Welcome to the new season of BSSF programs for 2010. Our new VP and program coordinator Bernard Marque had the brilliant idea of having members bring their raw and in-training trees to the January meeting for a public critique. And so, American Bonsai Idol was conceived to scout the new and upcoming material from our members’ yards. Our three judges, John Edwards, Eric Schrader, and Lawrence LeClaire took turns selecting, discussing, and critiquing trees that members brought to the meeting. Our members did their part by filling the room with trees for the event. At the beginning of the meeting, the judges admired the quality material that was available at the meeting. It really looks like the membership has been gathering excellent material for their collections. Much of the raw material showed great potential and the trees in training could be show material in just a few years.

The meeting was a basic critique of trees in training. Critiquing bonsai trees is an exercise we should all practice for two reasons: 1) It helps develop a progress plan for your tree by pointing out its strengths and weaknesses 2) It helps train your bonsai-eye for spotting good material and forming your own ideas about bonsai.

A beginning bonsai artist may feel awkward presenting their material to such an environment. But, bringing your tree for critique is a great opportunity. Bonsai critiques are not held to degrade trees but provide constructive criticism for their keepers.
Bonsai can be viewed like most works of art, music, etc. They all can be enjoyed technically and/or emotionally. Critiques usually start with a technical inspection of the tree. A good starting point is always the nebari and trunk. Is the nebari even at the base of the tree? If not, how can it be corrected? Is the thickness of the trunk proportional to height of the tree? Is there sufficient taper and movement to the trunk.

Next, study the branch structure of the tree. Are the heaviest branches the lowest on the tree? Inspect the ramification of each branch. Are the branches tapered? Are the largest twigs nearest the trunk? Are the foliage pads developed. Is there sufficient definition in the pads to provide structure?

There are many questions that can be asked of your trees. With practice, you will quickly develop your own system and make a mental notes of problems or other features. As with most art, some characteristics of a tree are more important to a viewer than others. You may like the fine refinement of a tree while another person may prefer a tree to have an untidy, more natural appearance. Other people prefer trees to match the normal growth style of their species. These features of a tree are things each artist develops on their own.

So what about the emotional aspects of tree? These features of a tree are more personal and more difficult to define. When the more technical aspects of bonsai are followed, such as ideal proportions, pot color, etc, a tree will naturally exhibit a powerful and majestic appearance. It is up to the artist to add features to a tree that will draw the viewer to the tree and hold their attention. As a tree becomes more and more refined the decisions about branch placement and refinement cater more to the viewer’s emotional enjoyment of a tree.

You can begin planning for such features early in a tree’s development. Besides developing a powerful trunk on your tree, which can take years or decades, branch placement and development can be the best way to create emotion in your tree. For example, the first branch of your bonsai could move or drop dramatically or the foliage pads could be intricately developed with multiple levels. Do not forget that a tree’s silhouette does not have to be filled with foliage. Negative space between branches are important for giving a tree depth and character.

Jin and shari are another way to add character to your tree. If you are lucky, you might collect a tree from the wild with naturally carved dead wood. If not, you may carve your own. Some artists grow their own by wiring living branches for many years into interesting forms and then removing the bark once the branch is formed. Interesting jin and shari bring sculptural aspects to your tree. Trees with dramatic jin and shari can be very moving emotionally. Just their appearance tell stories of blizzards, rock slides, and rain storms.

Remember that the Bay Area is a great place to study bonsai. There are a number of bonsai shows scheduled for the coming months, all filled with great and exciting trees. Support your local clubs by attending as many as you can. Use the opportunity to study the trees and the components of their displays. Studying trees in the wild is another great way to get inspiration. Drive through the hills east of Gilroy to see spectacular Oaks clinging to steep slopes. Trek into the mountains to study old junipers and pines that have weathered centuries of storms. Even a drive along the coast can provide views of trees clinging to the cliffs above. Ask why do certain trees attract your attention? What qualities of a old tree do you find most interesting? Take notes, make drawings, or snap a few photos for your scrapbook. Then, try to recreate those features in your own trees.

Thank you to the the members of our club for supply such great material for the evening. Approximately 30-40 trees arrived for the night. Our judges worked fast picking trees from the table and giving short critiques for each. They did their best to critique all the trees, but did not have enough time. So, if you did not get your tree discussed, come by for our Third Thursday workshops. These are great times to bring your tree in for a critique and for work.
Good luck!

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