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The Art of Shaping a Bonsai Tree | Short Film Showcase


I think once you start practicing bones

I think once you start practicing bones I and once bones I gets inside you

I and once bones I gets inside you

I and once bones I gets inside you you’ll never look at trees the same

you’ll never look at trees the same

you’ll never look at trees the same again because you start realizing this

again because you start realizing this

again because you start realizing this magnificent microcosm that’s happening

magnificent microcosm that’s happening

magnificent microcosm that’s happening inside every tree and you see

inside every tree and you see

inside every tree and you see similarities to trees and people if you

similarities to trees and people if you

similarities to trees and people if you think abstractly enough you can draw a

think abstractly enough you can draw a

think abstractly enough you can draw a direct correlation between almost

direct correlation between almost

direct correlation between almost everything a human being does and

everything a human being does and

everything a human being does and everything in tree toes trees trees of

everything in tree toes trees trees of

everything in tree toes trees trees of people almost virtually identical we

people almost virtually identical we

people almost virtually identical we need all but two essential elements

need all but two essential elements

need all but two essential elements that’s all that differentiates a tree

that’s all that differentiates a tree

that’s all that differentiates a tree and a human being two essential elements

and a human being two essential elements

and a human being two essential elements otherwise the tree and human being need

otherwise the tree and human being need

otherwise the tree and human being need exactly the same thing

no time time plays a tremendous role in

no time time plays a tremendous role in human beings in terms of our character

human beings in terms of our character

human beings in terms of our character and personality and you know when we’re

and personality and you know when we’re

and personality and you know when we’re young very sharp maybe we see in black

young very sharp maybe we see in black

young very sharp maybe we see in black and white

and white

and white maybe we’re rambunctious high-energy you

maybe we’re rambunctious high-energy you

maybe we’re rambunctious high-energy you know as you get older maybe you lose

know as you get older maybe you lose

know as you get older maybe you lose some of that energy some of that pizzazz

some of that energy some of that pizzazz

some of that energy some of that pizzazz maybe you become a little bit more able

maybe you become a little bit more able

maybe you become a little bit more able to step back and think about things when

to step back and think about things when

to step back and think about things when you start to look at the way time

you start to look at the way time

you start to look at the way time impacts a tree it’s very similar scars

impacts a tree it’s very similar scars

impacts a tree it’s very similar scars that looked very artificial when they

that looked very artificial when they

that looked very artificial when they were first created start to look natural

were first created start to look natural

were first created start to look natural as as they whether in the age and and

as as they whether in the age and and

as as they whether in the age and and they they become a part of the tree that

they they become a part of the tree that

they they become a part of the tree that naturally occurred as far as that tree

naturally occurred as far as that tree

naturally occurred as far as that tree is concerned you can’t you can’t

is concerned you can’t you can’t

is concerned you can’t you can’t duplicate that you can’t add bark to a

duplicate that you can’t add bark to a

duplicate that you can’t add bark to a tree and have it look natural you know

tree and have it look natural you know

tree and have it look natural you know you can’t you can’t take away the the

you can’t you can’t take away the the

you can’t you can’t take away the the toolmarks and have it look like it was

toolmarks and have it look like it was

toolmarks and have it look like it was never artificially done that’s something

never artificially done that’s something

never artificially done that’s something only time can only time can create

when you engage in something where you

when you engage in something where you are pushing the limit of a living things

are pushing the limit of a living things

are pushing the limit of a living things ability to survive for the purpose of

ability to survive for the purpose of

ability to survive for the purpose of creating something even more beautiful

creating something even more beautiful

creating something even more beautiful than what existed prior to that

than what existed prior to that

than what existed prior to that engagement the relationship and the bond

engagement the relationship and the bond

engagement the relationship and the bond that forms in that creative process and

that forms in that creative process and

that forms in that creative process and walking the line of life and death is

walking the line of life and death is

walking the line of life and death is something that is I don’t know if you

something that is I don’t know if you

something that is I don’t know if you could duplicate and then to see the tree

could duplicate and then to see the tree

could duplicate and then to see the tree survive and to see the tree respond for

survive and to see the tree respond for

survive and to see the tree respond for it to get more healthy for it to grow

it to get more healthy for it to grow

it to get more healthy for it to grow into that design for it to communicate

into that design for it to communicate

into that design for it to communicate back to you what it liked and didn’t

back to you what it liked and didn’t

back to you what it liked and didn’t like and then to respond to that again

like and then to respond to that again

like and then to respond to that again and this back and forth collaboration

and this back and forth collaboration

and this back and forth collaboration until the conversation becomes so

until the conversation becomes so

until the conversation becomes so similar the tree is taken on what you

similar the tree is taken on what you

similar the tree is taken on what you were hoping for in the and you’ve taken

were hoping for in the and you’ve taken

were hoping for in the and you’ve taken on what the tree is hoping for you know

on what the tree is hoping for you know

on what the tree is hoping for you know you’ve closed the gap in that

you’ve closed the gap in that

you’ve closed the gap in that collaboration you know that process is

collaboration you know that process is

collaboration you know that process is it’s like a drug

respect is is probably at the most

respect is is probably at the most fundamental level of being able to do

fundamental level of being able to do

fundamental level of being able to do bonsai well and doing bonsai well

bonsai well and doing bonsai well

bonsai well and doing bonsai well doesn’t mean being able to make a

doesn’t mean being able to make a

doesn’t mean being able to make a beautiful tree it means being able to

beautiful tree it means being able to

beautiful tree it means being able to cultivate a healthy tree through all of

cultivate a healthy tree through all of

cultivate a healthy tree through all of the different processes that bonsai

the different processes that bonsai

the different processes that bonsai involves if you don’t respect the fact

involves if you don’t respect the fact

involves if you don’t respect the fact that life and death is a very real part

that life and death is a very real part

that life and death is a very real part of the creative process with bonsai and

of the creative process with bonsai and

of the creative process with bonsai and maybe the one thing that really

maybe the one thing that really

maybe the one thing that really separates it differentiates it from any

separates it differentiates it from any

separates it differentiates it from any other media that art can be created from

other media that art can be created from

other media that art can be created from if you don’t respect that line you don’t

if you don’t respect that line you don’t

if you don’t respect that line you don’t have anything in the end except for a

have anything in the end except for a

have anything in the end except for a big dead tree and what if that tree is a

big dead tree and what if that tree is a

big dead tree and what if that tree is a thousand years old you know we might be

thousand years old you know we might be

thousand years old you know we might be here for 80 years

here for 80 years

here for 80 years 90 if we’re lucky 100 if we’re really

90 if we’re lucky 100 if we’re really

90 if we’re lucky 100 if we’re really out of the ordinary that trees been here

out of the ordinary that trees been here

out of the ordinary that trees been here for a thousand years do you have the

for a thousand years do you have the

for a thousand years do you have the right to not respect that I don’t think

right to not respect that I don’t think

right to not respect that I don’t think so

I think there are ways to create a bone

I think there are ways to create a bone sigh well but I don’t know if there are

sigh well but I don’t know if there are

sigh well but I don’t know if there are ways to create a bone sigh right you

ways to create a bone sigh right you

ways to create a bone sigh right you always still have to fall back on the

always still have to fall back on the

always still have to fall back on the fundamental concepts of horticulture are

fundamental concepts of horticulture are

fundamental concepts of horticulture are you giving the tree what it needs and

you giving the tree what it needs and

you giving the tree what it needs and then from a design perspective are you

then from a design perspective are you

then from a design perspective are you respecting the visual boundaries of

respecting the visual boundaries of

respecting the visual boundaries of design are you creating something that’s

design are you creating something that’s

design are you creating something that’s going to be beautiful are the lines

going to be beautiful are the lines

going to be beautiful are the lines beautiful is the form beautiful is the

beautiful is the form beautiful is the

beautiful is the form beautiful is the balance what it needs to be for that

balance what it needs to be for that

balance what it needs to be for that tree to be visually appealing

creating boats I write I don’t think it

creating boats I write I don’t think it exists

when I went and I started my

when I went and I started my apprenticeship there isn’t anybody that

apprenticeship there isn’t anybody that

apprenticeship there isn’t anybody that can ever explain to you what that means

can ever explain to you what that means

can ever explain to you what that means an apprentice is somebody who’s going to

an apprentice is somebody who’s going to

an apprentice is somebody who’s going to not only learn a craft but also grow as

not only learn a craft but also grow as

not only learn a craft but also grow as a person and observe the humility

a person and observe the humility

a person and observe the humility necessary to not only learn but continue

necessary to not only learn but continue

necessary to not only learn but continue to grow after their apprenticeship the

to grow after their apprenticeship the

to grow after their apprenticeship the one thing that I realized when I was

one thing that I realized when I was

one thing that I realized when I was apprenticed

apprenticed

apprenticed that to become a master you know six

that to become a master you know six

that to become a master you know six years is like a it’s the very beginning

a master is somebody who every single

a master is somebody who every single day tries to pursue perfection at their

day tries to pursue perfection at their

day tries to pursue perfection at their chosen endeavor it sounds beautiful and

chosen endeavor it sounds beautiful and

chosen endeavor it sounds beautiful and it sounds simple when you think about

it sounds simple when you think about

it sounds simple when you think about being a master okay every day I’m going

being a master okay every day I’m going

being a master okay every day I’m going to do this and I’m going to try to do it

to do this and I’m going to try to do it

to do this and I’m going to try to do it my best well there’s a lot of days that

my best well there’s a lot of days that

my best well there’s a lot of days that you don’t want to go do it and there’s a

you don’t want to go do it and there’s a

you don’t want to go do it and there’s a lot of days that you would rather take

lot of days that you would rather take

lot of days that you would rather take the shortcut then do it as well as it

the shortcut then do it as well as it

the shortcut then do it as well as it could be done and better than the day

could be done and better than the day

could be done and better than the day before and know that tomorrow you’re

before and know that tomorrow you’re

before and know that tomorrow you’re going to do it better than you did that

going to do it better than you did that

going to do it better than you did that day so I think a master is somebody that

day so I think a master is somebody that

day so I think a master is somebody that has the work ethic that has the

has the work ethic that has the

has the work ethic that has the discipline that has the passion and has

discipline that has the passion and has

discipline that has the passion and has the talent you know to do what they do

the talent you know to do what they do

the talent you know to do what they do every day

every day

every day incrementally better until the day they

incrementally better until the day they

incrementally better until the day they die a master doesn’t retire the master

die a master doesn’t retire the master

die a master doesn’t retire the master doesn’t stop

doesn’t stop

doesn’t stop they do it until their debt it’s a part

they do it until their debt it’s a part

they do it until their debt it’s a part of them it’s who you are

”

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