried to get the best out of the tree. After cleaning we were trying to resolve the main problem of the tree – the boring upper part. We rapped the rafia and plastic tape around the brunch and then we bent it with a pole. This was the most attractive moment for the public but this is also a standard method used in bonsaism. There was just a wiring left but we run out of time. Three and a half hours was too short for job to be done, so we did the final touch in the next morning, when Marek Gaida and Wlodzimierz Pietraszko had their demonstrations. The result is a compact tree with some movement, there will be also a lot of dead wood in the future. We left two brunches as a reserve. This is a basic skeleton of the future bonsai, now everything depends on after-care!

Drevo ima zelo dober spodnji del, ki pa se nadaljuje v izjemno neatraktivno ravnino s skromnim zelenjem na koncih redkih vej. S Tomažem sva pljunila v roke in skušala iz drevesa iztisniti največ. Po osnovnem čiščenju in obdelovanju džinov in šarija je prišlo na vrsto reševanje največjega problema drevesa – dolgočasni zgornji del. Ovijanje z rafijo in plastičnim trakom, potem pa agresivno zvijanje s pomočjo vzvoda – za publiko najbolj atraktiven del demonstracije, sicer pa preverjena in ustaljena metoda reševanja podobnih primerov. Ostalo nama je le še žičenje in oblikovanje krošnje s katero sva nekoliko prikrila ravnino. Kljub hitenju je bilo na koncu tri ure in pol časa premalo za dokončanje, zato sva podrobno urejanje krošnje opravila v nedeljo dopoldne na demonstraciji Mareka Gajde in Wlodzimierza Pietraszka. Rezultat je kompaktno drevo z veliko gibanja, ki ga bo v prihodnje oplemenitilo še veliko suhega lesa. Na drevesu bo le nekaj živih ven, ki bodo napajale krošnjo. Za zdaj sva kot rezervi pustila dve veji; tako bo drevo lažje prebrodilo šok oblikovanja, če pa bi se slučajno kaj zgodilo z oblikovano krošnjo, je tu na voljo druga rešitev. Osnovno okostje bonsaja je rojeno, zdaj je vse odvisno od nadaljne oskrbe!

Marek Gajda worked on similar juniperus from his private collection. He used the same technique we did. Wlodzimierz Pietraszka worked on Pinus Sylvestris – he just wired and shaped it. After the demonstration he said: „ Fuck such demonstration, in two hours you can not create a bonsai.“ Marek and Wlodzimierz has even less time then Piotr, me and Tomaž has. Rushing, working under pressure – this is not a bonsaism. But a glowing faces of visitors, their energy feels me up. I enjoy spreading a bonsai knowledge!

Marek Gajda je na demonstraciji oblikoval podoben brin kot midva s Tomažem, le da je bil material izbran v njegovi osebni zalogi in zato za kakšno številko ali dve večji. Ubral je enako tehniko kot midva, saj je takšna rešitev pri podobnem materialu pravzaprav najprimernejša. Wlodzimierz Pietraszko je delal na rdečem boru, ki ga je na hitro ožičil in oblikoval, potem, na zasluženem pivu pa dejal: „Jeb... takšno demonstracijo, v dveh urah se pa bonsaja res ne da napraviti.“ Marek in Wlodzimierz sta imela namreč na voljo še eno uro manj časa, kot Piotr in midva s Tomažem. Hitenje, delo pod pritiskom, izpostavljenost – to res nima prave veze z bonsajizmom. A žareči obrazi med obiskovalci, njihova energija, pa čeprav je šlo v tem primeru zaradi narave celotne prireditve za bolj ali manj slučajne mimoidoče, vsaj pri meni poplačajo vse. Uživam pri širjenju bonsajskega znanja.

Wlodzimierz Pietraszka

Marek Gajda and his juniperus

And then it was five a clock, we find a place for two additional trees in our car and drive into sun set. Warsaw was a new bonsai adventure!

Potem je bila ura pet, s Tomažem sva v avtu morala najti prostor za dve novi drevesi in odpeljala sva se v sončni zahod. Ni kaj, Varšava je bila nova izjemna bonsajska dogodivščina!