Tokonoma refinement in progress

[dick benbow]

I was gonna wait till I got it all done and then show it but I'm not having much luck finding a tree limb for the right corner of the display. So I thought I'd ask here if any one has seen a wood looking product made of plastic that looks limb like.

I got the idea from looking at pictures of tokonomas in japan (modern). That's what they used
but couldn't find anything around the seattle area.

anyway here are pics ( only got one to take) of the progression as I expand and try and refine the look.

Encouragement always favored

 

[Poink88]

Do you have sample pics of what you are looking for? Size? "Style"/form?

Tree limbs are everywhere...

 

[rockm]

A limb won't really cut it. An older TRUNK on the slender side is what you're after. If you were here in the east, I'd suggest finding an Eastern Red Cedar about 25 feet tall, cut it down, de-bark it, allow it to dry out, then cut it to size, using oil as a finish...I suggest ERC because it tends to grow bolt upright and has interesting graining and knots and bumps, etc. Any species that has the bolt upright tendency, or a weathered older slender trunk could be used. You might try online sites that sell driftwood. Some have reasonable larger sized straighter pieces...

Just to give you an idea on driftwood, Here's a site on the East Coast, but I'm sure there are better sources out there:
http://www.coastaldriftwood.com/category.sc?categoryId=4

Old weathered fenceposts can also be a good source, if you can find one tall enough...

 

[Poink88]

From rockm's description, another to consider is manzanita branch which is usually used on reptile cages and as bird perch.

There should be plenty of it south of you.

 

[BigDave]

I'm not having much luck finding a tree limb

Tree limb, trunk...driftwood... pacific Northwest...plastic......hmmmm

I think Dick is just messing with us

 

[Poink88]

Tree limb, trunk...driftwood... pacific Northwest...plastic......hmmmm

I think Dick is just messing with us

LOL I agree...esp on a Tokonoma...a plastic?

 

[dick benbow]

chances are slim to none that this photo will take but if it does, notice the framing on the tokonoma. It's obviously scalloped to look bark like but it's plastic.

 

[dick benbow]

gotta love it, it takes but won't enlarge.

I think I need to go back to fly fishing, it used to be a lot more fun.....

 

[dick benbow]

So until the ice melts from the trout lakes....

here is a finished picture to the one end of the toko. I was quite happy with how it turned out

I will start looking around for some REAL wood, thinking our red cedar which is also quite upright might be just the ticket.

Yesterday I went around to a bunch of antique and St. Vinnie type stores looking for something I could use for figurines. was surprised i didn't find anything. Most of my tenpai is little stuff so i need to start looking for items that are a bit bigger.

 

[BigDave]

its a lot of work you did

good effort Dick

 

[dick benbow]

Here is a picture Of Bill Valavanis display tokonoma. I'm being encouraged NOT to go plastic but go with real wood and something totally unique. Do you agree?

 

[JudyB]

Agreed on both counts, esp. on the unique one. Make it your own feeling that pulls the display together.

 

[dick benbow]

thanks Judy for the encouragement

 

[William N. Valavanis]

I have seen and studied numerous tokonoma in Japan for over four decades.

I have NEVER seen a plastic tokobashira (wooden end post). You are looking at a highly polished cryptomeria tokobashira! These are specially grown only for tokobashira.

The shape of the tokobashira determines the formality of the tokonoma. Square shapes are formal, while informal tokobashira are often curved or of an unusual species, such as magnolia.

The tokonoma is highly respected in Japan and the Japanese would never even think of using plastic.

Where in the world did you get the information or idea that it was plastic? You always can't determine things from only seeing books. That's part of the problem, people begin to incorrectly make statements then other follow...

Bill

 

[dick benbow]

Bill, so grateful for your input. Thank-you! was curious on your toko, the wood you used?

 

[William N. Valavanis]

That's a good question which has an interesting story!

I actually grew the tokobashira. It is a Camperdown weeping elm I had growing in my garden before I got married and moved 25 years ago. It started off as a small one gallong size grafted plant which I planted in my garden. Since it is a weeping cultivar I wanted an upight tree as a focal point in a garden bed. So I took a 10 foot piece of rigid electric conduit and wrapped the trunk as it was growing around the pipe. When it reached the top I trimmed it to let the tree branch out.

The tree was a beautiful specimen in the garden, but unfortunately got a disease and died. Since I liked the trunk i trained I kept it and removed the bark and just put it behind my lath house.

When I got married I moved it along with everything else to my new garden and just kept it until David Knittle came to finish the tokonoma. David and I spent nearly one day trying to get the right angle before cutting both ends to fit. In the late afternoon my wife, Diane, came in turned the trunk once and it looked perfect.

By the way, the tokonoma in my mother's home was also special because I had a Japanese zelkova for the tokobashira, yes, I grew that one too.

At my present location I have three tokonoma (plural of tokonoma is tokonoma), the one pictured here is my indoor tokonoma in the studio. I also have an outdoor tokonoma and a small tokonoma for shohin bonsai as well.

Since I'm studying bonsai and suiseki display they are in daily use and I change them daily when I have classes according to the topic. And they are also changed when I expect a special visitor from out of state or the country or for a special friend.

Bill

 

[dick benbow]

I tried this morning and this evening to post pictures. No luck. In between i painted an apt for
abused women with my church group. so felt like got something done. URRRRG, frustrating.
I found a nice piece of timber bamboo and temporarily affixed it to the tokonoma. I like the looks of it but after Bill's generous contribution of knowledge on how to do it correctly ( bamboo was not one of the ways) Maybe rather than be frustrated not being able to post, maybe it was a favor so i wouldn't get negative remarks. ( that's optimistic way to look at it )
On this chatline i always get a number of opinions which i favor. On another chatline, where I
have no trouble posting, I got one response for 75 looks. ( was one of our own from here
Since the bamboo looks so nice, quess you'll have to trust me on that, would you be tempted to go with something you liked or something correct. Primarily, it's just me that looks at my display. opinions?

 

[William N. Valavanis]

Dick,

If you like it, go with it! Remember you are designing your display area for your enjoyment and appreciation of the art.

By the way, I'm not sure about bamboo, but when wooden tokobashiras are used they are usually split on the backside to avoid cracking in the front. Just run a saw up the back of the post.

Bill

 

[bonsaibp]

Dick, I'd think red cedar would be relatively easy to find up there. You could always ask Dan Robinson about souring something suitable. Looking pretty darn good so far.
Bill any chance of posting a picture of your outdoor tokanama?

 

[William N. Valavanis]

Here are a few quick photos I could find of my outdoor tokonoma in the main display area. I'll need to take more photos as soon as the snow melts....

The front roof is made from cedar shakes and the back side, which is not visible has a large plexiglass window as part of the roof. This was designed to provide extra light to the displayed bonsai, while offering a bit of protection in spring and autumn from early/late frosts. A few years ago the plexiglass became brittle and broke, but I did get 20 years out of it. Since then, I have just left the open window.

Bill


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MARCH 28, 2008


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