Hi honey I'm home! and a juniper too!

Will_Heath

Welcome back Al.

Al, I think I already seen the toliet stand used in "Bonsai Elevations."


Will

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Smoke

OK, now that I am finished with dinner I can come back to Carl's coments.

First, the accent. sorry... that was the only thing I had that was small enough to be photographed with the tree. While it is smaller then a golfball, in retrospect it would have been better to leave it out. It is easy to see the difference in color in the two photo's. The tree alone was shot with artificial fill lights, as an experiment, while the photo with the sedums was shot with camera flash alone. Could I get by with calling this an experiment?

Now about the tree.
I agree to a point. While bonsai for me is an abstract representation of nature, there has to be harmony. For this plant it is just too soon to expect white jins poking from the canopy. While that may indeed be a feature of this plant in the future, there is just not enough branch structure to support that at this time. The shari on the trunk is actually natural, and was not part of my design path. It died as a result of the jins on that side and no foliage to support growth there.

I might like to call this my signature plant, my icon of struggle on bonsaiTALK. While this plant started out strong enough, it began to show signs of weakness and many branches began to wither and eroded away at the lifelines. Only by miracle, it has found new meaning in its persuit of life and has renewed vigor on its quest for bonsai artistry.

...or maybe its just a plant to adorn my bathroom..

Smoke

Alasdair

i like the juniper, very nice. maybe i can start using the name 'Al' now then? lol

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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

Smoke

I feel that Carl had brought up some great points about this juniper, and I really had other things going and did not come back to finish my thoughts.

In jest I have introduced some deadwood sticking above the foliage outline. Is this more of what you had in mind Carl? No, I don't think so. I used to feel the same way. I thought that a really healthy looking canopy on a deadwood juniper was out of place. But as I am drawn to the more abstract, artistic side of bonsai, I see that need for the tension.

Compare the two images I have sumitted, both from Boon's BIB show this past year. The small shohin juniper by Jim Gremmel, and the large grafted juniper of Boon Manikivitipart. Both have very sculptured trunks, some jins on the trunk, and very lush canopies. They lack jins in the crown though. There is a very unique distinction between these three trees, ( although mine could hardly hold a candle to the other two) they are very abstract. They are contrived human representations of a tree growing in a harsh condition, but loveingly cared for by their insane masters.

This spring will be the real test for this tree in this pot. It is rather small, but I think I can really improve this tree even more. Who knows, I may change my mind and go a different direction altogether by fall, I've done that too!
~Smoke~

Attached Images

	DSCF0028.JPG (32.7 KB, 191 views)
	bib5.jpg (61.7 KB, 136 views)
	bib2.jpg (34.4 KB, 136 views)

pootsie

Just for kicks and grins, here's a tree in nature out in Arizona. Not a tea garden tree, but its deadwood is only on the trunk.

My dear friend Holly took this picture on a trip to Sedona.

pootsie

Attached Images

AZjuniper.jpg (56.0 KB, 158 views)

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p.s. My cat is a bonsaiTALK Master.
Columbus Bonsai Society

TreeBay

Poots, I think you should transplant your tree a bit lower, and remove the eye poking root. Let me know if you need help, I can block out a couple of hours.

Regards,

Matt

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Cosen

Hello AL,
I'm Bonsai rookie so its my job to ask stupid questions.

What's the difference between contrast and conflict for you ?

Gr. Dave

bonsaial1

Dave, contrast would be seen in the above photos as the bright white bleached look of the deadwood against the polished bark of the red living wood.

Conflict is where the eye looks at the composition and is confused. Such as why this pine is leaning to the point of looking unbalanced and ready to topple over. This tree looks unbalanced due to its confliction with the laws of gravity!

Al

Attached Images

slantingpine.JPG (29.1 KB, 129 views)

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Experience is fundamental

Cosen

Thank AL now i understand how you look at it.
Btw did they glue that pot to the table ?

I was, i hope you understand, looking for consitency in the story.
Haven't figured out yet how the deadwood and the "teagarden" canopy are or are not conflicting with each other.
I do however can think of onetime event's that happend to a tree.

Untill i figured it out i better, try ,putting "teagarden canopy's on "teagarden" trunks.

Gr. Dave