The next part of the bending techniques program conducted by Grant Bowie was to re-focus a juniper that had undergone some work prior, but it was moving in the wrong direction. This work was to correct that movement and get it moving in the correct direction. In nature trees that start from the ground moving in a particular direction may fight that tendency but eventually the force that made the tree originally move in a direction will eventually move the tree in that direction despite the “will” of the tree to grow in another direction.

So to cut a long story short, the initial movement of the tree is right to left, but all the foliage and the apex (if it has one) is on the right, essentially against the grain.

This is the back of the tree, so it does move right to left

The front of the tree is towards the artist and if nature had its way it would move in the other direction. To help nature and to give the tree more compaction a similar method to what was used on the pine in the previous post is going to be used here. That is raffia, wire, more raffia and then more wire. Only this time to assist, the branch was split a few times to ensure that the bend was achievable.

Branch splitters being used

Now the first layer of raffia being applied

First pieces of thick wire being installed

Second lot of raffia being applied

Second lot of wire is now installed together with some anchor points

After the helpers were finished their work Grant took over to show the crowd how to move a thick trunk in a dramatic manner.

The movement begins

A little more muscle needed

Finally the end product for now

This tree will be put away to recover from this work, but in the future the other branches will be positioned and the apex designed.

We look forward to the next installment of this trees adventure.