Eric invites Sam Tan (IG @samtanbonsai) into the garage for the initial styling of a raw old Juniper yamadori. We actually had this material on our sales table at the Pacific Bonsai Expo, as Eric hoped it would be purchased by someone interested in styling it from its raw state. No one purchased it, so Eric did the next best thing, which he references as a “deluxe arrangement” – he asked Sam to take a crack at it!
00:00:16 Sam scopes a vein to see if it’s dead.
00:01:33 Sam uses a wire wheel (instead of sandpaper by hand) for the first time to clean up the lifeline.
00:01:41 Eric and Sam analyze the trunk movement and branch structure as it impacts design decisions.
00:02:59 What Eric likes about this tree – no straight parts (all wiggly) and the deadwood!
00:03:37 Sam discusses which branches should stay and which should go.
00:04:25 Eric explains that in these situations he usually wires before making reduction decisions.
00:05:11 Sam begins wiring.
00:06:40 Eric is rubbing off on Sam with his “dad jokes”!
00:07:05 Eric summarizes the work and shares the final results.
00:07:55 The chosen front highlights the interesting deadwood.
00:08:29 Why Eric and Sam agreed to keep the tree tall. How do you feel about their decision?
After the initial styling session with Sam, Eric has decided he wants to keep this tree after all. What would you do – keep or sell? Let us know in the comments below. Thank you for watching, and as always, please like, comment, share, and subscribe!
