by Michael Rusnak
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| Randy with his dynamic scots pine |
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| Greg discusses a wild tree |
During last month’s
meeting I thought of the saying that there is a real quality in quantity.
The sheer number of pine projects that Greg and Randy Pepper had going
on created a certain excitement for what these tree would look like in future
seasons. Additionally, their presentation was a reminder of how the art
as well as the skill in creating a bonsai is a matter of doing. It is learned
by doing. Talking and reading are fun and helpful, but nothing
substitutes for the act of working with trees—and in these case lots of them.
That was for me very exciting. To go from tree to tree and talk
with others about how it might develop, creating dynamic trunk movement, it’s
future crown was just plain fun.
I read an article once
that said UK bonsai artist Kevin Wilson (http://www.kevinwillsonbonsai.com/)
ordered a couple of hundred of young larches, and worked on them one after another in
order to learn how to create dynamic and interesting bonsai.
Starting a new bonsai
project is just and exciting venture. Greg and Randy’s excitement grabbed
everyone in the room. Bonsai is always like looking to the future.
How will this tree look next summer, in two summers? What movement can I
give it and what line should it follow? Where will the apex be? Greg and
Randy fed our excitement for pine projects and the kind of things that can be
developed from simple nursery stock.
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| Pine from a construction site |
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| a small literati develops over time |
And there was more. The
story of this large pine (right) was a great one. Greg related that the
tree was dug from the end of a driveway on a construction site, and that it had
actually been run over by several times. They pulled it out of the ground, and
have managed to bring it back to health. In addition to its terrific lower
trunk, it has some good deadwood sections, and plenty of possibilities for
creating something exhibit worthy out of this piece of raw material.
Starting a new bonsai
project is just and exciting venture. Greg and Randy’s excitement grabbed
everyone in the room. Bonsai is always like looking to the future.
How will this tree look next summer, in two summers? What movement can I
give it and what line should it follow? Where will the apex be? Greg and
Randy fed our excitement for pine projects and the kind of things that can be
developed from simple nursery stock. 
