bonsaiTALK Community - View Single Post - Trees Through Human Eyes: Rutledge On Design

Howly mama we're back to the "is bonsai art?" thing AND the "is mallsai bonsai?" thing in the same thread. I've said it before, but the way to promote bonsai as an art is to evangelize, to use a term from my line of work. Get out and do demos and lectures. For myself, I'm going to be doing a lecture/demo at our local library in April 2003. This will provide me with a chance to gauge the level of interest in bonsai in my area, since there aren't any local clubs or nurseries. All we have is mallsai.

Bear in mind I have only been doing bonsai for 3 years, but in that time I've gotten a few trees to the the point that they look pretty good, and have been able to acquire some good ones as well. When people see these the scales fall off their eyes. All they have seen are mallsai. Even with my mediocre examples they instinctively see the difference. This can possibly be the beginning of a new understanding for them--the difference between mallsai and bonsai.

When I show others some of my trees in development, such as my 122 year old crabapple that I have cut back and have bent a branch over with a turnbuckle to make a new upper trunk, and explain that this tree won't be a bonsai for at least 5 years, they begin to understand that there is more to bonsai than just planting a seed and expecting a miniature tree to magically pop out of the soil.

Many times people have commented to me that there must be some art to bonsai. I say that there is no art to keeping a tree alive in a pot. That takes basic horticultural knowledge and skill. The art is in styling the tree so that it looks like something much older than it may actually be. This is the distinction I believe Andy was making.

My point is this--if we take on the challenge of working on trees that are more than just little junipers and if we are willing to open ourselves to others and bring them into our world of bonsai then we will be promoting bonsai on a higher level than just juniper cuttings in a 4" pot with glued-on pebbles.

Craig Cowing
Zone 5b+

5-Sep-2002	#27
Craig Cowing Recovering Workaholic Join Date: Aug-2002 Location: Orange County NY Country: USA USDA Zone: 6a!!! AHS Heat Zone: 5 Posts: 647	Howly mama we're back to the "is bonsai art?" thing AND the "is mallsai bonsai?" thing in the same thread. I've said it before, but the way to promote bonsai as an art is to evangelize, to use a term from my line of work. Get out and do demos and lectures. For myself, I'm going to be doing a lecture/demo at our local library in April 2003. This will provide me with a chance to gauge the level of interest in bonsai in my area, since there aren't any local clubs or nurseries. All we have is mallsai. Bear in mind I have only been doing bonsai for 3 years, but in that time I've gotten a few trees to the the point that they look pretty good, and have been able to acquire some good ones as well. When people see these the scales fall off their eyes. All they have seen are mallsai. Even with my mediocre examples they instinctively see the difference. This can possibly be the beginning of a new understanding for them--the difference between mallsai and bonsai. When I show others some of my trees in development, such as my 122 year old crabapple that I have cut back and have bent a branch over with a turnbuckle to make a new upper trunk, and explain that this tree won't be a bonsai for at least 5 years, they begin to understand that there is more to bonsai than just planting a seed and expecting a miniature tree to magically pop out of the soil. Many times people have commented to me that there must be some art to bonsai. I say that there is no art to keeping a tree alive in a pot. That takes basic horticultural knowledge and skill. The art is in styling the tree so that it looks like something much older than it may actually be. This is the distinction I believe Andy was making. My point is this--if we take on the challenge of working on trees that are more than just little junipers and if we are willing to open ourselves to others and bring them into our world of bonsai then we will be promoting bonsai on a higher level than just juniper cuttings in a 4" pot with glued-on pebbles. Craig Cowing Zone 5b+ __________________ I'm not finished yet, neither are my trees.