From real bonsai love to metal shaping art
Mr. Duc's small house is located next to the simple, rustic inter-communal road. But when entering, people feel like they are lost in a miniature "garden" - where hundreds of exquisite, unique bonsai pots are shaped from copper wire, beads, gemstones, colored stones, rosewood... are displayed neatly, each corner of the house is a tree shape, a story.
Mr. Duc recounted that his passion came to him from his love for real bonsai. “I was attracted by the shape, the ancient - strange - beautiful beauty of traditional bonsai trees. There were times when I was sitting working, an idea suddenly flashed - I immediately tried to build a shape from a copper wire, and then continued to do it, tinkering with every little detail”.
In 2008, he was given a pot of bronze vine bonsai by a distant friend - a seemingly small gift that opened up a whole direction of creativity. "At that time, I didn't know about social networks, learning was mainly through books and self-study. Doing wrong, doing it again, and gradually drawing out how to string, shape, and arrange miniatures.
Bronze string bonsai art - also known as handmade bonsai - has appeared for a long time in Japan, China, and then spread to Korea. In Vietnam, this form is still quite new, especially in the northern mountainous region, almost no one has systematically pursued it.
For Mr. Duc, the most difficult point is not in the technique of stringing or coloring, but in the visual thinking: How to make the work not dry and stiff while still retaining the soul of the tree, natural features, and a reasonable ratio between the root, trunk, branch and canopy.
Each product is completely handcrafted by him, through many stages: brainstorming ideas, framing, creating detailed shapes, processing colors and completing miniatures. With traditional poses such as directly, horizontally, vertically, diagonally, vertically, matrilinearly..., he can create with copper wire with high sophistication.
The combination of flexible copper wire with stone beads, rosewood, quartz, and ceramics helps the works to be both artistic and evoke close, natural emotions. “I don't do it in series. Each tree is a unique identity. Many customers require the work to be "unique", not repeated - that is also pressure but also motivation for me to constantly create” - Mr. Duc shared.
Currently, his customers are mainly businesses, organizations and individuals who order as gifts or displays. Each order is often associated with a separate theme, such as: "Tay Loc" tree, "Tam Long Van Thu", "Mu Tu Sum Vay", "Old incense", "Co Moc - Moi Sinh"... Many units request to set scenes according to feng shui, brand symbols, or with traditional cultural inspiration.
Mr. Nguyen Tuan Anh, To Hieu ward shared: "I own a few bronze vine bonsai works by Mr. Duc. What impressed me the most is the meticulousness and creativity in every detail, every piece of bronze is skillfully bent, soulful. Each work has its own uniqueness, neither is the same. It is not only decoration but also a very respectable art form.
From 2020 to now, Mr. Duc has won many awards at applied fine arts competitions. Most recently, he won a First Prize in a competition organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and a Second Prize organized by the Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibitions. These awards not only recognize handicraft techniques but also honor creativity and artistic value in each work he pursues.
Seeding crafts from simple ingredients, inspiring many people
Mr. Duc's working space looks no different from a "recyclable collection yard". Bamboo roots, wood chips, old electric wires, cracked ceramic jars, broken ceramics... are piled into boxes, stacks. "As soon as I see any raw materials that can be utilized, I gather them. It may not be used immediately, but there will be times when it becomes a part of the work" - Mr. Duc said.
The thinking of reusing materials has been deeply ingrained in Mr. Duc's creative work. A tree trunk built from a broken power cord core, a base base made from an old ceramic piece, or a canopy attached with stone collected from the project - all are skillfully combined, both aesthetically and environmentally valuable.
Not keeping the profession for himself, Mr. Duc is willing to guide and share experiences with those who have a real passion. To date, Mr. Duc has helped many people know and get acquainted with handmade bonsai.
One of the typical students is Mr. Tran Viet, Phu Ninh commune, Phu Tho province. Mr. Viet knew Mr. Duc from 2017, and officially learned the craft in 2019. “Bonsai day dong not only helped me have a stable job but also trained patience and meticulousness. Thanks to Mr. Duc's teaching, now I have customers in many provinces and cities and my skills are also better” - Mr. Viet informed.
In particular, Mr. Duc has a student from India - Mr. Amar Singh. As a traditional bonsai lover, Amar, after a period of learning, chose to learn Mr. Duc's style. "I was once guided by Mr. Duc remotely, but many complex techniques cannot be learned through video. Therefore, I decided to go to Vietnam to learn directly. Mr. Duc's way of doing things is very different and in-depth.
Also from social networks, many young people have approached this art form and regularly text and call to ask Mr. Duc to share techniques and consider it a new direction - both highly manual and can be developed into an application product, associated with tourism, gifts, and livelihoods.
I don't hide my profession, if anyone really loves and pursues it seriously, I am always ready to guide them. Because I can't do it all - only when many people participate can the profession develop for a long time" - Mr. Duc said.
His plans in the coming time are to expand working space, standardize processes and find more partners to meet increasing demand. Some products are also being prepared for testing in foreign markets - where attention has be paid to creative handicrafts from Vietnam.
In a small house in the highlands of Son La, that artisan still diligently bends each copper wire every day, slowly "draws" roots, shapes each branch, and creates tree shapes with bare hands. There is not only technique, but also the crystallization of love for ornamental plants, perseverance and unceasing creative aspiration.
Bonsai pots do not need irrigation, do not need care, but still carry the "breath" of time - like the persistent journey that Mr. Le Duy Duc is silently planting on the Northwest land.
It's a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit.
It's a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit.
