My belated introduction and offering

tachigi

Greetings all, I have been a member for three years and after a comment from the wonderful Ms. Vic last night. I realized I hadn't made a contribution to the community. So here is an offering of a yamadori project I have been working on for the last two and a half years. Hope you enjoy and have a peek into my world.

This juniper (picture 73) was collected in PA. May of 2004. It sat on the corner of a dirt path/road. It appeared to be religously run over by the farmers tractor that farmed this land. All sorts of natural shari and jin. Being such a tasty hunk of Juniper I decided to wrestle it out of thigh high mud.

After repotting it and, a all but to brief rest period. The first order of business was to reduce its wide spread. In the first picture the lower left branch was removed and a jin was created(picture 75).The long upper right hand branch points also to the right was split down the center for approximately 18 inches.(Seen in upper right quadrant of the tree in the first picture). Raffia and wire was applied. Then seperated and repositioned as seen in upper right quadrant of the tree in picture 74.

Last year, general wiring was applied to position branches in there general positions as seen in picture 77.

Early this year I bought a copper mine, and fine wired the rest of the tree.As seen in picture 78. Three days of wiring with #20 and #22 copper will make ones figures ache. After a good season of foliage growth, the foliage was pinched back as seen in Picture 79. Unfortunately the tree decided on its own that it wanted to be a rebel and restyle its self (hate it when the kids act up). The living vein on the front of the tree died back. So to emphazie where the vein use to be I created a texture change on the deadwood. Giving the original shari a rougher texture and polishing what was the living vein. As well as under cutting the vein when carving to make it more pronounced.

Finally ( because I couldn't resist), I played with a virtual of the tree and pot (Picture 79). This spring it goes into a new home. Well thats it my offering. Please feel free to comment...I do enjoy critque, it has a tendency to make one better.

Attached Images

	jsw_pic1.jpg (41.9 KB, 180 views)
	jsw_pic2.jpg (38.2 KB, 147 views)
	jsw_pic4.jpg (43.0 KB, 111 views)
	jsw_pic5.jpg (40.0 KB, 153 views)
	jsw_pic6.jpg (42.1 KB, 181 views)
	jsw_virtual_juniper.jpg (48.8 KB, 191 views)

__________________
Tom

Shady Side Bonsai
Bonsai Vault
4MAAT

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Bonsaifreak

One of a kind first contribution!

Very nice job on this juniper Tachigi! I have praises but no criticisms at this time.


Jorge

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"Always acknowledge a fault. This will throw those in authority off their guard and give you an opportunity to commit more."
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tachigi

Thanks Jorge for the praise. I wiil give you a rain check if criticism comes to mind.

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Tom

Shady Side Bonsai
Bonsai Vault
4MAAT

ElGringo

Haha this made me laugh!. Good effort, I think this is a excellent contribution, look forward to seeing photos in the future

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Richard

Alasdair

Wow. On paper i've been doing bonsai for about 6 years now and have nothing even near this calibre to share. Just goes to show what a good piece of stock can bring to this hobby/sport/art.

Good luck with this, you're not far off the virtual and i really like what you are planning.

Al

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I can feel another "I wish that was my tree" moment coming on...
Currently studying BSc Plant Biology at the Universty of Wales, Aberystwyth

midwestbonsai

Just imagine what this tree could look like in another 2 , 4, 10 years.
Keep up the good work.
-Paul

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Dale Cochoy

Now THAT is the fun of bonsai and how to learn.
Looking GREAT so far and the virtual looks nice, Shouldn't take long.

Ahh! Reminds me of all those Andorra junipers my buddy and I collected over several years long ago...sort off.

good job,
Dale

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If you want to be Different....
You have to DO something Different!
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Some people NEVER take the time to do a job right the first time....
but, they always seem to make the time to do it over again...
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Dale Cochoy
Wild Things Bonsai Studio
Yakimono no Kokoro Bonsai Pottery
Hartville, Ohio

Jon Chown

Excellent start, I like the deadwood and where you are going with this.

What veriety of Juniper is it? The needles appear to be adult or is it a Shimpaku?

Jon

tachigi

Thanks all, It's nice when you start creating something that it pleases more than yourself as it takes it journey.

Alasdair--your right good stock does make a difference. Alot of my inspiration comes from your side of the pond. The Ginko festival has so many great trees, unless your blind, deaf, and dumb your bound to improve with trees of that caliper.

Dale thanks for the praise...your carving bits gave a lot of help.

Jon thanks for the thumbs up. The juniper is a Sargenti, at least thats the common opinion, as well as mine, from folks around here. Didn't have a tag on it when I yanked it out of the mud hole. The foliage was all mature when I collected it and thankfully has stayed that way.

Finally got a PM from someone asking about the virtual image. I worked the edges with a clone brush and a bit of the interior gapping. Below is a picture I took today (in the rain) to make the image. I have included another image with a different pot. For some reason I can't get a handle on the pot.

Attached Images

	jsw_100_0295_0001.jpg (51.8 KB, 85 views)
	jsw_juniperpot.jpg (53.0 KB, 51 views)

__________________
Tom

Shady Side Bonsai
Bonsai Vault
4MAAT