ATM Kingsville Boxwood

John Dixon

Walter,

This bonsai is about 8.5 inches in height. The trunk is slightly over an inch thick. It was reduced from a two gallon growing container to the current pot about three years ago. The goal was to emulate a lone tree I saw in a pasture in the North Carolina mountains.

There are two areas of this tree I am especially anxious to hear your opinion about.

First, the trunk split. It has all the ear marks of a bar branch, but I just don't see an option since there are three main sections at the junction and to remove one, ruins the canopy (in my opinion). I've always liked the split on this little guy, but normally I do not approve of bar-branching. This specific split has grown on me as being a "correct" structure. Have I made a mistake?

Second, the foliage on the left side. At the extreme left edge, the foliage is not "full". I am split on either allowing it to fill in, or removing about 1.5- 2" of it (width measurement from left) towards the trunk, and a very slight reduction on the right. I lean towards reduction of width.

Of course these are just my concerns, and I really am looking forward to getting your advice. I have a few bonsai of shohin size, this is probably one of the best shohin I have, and I know enough to understand that with the small size, any changes can have a tremendous effect. I want to make informed and prudent changes, and I know I can rely on you to help with that.

Thanks for your time and effort,

John

P.S. I've attached two additional photos that were not of the best quality, but showed views from the left side and better foliage definition (with a bad shadow).

Attached Images

	ATM version.JPG (26.1 KB, 221 views)
	inside w shadow.JPG (21.7 KB, 147 views)
	left.JPG (19.5 KB, 134 views)

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John Dixon

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Walter_Pall

John,

This tree has all the potential to give one the feeling of a lone deciduous tree namely an oak in the mountains. Your version already does a lot for this aim.

I think we could improve your image by:

1) getting the left side closer to the trunk. At the moment it is undecided which is the main side, left or right. I would tend for the right to become the leading side clearly.

2) Bring down the foliage on the leading side about 15°.

3) Make sure the silhouette is not too even. Make some indentations in the silhouette to make it more credibly the crown of a natural tree.

5) Plant into a smaller pot, which can well be shallower.

6) Get rid of this hill the tree stands on. It looks better flat on the soil level in a pot. On a slab you could plant it on this hill.

7) What I could not show in my virtual is the problem of the y-shaped sub-trunks. I consider these sub-trunks and not branches. The y is too clear and the one going up is exactly in the middle. You probably could overcome this by turning the whole tree either clock-wise or counter clock-wise one hour or more. Thus the symmetry in the core piece with the three sub-trunks probably disappears and it may look asymmetrical and consequently more natural.

What you call bar branches are quite normal for a deciduous tree. It is the informal broom form. Some call it oak form. The 'bar' branches should not be symmetricla though. Yes, your tree looks like an old oak in a field. Old oaks have a crown which is never ever a triangle. It is always roundish, usually rather flat round. The crown normaly is more wide then it is high.

Attached Images

ATM-version2.jpg (55.0 KB, 193 views)

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John Dixon

Walter,

Thank you for the critique. Some changes will have to wait until next year, but I will reduce the left side and lower the right as you suggested. I will also add some "imperfections" to the canopy to make it more realistic.

I plan on using this bonsai in a club display in Asheville, NC this October. If I can make the changes, unobtrusively, before then, I hope it will be a good addition to the display.

As always, thank you for your assistance and wisdom.

John

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John Dixon

Si vis pacem parabellum

Stay off the trails of others, that's where the booby-traps are.

David Yedwab

John,
I like the changes Walter has suggested, especially the slight rotation to take away the symmetry of the two side trunks. I also wonder if the foliage isn't too full. But this is just nitpicking. Also think a smaller, perhaps round pot would help, make the tree look bigger, thicker and maybe older. Perhaps a bit like my box (attached), although it, too, certainly has a way to go.

Surprised "Mr. Oaktree Form Boxwood" Mike Page hasn't chimed in. Hope he will, his observations might be useful.

Attached Images

MVC-002X.JPG (31.4 KB, 113 views)

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David Yedwab

John Dixon

David,

Thank you for the input. I struggled with mentioning in the original post that the pot and "hill" were intentionally chosen to mimic an open field with a slight rise. I decided to not say it, and let the bonsai say it for itself. The feedback I'm getting so far is telling me I failed. The pot is intentionally long, but it only has .75" of interior depth. I said it was 8.5 inches in height, but that measurement INCLUDES the pot. The tree itself is just slightly less than seven inches. The foliage on the left was my main concern, because I have almost cut it back twice in the last week. I am convinced by Walter's (and yours) remark(s) that it needs to be reduced. I also agree the foliage needs to be a little more... indented.

Walter mentioned the hill could stay on a slab. This is a consideration for me. I'm not concerned with making the bonsai appear as a "larger" oak. I wanted it to look like an "average" mature oak sitting on a hill in a pasture at a distance. That still is what I want to accomplish. It is also my personal philosophy of trying to come up with something "different". I realize (and appreciate) the emphasis on making bonsai material look like a large tree, but sometimes I like the view of an average tree with a more "scenic" message. Anyway, the slight rotation is a given, that has to occur. The pot change is a big quandary for my mind. I see exactly what you and Walter are advising about the container issue, but I can't let go of my original plan for this bonsai....not yet anyway. To keep the image/motivation alive AND bring the bonsai into a more defined and technically correct state is a difficult proposition indeed.

The idea came from a drive I took with my family in the NC mountains (a little over an hour from me). We were on the Blue Ridge Parkway and I was looking off to the left and I saw a tree in an open field. As I looked directly at the tree, I saw a small, adult, black bear underneath it!!! Very unusual to see a bear in the open like that. I gave a quick glance back to the road (I was driving) and looked back at the tree and bear. The bear had laid down under the tree. I looked at it as long as I could - while trying to drive safely - and finally lost sight of it. Immediately after I had changed my sight back to the road, a flock of wild turkeys - at least twenty, several were Toms - ran across the road in front of us (none were hit). For some reason, those events burned that tree's image into my memory. I instantly re-visit that scene every time I look at this kingsville. So there's the motivation. I hate to admit it, but if I ever find a great quality ceramic black bear, of the right scale, you KNOW where it will end up!!!

Also, I appreciate the pic of your bonsai. It is a very nice example. It has the appearance of Rodney Clemmons influence. He loves these kind of bonsai from what I know about him. He made a kingsville here in a Charlotte area workshop, that was very similar. I hope your friend does "chime" in, on this thread. I'd love to hear his thoughts as well.

Once again, thank you for your constructive criticism. I appreciate it.

I've attached a pic from when it was brought out of winter storage (very raggedy) that shows the size of the bonsai.

Best regards,

John

Attached Images

Kingsville boxwood2.jpg (20.2 KB, 96 views)

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John Dixon

Si vis pacem parabellum

Stay off the trails of others, that's where the booby-traps are.

mike_p

Hello all, "Oaktreeform" here
I've been playing around with the image on Photoshop, but didn't come up with anything I was comfortable with. I need to practice more.
One idea I had was to try to hide the left side 1st branch with foliage so the V wouldn't be quite as pronounced. This isn't a criticism, just personal preference.
Kingsvilles tend to grow full and sleek so as to look like the shrubs they are rather than the tree we wish it to emulate. My preference is to see it more open with some secondary branch structure exposed, so a wee bird could fly through.

Mike

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John Dixon

Mike,

Thanks for the critique. I agree that a few minor changes could really help the design.

With the suggestions from Walter, you, David, and others fresh on my mind, I sat down the other day and started making some changes. First I eliminated about 3/4 of an inch of the left side. At the same time, I introduced some "open-ness" in the canopy and made it less topiary-like. Very subtle changes, but still obvious to the overall design.

If I can get around to it, I will try to post a new picture of the bonsai with the changes. If anyone is interested.

Thanks again,

John

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John Dixon

Si vis pacem parabellum

Stay off the trails of others, that's where the booby-traps are.

mike_p

John, by all means, please show us what you're doing.

Mike

__________________
Bonsai is not a hobby.
Bonsai is a way of life.
MP@BBB Studio

There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way
Gautama Buddha

John Dixon

Okay,

Here are a few pics with some subtle changes. About 1.5 inches of foliage was taken off the left side (the biggest change). I did this from the current front view. A slight clockwise rotation shows that the reduction of foliage is less obvious when a better front angle is created. I guess that means that next spring, an overhaul is in order.

Anyway, here they are.

John

Attached Images

	kingsville jul28.JPG (30.7 KB, 86 views)
	kingsville new front.JPG (29.8 KB, 68 views)
	kingsville front2.JPG (35.5 KB, 88 views)

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John Dixon

Si vis pacem parabellum

Stay off the trails of others, that's where the booby-traps are.