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This is a work in progress. I have only begun the process; the final vision must be illustrated for the present through the magic of Photoshop. I have always been drawn to driftwood as a beautiful, natural form of sculpture. My favourite bonsai make good use of shari and jins, and project a vision of trees which have survived the ravages of time.
On a collecting trip a couple of years ago, I came across a nice old cedar stump. What remained of the trunk was about four feet tall, and was lying on the ground, heaved up by the ice. What I retrieved was, in fact, what remained of the root system. Inverted, it makes a statement all its own, with a strong directional flow. It is about ten inches tall, with the base diameter of five inches.
I felt it had potential to be used for a phoenix graft. This process calls for living material to be attached to a piece of driftwood to make the final image of a single tree. The Japanese call this a łTanuki˛, or cheat, and the traditionalists despise this method. I am not a traditionalist, and besides, there is much to be learned from experimenting, and I have never attempted this before. 
With this approach in mind, I recently purchased a blaauwi juniper which I felt could be useful. It is small and fairly pliable, with plenty of leaders, and a nice bit of nebari at the base. My chief source for creating the Tanuki is A Step by Step Guide to Growing and Displaying Bonsai by Colin Lewis and Neil Sutherland, available in the TBS library. Unfortunately, it was too late in the season to attempt the entire procedure. Therefore, I resolved to make good use of my time by preparing the driftwood, and doing what research I could on the method. I intend to do the main surgery in the spring of 2006.  The hot months of summer are the best time to bleach the wood. Before doing this, however, I wanted to revise the shape of the stump on the right side. This was necessary for two reasons. Firstly, it looked boring and out of place compared to the contortions and swirls of the other areas. Secondly, I found a problem arising from my intended angle of planting. Without adjusting the contour, I would have an ugly great corner sticking up from the soil. The way I resolved these concerns was to use my root splitter. It is a large tool designed to allow the wood to follow its own path as it separates, following the natural grain. Through some trial, I found the likeliest spots to attack, and made a series of cuts along the intended line. Wood that has any curvature is a stubborn opponent, but finally it gave way, fortunately along almost the exact line I expected it would! Next, I applied a coat of lime sulphur mixed with watered down latex off-white paint. The colour and proportion is a bit of a guess, as truly sun-bleached wood is not white, but grey, but I'm happy with the result. Lastly, I applied a few coats of Minwax Wood Hardener. This takes the preparation a step farther, making the wood much more resistant to rot. I paid special attention to the area at the bottom. Best to do as much as possible before the tree is attached and buried. Be careful with the quantity you apply, as it can give a glossy finish to the surface, rendering an artificial look.
 The final result has yet to be determined. I have offered several composite images created with Photoshop. This is a truly useful tool. With a little training and practise, you can enjoy the luxury of seeing your tree in dozens of different styles, before ever committing to the pruning and wiring. 
I have also included several different style pots, borrowed from a few sources: a drum style pot, a rectangular pot with an earthenware finish, a hand formed round pot, and a freeformed container. Each has its potential, but I'm leaning toward the freeform, as it may give me a chance to make use of David Young's Cement Fondue technique. 
Disclaimer: With any luck, I will have a Phoenix hatching for the meetings next Fall. If I end up killing the tree, this whole article is moot.   |