Thanks for this profile of Dennis, Joanie. He's a wonderful teacher and a great guy. I was really spoiled years ago when my introduction to bonsai was through Dennis at a Bay Area Bonsai Associates show in Oakland and follow-up classes at Merrit College.
It was probably a decade before I figured out how lucky I was at that point in time to have the tutelage of a teacher of teachers! There's another thread
hereabouts with some additional information about the
coarse to fine concept.
Regards,
Matt