I am always happy to promote shows, exhibitions, workshops, etc, here and this one even more so as it’s for Harry, my European scout/photographer 😉
Poster below with all the details, free entry and free workshops, I wish I could get away to see some of these, maybe in a few years when things quieten down a bit 😉
Tonight for my first garage night in ages. Haven’t been able to manage one with work of late. We had a great night playing with trees and chatting.
They actually all look busy, no chat at all!
Michael on his knees!
Ian hard at it
Shaz and the White Pine
Caleb at his first garage night, will he come back? Ben getting stuck in.
Well, last night was a first for me. I was asked a few weeks ago after a discussion about pushing yourself further as a bonsaist, if I would do a one to one workshop by a club member.
Up until now, any teaching of bonsai by me has always been in a club environment as part of a pretty big group or just among friends having a lark and a good time. I have organized a lot of workshops with outside professionals and I have taken part in many workshops, even 1 to 1 and 2 to 1 sessions. I don’t do bonsai to make money and I have always tried to be self deprecating and humble when it comes to bonsai, calling myself ‘Bonsai Eejit’ being a prime example. There are so many people out there better than I am at this malarkey and by putting yourself out there as if you know it all, can leave you open for the usual abuse by the small minded!
So when this request came to me, I had to think long and hard. Do I really want to do this? I feel that I am a pretty decent at helping others learn bonsai, in fact, it’s what I enjoy most about club life. No one out there in Ireland that I know of is offering 1 to 1 tuition. So, what the hell, I’ll give it a go and see what happens. Dr Pepper, What’s the worst that can happen?
So getting back to last night, I did a 4 hour [well 5 really] session with my victim. We started off by looking at how to evaluate a bonsai, good points and bad, a massive topic and one that will feature in each session. I was taught this myself in 1 to 1’s with Robert Porch years ago and it has stayed with me ever since. We then had a look at a Juniper brought along for the session. The main purpose was to learn about wiring basics but we got carried away and managed to get the full tree wired on the night. I even set homework, but I won’t go into this in case he cheats 🙂
Feedback has been fantastic and another session is being booked for next month, so I think it’s safe to say it went well.
The whole process also helped me focus on what I feel is important about bonsai and, in a way, helped me learn a little on the night too. The only criticism made was that I made him sit at this school desk 🙂
Only joking, this was the set up.
So after 20 years doing bonsai, this is a new aspect of the art for me and I must admit I’m looking forward to doing more.
After a great day at the Saturday Bonsai School, a few bottles that night and a great Indian meal, the Sunday Workshop loomed large.
As usual Peter starts off with at least one tree from each student getting a run through. A great way to start and a great learning experience.
As all good workshops should be, this one isn’t about getting tree styled start to finish, but about knowledge, learning and what’s best for the tree. Here’s some snaps of the workshop and some of the trees worked on during the day.
Sunday’s Willowbog Workshop with Peter started with the usual ‘sit down and discuss ‘ of all the main trees to be worked on during the day. We had six participants on the day plus our junior member Jamie, was was there to observe and assist as needed. He worked pretty hard on the day as it turned out and there was me thinking all teenagers were lazy!
The initial chat about the trees is a great way for everyone to learn a little more, even if it’s not their tree. It is a popular segment for members.
As the day progressed we saw a lot of repotting taking place. Two maples a Chamaecyparis and an Elm featured strongly. Towards the end of the day the carving tools came out and the sawdust was flying.
One of the most pleasing things I have seen in bonsai in the last few years has been the growth and transformation of the club I belong too. The Northern Ireland Bonsai Society has been around since 1986, but the last few years has seen a swing to workshop based meetings and a drive to bring in knowledge from bonsai professionals to boost the knowledge of all members.
This year is shaping up to be a great year. We have Peter Warren coming over in September, Robert Porch next month and we are delighted to be entering into our third year of our Willowbog Bonsai School. We also are breaking new ground with our exhibition moving to a new location and date this April.
Part of our trip to Willowbog wasn’t about bonsai, but the friendship and craic [fun] we had during the weekend. What better way to capture this than to have a video as a reminder. Not original in bonsai circles I know with others such as Andrew Sellman and Sebastijan Sandev already covering this. But this is for me and anyone else who was there to help relive good times…
Apologies to any German viewers, You are the only country that copyright has blocked viewing due to the music.
You will have seen Ryan talking about Pines elsewhere on Youtube but I think this one is slightly more detailed and well worth a watch.
and then is was me 🙂
As previously posted, I had opted to work on this Scots Pine.
Ryan asked about its history and what way I saw the tree going. I pointed out it’s problems as I saw them, namely the roots, heavy branches in the apex and the position of the secondary trunk in relation to the main trunk.
After a look Ryan suggest that the tree be tilted to the right to change the level of the roots and solve the nebari issue. One root can be removed at repotting. He removes a few heavy branches and started me off wiring the mini apex on the right and the secondary apex in the middle with heavy wire. This allows us to change the angle of the secondary trunk more to the front.
Ryan impressed me greatly by his ability to move around the room keeping everyone on target at the right time and make adjustments when required. Peter Warren is the only other person I have seen manage this. Must be something to this Japanese apprentice carry on 🙂
As I moved around the tree wiring Ryan was able to point out a few different techniques in wiring. That 45 degree angle thing you read about in all the books and hear preached by most bonsai guru’s can be safely shelved especially when wiring with copper. I haven’t done a lot of copper wiring, strange after 18 years in bonsai, but I found it OK to be honest. Gauging the weight of the wire was the new bit for me but a few branches in, it was straight forward. Towards the end of the workshop Peter Warren stepped up and gave me a hand to get all the wiring complete on time. Cheers Peter 🙂 It was a good chance to chat about …. nah I’ll keep that conversation to myself 😀
Throughout the workshop, Ryan would appear and do a little placing of branches or adjust branches that I had placed. Then at the end he sat down to make the final adjustments. I think the whole feeling of the workshop is captured in these next photos, just look at all the smiling and laughter, a great day in good company but still achieving quality work.
Grinning like a complete eejit 🙂 why the hell not, working with Ryan Neil. Peter Warren and Peter Snart, hard to beat it I think.
and the final image
As usual the photo just doesn’t do it justice.Here is a side by side before and after.
Those left at the end got together for a wee memento photo. Good times.
Starting with Phil’s tree, this rather large Scots Pine was selected by Phil for a particular reason. Most people who had done the workshop wanted direction with their tree or refinement. Phil however was more interested in learning techniques, most notably bending techniques. This Scots Pine was always going to need bending in some way to make it a viable bonsai sometime in the future.
This is the tree before we started.
Ryan asked for ideas about its future, some said put it back in the ground and one said put it back in the van 🙂 Ryan said that there is always something that can be done.
After some discussion about styling options with everyone there, Ryan opted to remove two of the trunks initially and set Phil to work creating jins using hand tools and a bit of rip and tear.
The next step was how to bend such a heavy branch/trunk. Ryan demonstrated the technique of sawing into the trunk and removing a very small wedge. This was then bend down to meet again and sealed. This was done in two places on the trunk.
Phil describes what the top of the jin looks like.
The branch that was to make the new apex also needed a severe bend. Ryan removed some of the thickness by creating a shari and then running copper wire along the length of the shari before Phil applied the raffia. This allowed the branch to be bent at almost 90 degrees.
Phil gets on with wiring the remainder of the tree.
Ben lends a hand with the wiring.
Ryan’s guy line setup.
Feck’n eejits the pair of them. Apologies if you find them offensive, but you try getting a photo of them without Phil the fingers getting his way!!
The spare branch which was under consideration as an apex is now jinned.
and after Ryan places the branches as a skeleton of it’s future design.
The wire team
It fitted in the van a lot easier on the way home 🙂
and just to prove it made it home….
before and after..
Shop for quality bonsai
bonsai and garden
The Kaizen Bonsai Blog
Teaching, Learning, Enjoying Bonsai
The ramblings of an old artist and someone who would like to grow better bonsais trees
my bonsai
My wood creations
Hand Crafted Furniture
Creativity Through Bonsai
dirt leaves flowers
bonsaï | vidéo | Japon - ActuBonsaï
Japan's aesthetic, craftsmanship and spirit
Bonsai with a hint of madness...
"Tibolar-RS. your soil needs it, your plants will love it"
Bonsai Eejit 