bonsaikc

Vance,

I didn't write this thread as an indictment of "Masters." It's an indictment of the whole system, the clubs that demand all the pap they have ever known, and the "Masters" who play to that. But the more I think about it, the more blame I have to put on these so-called "Masters" whose reputation depends on demonstrating more trees for raffle to recoup the finances of the clubs.

How can such changes in attitude and expectations come about unless so-called masters stand up for the courage of their convictions? It seems to be more about the pay and the infamy of being a "Master" than what's right for bonsai. Mr. Nakamura, as Bob has mentioned, had higher expectations and the club got far more than it bargained for. Did it make a profit on the transaction? Probably not. That's why it's a nonprofit instead of a business. Did it profit anyway? You bet, with more knowledgeable members who will tell stories of that visit for many years.

Any "master" who lets a club bring him or her in, speed-styles some trees for raffle, and then rides into the sunset, should be ashamed for compromising what they know to be the proper way to create valuable bonsai. This hit-and-run demo lifestyle is why we have people who have been doing bonsai for one year, thirty times in a row, instead of building thirty years' experience. All many club members have ever seen is chop, chop, wire, wire, repot, repot, wither and die. Or if a "Master" tree survives, it ends up being a poor shadow of what the tree may have been. Or it may never have had a chance to be anything, but was used because that was the crappy material given to the master.

But who is responsible to stand up and say, "Enough! Don't ask someone to work on this material, ask someone to teach you bonsai!" My God, the very demonsrations that are being done violate even common-sense horticultural principles! But we do it every year. It will never change until teachers start saying no.

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