Will_Heath

Sword making in ancient Japan was a craft that became an art. Archery, a war craft became an art, flower arranging, serving tea, bonsai, etc etc etc.

The thing we miss the most in these discussions is indeed as Vance hinted at with kami. The inner peace, the zen, the do. To take the task at hand and put your all into it, to become one with it, to enjoy it's essence, to bring it to a perfectness.

This is where art transcends craft. Any man can pick up a concave cutter and practice a craft, some will be good at it, others not. It is the next step, the step that comes from the soul that leads one to creation, to art.

Again, the sole reason we wire, trim, prune, shape, spend hours looking for the perfect pot, etc is to bring the tree closer to art. If it was truly craft, why would we care? Just plant it into a Tupperware pot and let it grow.

The question is....without art, would there be bonsai?

No, just houseplants.

Great thread Vance!


Will