When we work on a Yamadori, we must remember and respect the great work that Nature did with it. We do always arrive after her.... Cultivation, cures and the elevation of its beauty is what we do when a Tree takes the path of Bonsai.
I do repute this Cupressus Sempervirens to be a Nature's work of art for its unusual style, for its character and for the force it releases. The art of the Nature joins our own art, so that we can create a well-esteemed Bonsai for the years to come.
Photo 1.
At the time of its gathering and of its transplanting into a pot, almost no one of us could see the true character that this plant will have as a Bonsai.
The passage from the cultivator, to the hands of other artists and owners that cultivated and worked on it leaving the imprints of their hands on it, bring this tree to take its own road, becoming an esteemed Bonsai.
Photo 2.
Some years later this tree entered my own collection. After some years of cultivation, the time was ready for its restyling, so to give to everybody the possibility to feel the emotions I feel when I look at it and when I take care of it. The photos, taken in my studio, show some points of view of the tree before the complete restructure.
Photos 3 and 4.
I started the work from the top to the bottom, taking no care of the cascade branch. The first branch on the left must be very impressive to balance the tree that is going' downward right. A good wiring, with a little of the right diameter wire and some stay wire, permitted us to finish off the tree without a large amount of copper wire, giving more naturalness and harmony to the work.
Photo 5.
The natural Shari is a focal point of this tree to be emphasize leaving some open spaces. Few are the interventions I did on this part, just a cleaning of it, a treatment to prevent it from deterioration and some hand-intervention on some details in order to emphasize them.
Photos 6 and 7.
Shifting the work on the rear of the tree, there came the troubles. Three branches grew up from the same point, they were left to fulfill that zone without consider that the starting point of them would thicken losing the conicalness and the naturalness of the branch itself. Eliminating the central one I do compact the vegetation and at the same time I do momentary resolve this inconvenience without distorting the project I have in mind. In the future I'll leave just one of them to give depth to the tree resolving the problem of the thickening of the part.
Photos 8 and 9.
The new crown design is taking form after hours of working, wiring, cutting, pruning and positioning the branches. In a surreal silence, emotions and feelings bring me into another dimension. I do really love these moments of solitude and of comparison with myself, these are the moments that feed my creativity.
Photo 10.
Finished the upper part of the tree I concentrated on the cascade branch. This branch was very full and heavy, so I had to resize it and balance its vigor in order to make it harmonious with the crown and the rest of the Bonsai tree for its future design.
Photo 11.
The fundamental passage here is to diminish the foliage mass and to give movement, I chose the branches to cut hiding them to see how they act on the whole design and then cutting. Three well-targeted cuts bring yet to an improvement of the vegetative masses balance and of their movement.
Photo 12.
With the Bonsai wire application I can better define what I had in mind: like a mountain stream that flows down in its own bed, determined but free.
Photos 13 and 14.
Some shots of the particulars taken at the finish of the work. The pot is still too big to me, it will be changed next year, once the tree had recovered and grown stronger after this work, with a new-shaped one. The Cupressus Sempervirens is an extraordinary specimen, it's very vigorous and generous in its vegetative growth, giving great satisfaction in very little time.
Photo 15.
A meticulous and accurate work, just like when Nature create its own masterpiece. Art, Nature and man merge together to give birth to what, in my opinion, represent the Bonsai done along with time, dedication and passion, day by day, year after year. A play between emotions, feelings and beauty represent my style concerning the Bonsai. When, finished my work on the tree, I reach my goal I do really feel happy and glad for this new experience that will remain in my memories for years.
Written by: Stefano Frisoni. "Graduated in Agriculture, Stefano developed a great sense of style for Bonsai, especially in Yamadori trees. Some of his works were presented at UBI, Ginkgo Bonsai Award, Crespi Cup, Certre International Award, etc.". Please visit his website bonsaisensei.it for more information.
