HAVING SOME WINTER FUN WHILE PREPARING MY LARCH (XL) FOR A SHOW.

abcd wrote:Hello,
this tree will be exhibited at NOELANDRES TROPHY with wires?
I don't know if it is a problem, the tree is very beautifull, but i know that the selection off trees is realized only with photographies , but do you have ask the question to Marc NOELANDERS ?

William N. Valavanis wrote:Yesterday I completed my three day study at this year's Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition.

Now, as far as wiring goes, I did some research yesterday on the wired bonsai in the exhibition:

Total bonsai exhibits on display: 252 (including 7 shohin bonsai compositions)

130 narrow leaf evergreens (large and medium size only, not shohin bonsai)

118 bonsai wired
12 unwired
(and most of the unwired bonsai looked that way and could have used some wire)

It seems to me that many Westerners try to be more "pure" than the Japanese when displaying bonsai.

Just a few first hand observations in my opinion.
Bill

gman wrote:

Hans van Meer. wrote:

gman wrote:Nice looking tree Hans, will you freshen up the deawood features for the show?
Nice find too.....they are tough so hopefully it will make it.
Cheers
Graham

Thanks Graham! Good question! Gives me the change to explain how I approach this styling on this particular tree. No I will not clean it to much actually. Green algae and stuff that hides importand features yes, but I like it to look as naturally weathered as possible so no bleaching or something like that. This design is my own impression of a huge distance tree, but it is a imaginary tree image non the less and for that to work (in my opinion) all natural looking part like bark, jins and shari should look as close to the truth as possible! So that the viewer, who recognizes those thing in a blink, from seeing a thousand trees in real live, feels comfortable with the image he sees in front of him. It is my believe that when you feed the viewer the right information than you can creat a image that is recognizable and believable to most, even when it is a fantasy tree like this one! With this design I want the viewer to see in one glance: how fare the image of my tree grows from where they stand and how tall it must be to look like that! And that illusion is created with open or negotive spaces in and around this tree, these open spaces are hardly noticeable in these pictures, but in 3D they will do the trick much better! After that is all established, well than (I hope) that they can better enjoy the actual impression that I am trying to convey to them, becauce they now know the facts of this tree and than they can better enjoy the fantasy and (hopefully) beauty of my tree and work! It must be a balance between natural and made up, for me that is Bonsai! But that is personal! Long explanation and I hope it gives some insight in how I think and work.

Cheers,
Hans van Meer.

Hans...... thank you for taking the time to respond ....informing us of your inner creative concepts.
I do understand the concept and the vision ...... perhaps I see it from a distance too but on a sunny day in which the deadwood appears ghostly white tinted with grey and shadows.......my images are founded on spending over 37 years exploring the local mountains and rich pacific northwest ecosystems that abound with such ancient forests.....
Cheers
From way across the pond lol
Graham

Yvonne Graubaek wrote:Hi Hans

I can't see your picture....insteadt will I look forward to see your tree live at "Noelanders".....I bring two shohin of own breed

Kind regards Yvonne

abcd wrote:Without long dead wood, a subject of much discussion I think ?

MikeG wrote:I LOVE this larch. Such an impressive trunk, and fantastic movement to it. Is there a thread to see its history? I couldn't find it.

Thanks, Mike

yves71277 wrote:impressive trunk base, nice bark, wish the top part would already have had a more mature look too it (thicker to match the powerful old look of the trunk below, and more bark) but you certainly did a good job with what the tree already has to offer now. So this is not really a critique is it ;-). Time will prove to be a friend of this tree i am sure.

yves71277 wrote:
The hat ...'bonzaï records' , yeah that does ring a bell too , that was a famous belgian label where allmost all oldskool house music was born into the world. Remember "Jones&Stephenson's first rebirth" or are you too 'old' to remember that . Maybe you only wear the hat because it says bonZai . Anyway, fait divers, some nice nostalgics

MikeG wrote:Thanks so much for the links Hans. I'm even more impressed after seeing its beginnings. Great progression series.

marcus watts wrote:hi Hans,

lovely larch - a perfect combination of wild weathered mountain life and bonsai life - looking forward to seeing it at the show

in time..........i think a pot that would allow the trunk to be set slightly right of center would balance the total view. At the moment the tree trunk sits perfect center and the rest of the upper tree is off to the left - but this is a small detail and takes time of course due to the roots of a wild tree not always being right where we want them.

see you at the show

Marcus

yves71277 wrote:Do I know Bonzai Records? You bet!!! Besides being a DJ for many years (retired 3 years ago), we also use to run for more than 13 years "Second Sound" a Vinyl, CD and DVD store in Rotterdam Holland (sadly closed 3 years ago)! This hat was given to me by one off their more famous DJ's many years ago, but dont ask me his name now, most off the memories off my DJ time were made in a blur and I am still not much better these day's! Do you know how many times Bonsai people pointed out to me that Bonsai is written different?!

Below: Some pictures from our old store!

LELE wrote:Hey Hans,
Good luck with the show.
XL is absolutely stunning ;-)

Mikey P wrote:Hans I want your hat. Where did you get it made?................ Awsome tree by the way hahahahahahaha