bonsaiTALK Community - View Single Post - TOD for Monday, 17OCT2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Will_Heath

No, I go out and buy the best stock I can afford, not the best already styled bonsai I can afford, there is a difference.

Nor did I claim these was a right or wrong way. I said "Nothing against collectors, gotta love them, but when you buy your stock 99% styled, you sometimes lose the joy that comes from creating something from nothing." And from my personal experiences, I still find this to be true. Sure there is a certain joy in owning a bonsai that has been created by someone else, and refinement, care, etc still needs to be done, however as I said, I enjoy making my own bonsai.

Your budget theory also comes into play here, it's just that I would rather spend 1500.00 (as in the recent ficus on ebay) on quality raw stock than a "finished" tree, my thoughts, yours may be different.

We need collectors and I envy their trees, but they also need creators such is bonsai.

Will

Will,

I wondered if I had accidentally opened the wrong thread.

I agree completely with your remarks. The most I have EVER spent on a "finished" bonsai is less than $700. Many times I have spent $300 or so on good material to "make" bonsai.

Every time I have been faced with making a $300-500 investment on "stock" or "finished" material, I have chosen the raw stock. That's 100% of the time. It's just me, and I am not trying to convince anyone it is the only way.

But the remarks about this juniper surprise me. Granted, it has limits, but for so many to dismiss it as basically without merit doesn't make sense. There is a great opportunity to learn there. But when you think about it, the same who dismiss the material are those who are proponents of purchasing "finished" material.

That's the difference in philosophy. Some see the beginnings of the bonsai, others don't or aren't concerned with that aspect. Remarks were made about how the details make the bonsai. Well, that's true in most respects. It can make a good bonsai into a great one, no doubt, but see how successful you are when the initial training was done without skill or forethought. With this juniper, a skilled person can make a good bonsai. It will take time, competence, some more time, patience, more time, and an eye for the future. Did I mention time?

Okay, you are 90 years old and don't (probably) have twenty-five years to wait. Okay, go buy a nice specimen. But most of us can ADD this type of material to our collection of better bonsai. I swear, it's not a taboo. Nothing bad will happen. Geez.

John