RETUSA

Uroš called for help in autumn 2010 and work on the tree begun. It is an ordinary commercial ficus with grafted branches, but nevertheless it has a different potential then most of them. Even though it was in bad condition when I first saw it, I immediately recognized it's potential. Since then Uroš learned how to care for it, how to overwinter it, new leafs grew, it got a new pot and it is potted in to right substrate. After a year and a half of preparing, today the time for first styling has come.

Uroš me je jeseni 2010 poklical na pomoč in delo na drevesu je steklo. Gre za običajen komercialni fikus s potaknjenimi vejami, vseeno pa ima drugačen potencial kot večina ostalih. Kljub temu, da je bil v zelo slabem stanju, sem to opazil že na prvi pogled. Od takrat se je Uroš naučil skrbeti zanj, ga pravilno prezimiti, listi so pognali na novo, dobil je novo posodo in posajen je pravi substrat. Po letu in pol priprave je danes prišel čas za prvo resnejše oblikovanje.

Ready for work

Me and Roland went to the Štajerska region in the morning and started to work. First we must defoliated the tree, but if the tree is so big this is quite a challenge. Some carving was done to cower the grafting spots and then wiring has take place.

Z Rolandom sva se na Štajersko odpravila zgodaj dopoldne in pljunila v roke. Najprej je bilo treba drevo razlistiti, kar pri tako velikem drevesu ni mačji kašelj. Nekaj malega rezkanja, da se zabrišejo sledi rezanih vej in cepljenih mest, potem pa je prišlo na vrsti žičenje.

Roland finishing with defoliation

Uroš was happy with the result, me and Roland were satisfied with our work. Now it is clear, why some species of the ficus is also called the birch-leaved - the silhouette is very similar to the full-grown birch! It is pleasure to work on a tree cared by Uroš. Because you know, that he'll do everything he can to take a good care of the tree. That the tree will be in good condition when you'll come back and that it will do a step forward. It so different (and that is too often) when you come back and you see a tree in very bad condition and you must concentrate on saving a tree over and over again instead to concentrate on it's development.

Uroš je bil nad rezultatom navdušen, z delom sva bila zadovoljna tudi midva z Rolandom. Zdaj je jasno, zakaj se vrsti fikusa reče tudi brezolistni fikus - silhueta je povsem podobna brezi! Večletno delo na drevesu, za katerega skrbi človek, kot je Uroš, je užitek. Ker veš, da bo napravil vse, da bo drevo v dobri kondiciji. Da bo, ko se boš vrnil, drevo pokalo od zdravja in da bo lahko napravilo korak naprej! Povsem drugače (in vse prevečkrat) pa je, če se k drevesu vrneš in najdeš razdejanje, ter se moraš spet in spet posvečati reševanju drevesa in ne njegovemu napredku.

Roland and Uroš with finished tree

Work on a tree was closely monitored by flock of storks. 15 of them landed on the grassland near the house. Even the oldest residents don't remember so big flock of storks on this aria. Another good sign!

Delo na drevesu je ves čas budno spremljala jata štorkelj. Kar 15 se jih je spustilo na travnik ob hiši. Menda tudi najstarejši ne pomnijo tako velike jate štorkelj na tem območju. Še en dober znak!

SREDA

There was a Wednesday again and TORA group met again at weekly session. After exciting winter months with a lot of heavy bending and major works now the time for more peaceful work on trees has arrived: defoliation, pinching, detailed wiring, work on details. Tomaž came in just to cut one single branch on his Fagus :-) . Matej defoliated one of his big Prunus trees, Miha also worked on Prunus. It did a step forward even though Miha decided not to cut the tree shorter. It has a major mistake in the middle part of the trunk. But Miha has a lot of better material still at home, so ...

Spet je bila sreda in novo redno tedensko srečanje je za nami. Po razburljivih zimskih mesecih, ko smo na veliko krivili in na drevesih opravljali večje posege, je zdaj letni čas za umirjenejše delo na drevesih: razlistanje, vršičkanje, podrobno žičenje, dela na detajlih. Tomaž je recimo prišel odrezat le eno vejo na bukvi :-). Matej je razlistal še eno od svojih mrcin, tudi Miha je delal na rešeliki. Napravila je korak naprej, čeprav se je Miha odločil, da drevesa kljub očitni napaki v srednjem delu, ne bo krajšal. Ima še veliko boljšega materijala na zlogi ...

Roland finally finished detailed wiring on his Juniperus. It was worth to wait, the result is very good!

Roland je končno dokončal podrobno žičenje na svojem brinu. Splačalo se je potruditi, rezultat je zelo dober!

I was working on one of my junipers, I cut all the back-up branches, so all the energy will be now concentrated in the crown. After one of the most important branches died off in the middle of the crown, now it is nicely full again. The shadow of new bonsai is already visible, even though it has still a long way to go ... Step by step!

Tudi jaz sem delal na enem od svojih brinov, odrezal sem mu rezervne veje, tako da bo vsa energija zdaj skoncentrirana v krošnji. Potem, ko mu je odmrla ena pomembnejših vej v sredini krošnje, je zdaj po novem žičenju spet lepo polna. Obrisi novega drevesa se kažejo, čeprav ima še dolgo pot pred sabo ... Korak za korakom! 

P.S.: Yesterday Blaž took one of the junipers that was left behind by EBA new talents. There are juts 5 more, if you want one you must hurry.

P.S.: Včeraj je Blaž prišel po enega od brinov, ki jih niso pokupili novi talenti na EBA konvenciji. Samo še 5 jih je ostalo, tako da pohitite.

FIKUS

I don't have so many opportunities for work on tropical species. But this ficus was already for the second time in my atelier; some three months ago I cut it a little for the first time for one of my customer. Last night we cut it a little more and put wire on it. This tree is grown from cutting and it's owner works on it for at least 15 years. In all this time the tree wasn't wired at all. Of course it will never become a great bonsai. But the owner put the stone in to the roots and he made a concrete pot for it. Is this a bonsai art? Of course. Not in top artistic sense, but nevertheless the owner is happy with it. Now, as he knows how the tree can be changed with wire in a few minutes and it can become even a little tree, he is sorry for all lost time and he regrets why he didn't start to work on a proper material. But he didn't know a different way. The happiness in his eyes after work on a tree tells it all!  

V bistvu nimam velikokrat priložnosti delati na tropski vrsti. Tokrat se je v ateljeju že drugič znašel fikus benajmin, ki sva ga s stranko prvič obrezala že pred kakimi tremi meseci. Sinoči sva ga še malo bolj sfrizirala in ožičila. Dotično drevo je zrastlo iz potaknejnca, gospod se z njim ukvarja že vsaj 15 let in v vsem tem času ga ni niti enkrat ožičil. In seveda iz njega ne bo nikoli nastal vrhunski bonsai. Je pa med korenine vtaknil kamen.  In mu iz betona izdelal posodo. Je to bonsajizem? Gotovo. Ne sicer v tistem vrhunskem umetniškem smislu, vendar pa gospodu vseeno prinaša neizmerno veselje. Zdaj, ko je spoznal, kako lahko z nekaj žicami v hipu postane povsem drugačen, celo malce podoben drevesu, mu je seveda žal, za ves izgubljeni čas, da se ni že prej začel ukvarjati s pravim materijalom. Ampak druge poti niti ni poznal. Zato pa veselje v očeh ob preobrazbi drevesa pove vse.

With picnic in Domžale we ended the spring part of club's season. Nice socializing in good company - this was just a fine end of the most important season in club's history. EBA was a success, now we deserved some party. But even though that the drink and food were for free, there was no crowd; it is obvious that enthusiasm is fading after almost 10 years of club's work.

Spomladanski del klubske sezone smo zaokrožili s piknikom v Domžalah. Prijetno druženje v dobri družbi je bila samo pika na i doslej najpomembnejši sezoni v klubski zgodovini. EBA je uspešno za nami, zasluženo smo si privoščili malce zabave. Žal je bila tudi na pikniku (kljub zastonj hrani in pijači ;-) ) udeležba bolj skromna; očitno je, da intuziazem po skoraj desetih letih delovanja kluba popušča.

But my energy is increasing. More and more time of my life is dedicated to bonsai. Since I moved to new atelier also school is thriving. And this week was no difference.

Sam imam zaleta vedno več. Vedno večji del življenja zaseda bonsajizem, od kar sem se preselil v novi atelje je šola zaživela in se le še razvija. Tudi ta teden ni bilo nič drugače.

If you are seeking for knowledge - welcome to my atelier, the first part of the season is almost over, but you can reserve the autumn's sessions!

Vsi znanja željni ste še vedno vabljeni v atelje, počasi se prvi del sezone zaključuje, termini bolj ali manj zasedeni, vendar pa si lahko že zdaj rezervirate jesenske termine! 

RAJE

There were some intensive bonsai-days! In Tuesday morning I had a lecture about bonsai at high school in Novo mesto and I figured out that even high school students can be interested in to bonsai if one can present the art with proper attitude. In the afternoon Gorazd came by, we did a first steps in to bonsai world.  

Nekaj intenzivnih bonsajskih dni je spet za mano. V torek dopoldne sem predaval na gimnaziji v Novem mestu in ugotovil, da so ob pravem pristopu bonsaji lahko zanimivi tudi za dijake. Popoldne je na tečaj prišel Gorazd; na rdečem boru sva napravila prve korake v bonsajski svet.

Gorazd working on Pinus sylvestris

Yesterday afternoon was very interesting again. Business director of TORA Rajko came in to atelier ;-) ! First he was concentrating on his other hobby - photographing - and he documented everything from all different corners (you can already see his pictures at his blog http://bonsajiblog.blogspot.com/), after that he also intervened in to bonsai teaching, of course. 

Včerajšnje popoldne pa je bilo na sploh zanimivo. V ateljeju se je namreč oglasil poslovni direktor TORA Rajko ;-) ! Najprej se je posvetil svojemu drugemu hobiju - fotografiranju - in dogajanje dokumentiral iz vseh možnih kotov (slike že lahko občudujete na njegovem blogu http://bonsajiblog.blogspot.com/), potem pa seveda posegel tudi v bonsajsko dogajanje.

Intensive studying

This was a session dedicated to defoliation of Prunus mahaleb. Janez and Matej defoliated their trees, Janez's got it's first form at one of the winter sessions in atelier. Matej's Prunus is something special - it grows from rock! Both are still in developing phase, but based on experiences with this species we can expect a nice result in just a year or two.

Sicer pa je tokratna seansa minila v znamenju razlistanja rešelik. Janez in Matej sta svoji rešeliki razlistala, Janezova je osnovno obliko dobila na eni od zimskih srečanj v ateljeju, Matejeva pa je nekaj posebnega - raste iz kamna! Obe sta seveda še v fazi razvoja, toda glede na izkušnje s to vrsto, lahko že v letu ali dveh pričakujemo lepe rezultate. 

Still developing the top brunch, but coming out nicely

Excentrik tree growing from a rock

Tomaž and Miha were also here, Roland solved some problems on his juniper, Janez also did a first step on his yew. Afternoon was over in the blink of the eye, TORA group is working at full power!

Tu sta bila tudi Tomaž in Miha, Roland je rešil nekaj problemov na svojem brinu, Janez je napravil tudi prvi korak na tisi. Skratka popoldne je spet minilo kot blisk, TORA deluje s polno paro!

GREMO DALJE

Things are getting back to normal after EBA convention, TORA group had its weekly session again. Roland worked on details on his Juniper, Miha did a first selection of branches on his Prunus.

Stvari se po konvenciji EBA postavljajo v normalne okvirje, svoje običajno tedensko srečanje je imela tudi skupina TORA. Roland je delal na podrobnostih na brinu, Miha je na rešeliki opravil prvo selekcijo vej.

Afternoon turned into a pleasant spring evening, atelier moved also outside. When Matej joined us at some nice talking, the evening was almost perfect.

Popoldne se je prevesilo v prijeten spomladanski večer, atelje je svoje delovanje razširil na zunanji prostor. Ko se nam je na debati pridružil še Matej, je bil večer skoraj popoln.

Oh yes. I wired a new shoots on literati pine, cut some needles, the tree is getting closer to its goal. The definition of the crown is better and better, one year of proper work can really do a great things on a tree.

Saj res. Ožičil sem novo rast na boru literati, odstranil nekaj iglic in drevo počasi napreduje proti cilju. Definicija krošnje je vse boljša, leto dni se ob pravem delu na drevesu zelo pozna.

ZVEZDE

I am still deep breathing. After two years of intensive work time for bills has come. EBA 2012 is over. We can be proud of our work and almost everyone who was attending an exhibition in hotel Mons is satisfied too. There is no point to be in a bad mood because of things that is not anther your control.

But anyway. More I am coming familiar with the "jet set" of bonsai more disappointed I am. I can not believe, that this is possible. With all this "stars" there is nothing about bonsai, nothing about enjoying in creativity but only their ego, who will talk bad things about other, who is more important, who is the best, who is smarter, who is more beautiful ... You can be also so important, that you even don't come to say hello ... THIS IS NOT THE ESSENCE OF BONSAI, BOYS! Can you please forget your ego for a while, can you please behave as normal human being and can you start to enjoy in bonsai? I am not impressed by your last name, but by your attitude towards people, your behavior.

Še vedno zajemam sapo. Po dveh letih intenzivnega dela je zdaj čas za obračune. EBA 2012 je za nami. Lahko smo ponosni na delo, ki smo ga opravili in zadovoljnih je tudi velika večina vseh, ki so bili z nami v Monsu. Zaradi stvari, na katere nimaš vpliva, se nima smisla sekirat.

Pa vendarle. Vedno bolj, ko spoznavam t.i. "smetano" bonsajizma, bolj sem razočaran, enostavno ne morem verjeti, da je to mogoče. Da pri vseh teh "zvezdnikih" ni v ospredju bonsajizem, uživanje v ustvarjanju, ampak zgolj njihov ego, kdo bo koga bolj popljuval, kdo je pomembnejši, kdo je boljši, kdo je pametnejši, lepši ... Da si tako pomemben, da se ti ne zdi vredno niti priti pozdravit. TO NI BISTVO BONSAJIZMA FANTJE! Pozabite že enkrat na svoj ego, obnašajte se normalno in uživajte v tem kar počnete. Name ne napravi vtis vaš priimek, temveč vaš odnos do ljudi, vaše obnašanje.

I realized, that there is no country without bonsai people being divided into clans, arguing over who in this world is the only one right and who is a moron. Except one little oasis. I am really proud on our little Slovenia. On our artists who are just enjoying what they are doing. Because we don't care of naturalistic or Japanese style, because we don't care who will be in the spot light at the stage, because we don't care who gets the award, we just enjoy the award together, because we just step together and together we can do such things as we did this weekend - we can organize one of the biggest bonsai events in the Europe. And because we care only about the trees!

Spoznal sem, da v bistvu ni države, v kateri bonsaisti ne bi bili razdeljeni na klane, bili med sabo na smrt sprti in se prepirali kdo edini na tem svetu ima prav in kdo je butec. Razen ene male oaze sredi tega razburkanega morja. Zato sem še bolj ponosen na našo malo Slovenijo. Na slovenske bonsajiste, ki zgolj uživamo v tem, kar delamo. Ker nam ni mar ne za naravni ali japonski slog, ker nam ni mar za to, kdo bo bolj blestel na odru, ker nam ni mar za to, kdo dobi nagrado, ampak se je z njim vsi veselimo, ker skupaj poprimemo za delo in znamo s skupnimi močmi napraviti to, kar smo pretekli konec tedna - organizirati enega največjih bonsajskih dogodkov v Evropi. In zato, ker nam je mar edino za drevesa!   

P.S.: Roland, I am also proud of you, you did a great job!

P.S.: Roland, ponosen sem tudi nate, dobro si se odrezal!

Together we can do a great things!