Colin Lewis Demo at Bonsai West by R.E. Sant

January 26, 2004, Littleton Commons, Massachusetts - Gray skies, outdoor temperatures in the low teens with a threat of snow are normal for late January in New England. Typical thoughts do not include bonsai demonstrations but that’s exactly what was happening in Littleton, Massachusetts.

Bonsai West hosted Mr. Colin Lewis for an afternoon of restyling, instruction, discussion, philosophy and fun. For the few who aren’t familiar with Colin Lewis, he is the author of numerous books on the subject including The Art of Bonsai Design, as well as the Founder and Principal of the Hô Yoku School of Bonsai. He currently resides in Salem, Massachusetts, working as a consultant to the Lars Anderson Collection at the Arnold Arboretum in Boston.

Wearing a blue-gray cableknit sweater and brown corduroy slacks, the energetic Colin Lewis enters. With a crisp British accent he utters his greeting with a “Hello Tree!”

Michael Levin (owner and proprietor of Bonsai West) introduces Mr. Lewis and presents him with a choice of two Japanese White Pines needing work. Colin chose the tree of greater challenge, identifying its various flaws. It appeared to have been initially styled with a twin trunk informal upright design in mind, but the lower branch was too high for a second trunk, and too low with the wrong angle for a normal lower branch. It had been at least ten years since this tree was last repotted. The top growth was twiggy with several smaller underdeveloped branches interspersed throughout the larger growth. Many were dead. Moss was grown up around the base of the trunk forming a thick carpet hiding the roots and beautiful corky bark.

The challenge was to incorporate the large first branch into the design. Removal would leave an ugly scar and much of the foliage on one side. Colin decided to restyle the tree in a slanting (shakan) style, placing the first branch parallel to the ground. Since this tree had been neglected for numerous years he would treat it as new material, being shaped for the first time.
Finding the Best Angle

First the tree was repotted. While Michael selected a large mica pot to give room for root growth and minimize stress, Colin carefully removed the moss from around the base of the trunk. Unlike most Japanese White Pine, this tree was not a graft, but most likely grown from seed. After removing the old pot, he pointed out the mycorrhizae, and discussed the importance of the symbiotic relationship. The tree was then placed into the larger pot at the desired angle. Root pruning was minimized to prevent overstressing the tree. Full root pruning will occur in around two years after the tree has a chance to build up strength.

One of the discussion points during the repotting revolved around anchoring the tree. Tradition dictates anchor wiring, but Colin strongly discourages this to prevent inadvertently damaging the roots at a later date. Instead, he recommends using string (like cotton or jute) that will biodegrade within six months after the tree has re-established its root mass within the pot. Alternatively, external anchoring, which he performed on this tree can be done. It is less aesthetically pleasing, but will be removed after a few months.

Prior to beginning wiring and actual styling, Colin removed any dead or distracting branches. Randomly creating jins, he cautioned against spending too much time on them else they appear contrived. By removing unneeded material, it helps to visualize the final design.

Next he proceeded into wiring the tree. More discussing revolved around wiring than any other single point. Do you wire the whole tree or only part? Do you wire the entire tree before beginning the shaping or shape as you go? Do you wire from above or below? Which is better: Copper or Anodized Aluminum? The answers were yes, yes, yes, and yes…

Generally, but not always, he wires the entire tree first, then shapes. Whenever possible, he prefers to wire from above vice below. This helps hide the wire among the foliage. Copper vs. Anodized Aluminum: Copper for evergreens that grow slower and are more flexible, aluminum for deciduous whose bark damages more easily and break easier. He finds wiring to be relaxing and therapeutic. He spoke of working with side by side with someone of equal talent on a project with the comradeship of wiring for hours with minimal speaking.

As with any aspect of bonsai, wiring cannot be hurried. The demonstration began at 1:00, and just before 4:00 he as just over halfway through the wiring. Sipping cold coffee he continued speaking on various philosophies regarding bonsai in general and demonstrations in particular. A general conception regarding workshops that he finds irksome is the time constraint. Bonsai are not meant to be created in under two hours. They take hours and days and weeks. In Europe, he tells, some seminars last days. You sit, watch, go have lunch, take a nap, come back and continue to take notes and ask questions.

Another philosophical discussion evolved around the rules of bonsai. Passionately, he emphasized, bonsai is HIS art, your bonsai is YOUR art. To create cookie cutter replicas with blind adherence to rules requires zero imagination, zero inspiration, and is not art. Rules are the guidelines, they steer you in the right direction, learn them, use them, but do tie yourself to them. One example, taken from this tree, involved a bar-branch. Normally an undesired characteristic, this case posed the problem that removal of either side would drastically affect the appearance of the tree with undesirable aspects.

As he continued to work his way up the tree, the discussion shifted to formation of the top. Basically, one can top the tree only so many times and start a new leader before the tree quits being bonsai as it becomes large enough to plant in the yard. Sooner or later you must decide, “This is the size.” Treat the top like a 360° branch.

By this time, it was close to 5:00 pm, and Bonsai West would be closing soon. Michael had been an extremely gracious host. As I packed up my stuff and prepared to depart I took a few final pictures of the tree that Colin continued to shape after four hours of work and thought it a fitting end of the day. Bonsai are never truly finished. At any given time they merely provide us of a snapshot of a continuing living sculpture.