Updated Prunus spinosa

                                                     4 new pics added to the thread
                          http://wildwoodbonsai.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/prunus-spinosa.html

Burrs 2012. Sunday.

Well here we are and the weekend always goes too quickly. Artists and participants carried on working until after a late Lunch and then people started to leave and go home. Some more pics of the finished trees,            before and after. It was such a rush on Sunday as a lot of people had areas that needed some carving before they left

And some were just happy to leave with some structural work carried out.

David F...Busy, Busy

Some of the trees, well on the way to becoming bonsai

More carving.

Was given a large jar of Slovakian Honey for the work I carried out on the deadwood.

Ian Stewartson popped in for the afternoon. Like Tony's new hairstyle???

David's Pine before....

....and after

Josef's Larch before....

...and after

Robs Spruce

Stand up man!!

Some discussion with Hans about the final design

and the finished tree.

Larch

Malcolm and Rob in the background with Molly on his Larch

Where's all the tree gone.

Molly's Larch at the next stage of the journey

Juraj's Larch group

Changed his tshirt just for the picture

Grahams Pine

Pavel's design

Very rotten Privet

all the rot was removed and some separation was created to keep it drier

Terry Fosters beautiful Hawthorn on natural stone

and the final pictures before people started to leave. Put it away Hans!!!

Until 2013 at least???

Thanks  to Chris and Hans and to anyone else for the use of some of the photographs.

Burrs 2012 and Saturday evening

After the first day, we all sat down to a great meal and everyone was asked to bring some local produce. Turns out it was mostly of an alcoholic nature. Much fun was had as everyone loosened up and Tony being who he is, bought out in people what they wouldn't ordinarily do.
National anthems were a favourite moment and the Czech and Slovakian members won hands down

Hmmmm

One of Tony's self promotion exercises.

                                                                Jose's dulcet tones

                                      Everyone was well into the spirit of things...Literally!!

Ofer's offering...

Rob A giving it some!!

A few fans gather round for an autograph.

The Welsh lacking sheep at the event have to turn to each other!!

What next I wonder....

People did return to discussing trees and this went on into the early hours....

Some of us didn't bother with sleep at all....

Will post the last days trees soon.....

Burrs 2012 Video by Eric Krizovenski

Burrs 2012 Day 2

This was the first day with the participants. Most people had arrived on the Friday evening and gone for a drink and some food just across the road in the pub. Some chose to get stuck into trees straight away. There was a real buzz around the place on Friday night and most people stayed up into the early hours and talked trees and told stories.
   So to Saturday morning and freshened up with numerous cups of tea and Bacon butties, it was time to start. First off was the introductions from Tony with regards to the artists working this weekend.
(Left to right) Tony Tickle, Hans van Meer, Will Baddeley, Pavel Slovak, Enrico Savini and Terry Foster.

Each artist was asked to talk about one particular tree that was to be worked on that weekend. Because I like to work with deciduous trees and have a fondness for English Elm (Ulmus minor), I chose a raft to talk about and style. I will show the trees as before and after pics otherwise it becomes a bit muddled.

After discussing the tree with the group it was time for the trees owner to wire it in preparation for styling.

I was so busy carving over the two days that on Saturday night I stayed up all night to get some jobs done. Aided by some very good Whisky  Apart from helping Mikey P with his trees, I styled the tree that night.

There were lots more people this year and a greater number of countries involved. This tree belonged to Miroslav K who is originally from Slovakia and now lives in Norfolk. All participants were extremely enthusiastic. Yew (Taxus baccata)

Enrico worked on the tree with Miroslav.

Was a great chance to sit and chat with Smithy. I have bumped into him at many shows but have never had the chance to really talk. Burrs changed all that. Smithy bought some really promising material with him too.
Neil chatting with Chris T

                                           Smithy's large Escalonia was cut back to bare bones

Other participants added their opinions too. Danny offering advice.

Pavel worked on his Larch.

The result

Smithy's Privet (Ligustrum) needed some carving........

The top was given taper and more movement and a hollow was created at the base. Detai was difficult as the wood was still green and needs some time to season.

Jerry's Yew.

Bought from Tony a few years ago and now ready to work for the first time.

We discussed a front for this tree as it has many live veins.

Enrico liked the front but changed the orientation by quite a bit.

Ofer from Israel working tirelessly on the wiring.

The tree on Saturday night and nearly finished

And on Sunday morning.....I wondered how this tree could work at this angle but it turns out it will be going into an Eric Krizovensky  pot.....

A Mugo Pone belonging to Erik Krizovenski.

Ofer offering some ideas.

This tree will also go into one of Erics superb cement pots. Eric made a presentation on the Friday night showing how they are made to look like stone. Difficult planting angles are now a thing of the past.

Eric's presentation. Translation by Pavel's son Jakub

The size of some of these pots!!!

Some of the techniques for colour and texture.

Did I mention how big?

Beautiful sketches too

Some more from Saturday night and Sunday to follow.......