The spruce at the 2023 U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition. It received the All American Bonsai award at the 2023 National Bonsai Exhibition in Rochester, New York.

This Colorado Blue Spruce is 9 years in the making. It started out as raw material in 2015.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to appreciate the process of life. I’ve learned to embrace change and respond to it in a positive manner. This post illustrates my journey with an ever evolving tree.

The tree after the first structural wiring in 2016.

As you can see from the 2016 picture, this tree started out bare bones. I could have made a decent tree out of the two large primary branches by using one for the central trunkline and the other as the first branch. However, I was determined to make the very best bonsai possible and I thought that both of these branches were far too heavy and coarse. I opted for a risky approach by severely pulling down both primary branches. This allowed the very delicate and near-death center branch access to full sun and hopefully a pathway to future dominance. This was to be my new apex -it had the best taper and gave me the most sustainable design. The true risk was that it was very possible that the new apex would fail, it was incredibly weak with just a few buds. If it were to truly fail then I’d be left with two large primary branches on either side with poor options for a future apex.

After one growing season, the central branch shows signs of renewed strength.

As seen in the above image, the central branch survived one growing season and showed signs of potential: new extensions and the formations of new buds.

After the end of another growing season the tree really showed signs of vigor.

After another growing season in the fall of 2018 the tree had put out a lot of growth and had shown great strength. It was at this time that I really understood the tree was going to be something special. It was time to reset the structure that would propel the design further.

Fall of 2018 after the second structural wiring. I thought this may be the front.

I thought this may be the back, although I preferred the deadwood from this side.

After the second round of structural wiring in the fall of 2018, I could see future glimpses of the tree. I could see multiple pathways to a successful design and I felt compelled to move in a very general to specific way. Eliminating problematic branches that would hinder structure and health, while leaving the door open for possible alterations. I couldn't make my mind up about which side of the tree was the front or which direction the tree would flow, but I was honestly content at this stage knowing I had lots of time to think about it.

Fall 2018. The tree had really put on foliage mass and had its first repot that spring.

The tree in the fall of 2020 after some wire. I was still not sure if I wanted the tree to move left or right, but I knew that I still had time since the tree needed to grow. The apex was left purposely in the center and no effort was made to make it asymmetrical.

March 2021. The tree has the mass necessary -the timing is right to transition to a clearer image.

At this point I decided that the deadwood features and movement were too strong on this side of the tree to ignore. I committed to this as my front. I also realized at this time the tree was better suited for a rock planting.

March 2022 the tree is transitioned to a stone planting and the process of making the tree move from right to left begins.

The tree responded well to being on the rock and was growing well. I shortened the right side of the tree and lengthened the left. Asymmetry is starting to develop. Studying a tree draped in snow has always been a great way for me to understand bonsai form. It’s like the old squinting trick when you’re painting an image. The overall image becomes simplified, which can provide clarity. Obviously, the tree was still too heavy on the right.

Spring 2023 before bud break. The tree will gain much needed density.

June 2023. The branches on the left have been “stretched” and the branches on the right have been thinned. The image still could be better.

At this point, the tree was accepted into the National Bonsai Exhibition. I needed to create a display, which meant that I needed a stand and an accent. I approached a great friend of mine, Bob Grealish, who is a fine craftsman and bonsai artist and commissioned him to make a stand. While Bob was making the stand I started on my adventure of creating a bronze sculpture…

I decided to make a figurine as an accent because the tree and rock combination was very active. I needed something simple and calm to complement it. The tree itself felt wild, free, and alone. I decided to play that up by conveying the idea of a man alone and free in nature discovering the tree, while carrying a newly collected tree on his back.

I was fairly happy with the wax sculpture, but I was completely unaware of how hard it would be to cast it in bronze. Would it work?

Although the casting was successful, a lot of detail was lost in the casting process. Time to clean it up!

Next up: combining the stand, tree, and figurine!

All the elements together for a pre-show tune up.

Me and the spruce at the U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition on display. Yes, I'm on display as well!

The spruce on the bench in Autumn with plywood backdrop for picture taking purposes.

This is what it looks like one year later. Honestly, its a much better tree now and will probably reach its prime in about three more years.

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed this photo essay!

Colorado Blue Spruce : An Exercise in Patience

Bonsai Forge