Esprit Bonsai International – August 2019

#101 EspritBonsaiInternational - 23

andbooks.I triedtoabsorballI couldof
whatlittlebonsaiwasavailableinMadrid
atthattime.

E.B.I.:YouhaveworkedwithLuisVal-
lejo.Inwhatwaywasthisrelationship
decisiveforyou?
D.B.:Alongtheway,I wasstronglyattrac-
tedbypotteryforbonsai,andI undertook
tounravelitsmysteries.I hadproduced
manypotsthatI wasselling,butoneday,
chanceputmeintouchwithLuisVal-
lejo,whoagreedtoseemeandtobuy
myexperimentalpieces.Inhisgarden
wetalkedaboutbonsai,aestheticsand
proportions.Wediscussedhistreesand
hetoldmewhatheenvisagedforeach
one,andverysoon,wewereonexcellent
terms.Shortlyafterwards,LuisVallejowas
offeredthepostofdirectorattheAlco-
bendasbonsaimuseum,andheoffered
methejobofcuratorofthebonsaicollec-
tioninthispioneermuseuminMadrid.In
1995,attheageof22,I becamea full-time
bonsaiprofessionalandI workedatthe
museumforelevenyearswhichenabled
metogetin-depthexperience,tomeet
bonsaipersonalitiesandgrandbonsai
masters,andtotravel.LuisdeVallejo’s
museumnotonlyopeneddoorstome
butagreatgate,whichledmetotheepi-
centreofEuropeanbonsaiandopened
upmyyoungspirit.

E.B.I.:Whathasbeenyourprofessional
trajectorysincethen?
D.B.:Afterthis,I openedmystudioin
Madridtogivecoursesandtosellmytrees
andthoseI importedfromJapan.Andthen
in2010,I tookabigstepandcreatedmy

©

David

Benavente

©

David

Benavente

©

David Benavente

to know the technique. It is the first step

in eventually achieving knowledge. One

cannot create works of art without mas-

tering the technique to the extent that

it becomes second nature to the artist,

so that the creative process is fluid and

natural and that the creator becomes one

with his or her tree.

E.B.I.: What are your sources of inspi-

ration – where do you look?

D.B.: I draw inspiration from large trees and

landscapes, mountains, birds that hunt for

insects under the bark of a pine and •••

David Benavente works on a Pinus

pentaphylla in his workshop where a precious

collection of Japanese pots are on display

A springtime view of the garden whose saffron-coloured
walls serve as a screen to the skillfully placed bonsai.

This Juniperus chinensis ‘Itoigawa’ in a Gyozan pot won first prize in

the Dai category at the 2019 UBE convention. It was also awarded

prizes by the Asociación Bonsái Español (ABE) and at the 2019

Trophy (in Belgium) among others. Height: 82 cm (32¼ in.).

A Pinus pentaphylla after the completion of

major work on wiring and dead wood. Height:

75 cm (29½ in.), width: 105 cm (41⅜ in.)

own garden in the hills near Madrid, where

my work can evolve in a space dedicated

to calm, emotion and beauty – a place

where all bonsai lovers whatever their level

are always welcome.I rejoice in the fact

that my town has become the Mecca of

European bonsai and that, outside Japan,

it has become the preferred destination

for bonsai lovers of all nationalities.

E.B.I.: How would you define your rela-

tionship with trees?

D.B.: I have been through various phases.

From the start, it seemed to me essential