Page 67 - Tạp chí bonsai cây cảnh BCI 2016Q3

As I always find an opportunity to teach my students Top right; It was the time to
about specific and general aspects of bonsai cultiva- make the refinement process
tion, I decided that it was the time to make the refine- of our Mysterious Forest a
group effort and provide my
ment process of our Mysterious Forest a group effort. students with some hands-on
Before my students came into play, minor adjustments experience.
were made to a few branches since the original setting Top left; A substantial amount
was arranged, but, in general terms, the group was left of old bark, lichen and dirt
to rest. This break period allowed the development accumulated on every tree.
of a unified root structure that permitted my pupils Middle and bottom: We
to remove anchor and guy wires. During the almost carefully removed the plaques
of old bark to reveal the
five and a half years that passed between the original reddish bronze hue that is so
arrangement and this refinement session, a substan- highly prized in juniper bonsai.
tial amount of old bark, lichen and dirt accumulated
in every tree. Using the proper protective gloves and Following page; Three views of
Growth and Refinement with the aid of a sharp knife given to me by my good the Mysterious Forest.
By nature bonsai is comprised of living entities and friend Wu Hsiao Feng (Bonsai Wu) of Argentina, we
is always changing. Unlike the traditional plastic arts, carefully removed the plaques of old bark to reveal the
a bonsai is never actually completed. They always reddish bronze hue that is so highly prized in juniper
grow. Do remember, this is not necessarily a bad fea- bonsai. Comparison between the dirty and clean bark
ture, as apparent growth and exuberant foliage are versions of the pictorial images resonate in a fresh,
often synonymous of health, predominantly in works lively and vigorous picture that should be a constant
in progress that need additional development to reach in all aspects of bonsai creation.
adequate proportions. Such was the case of our forest.

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