stevehtx

Well said Jim. I believe bonsai encompasses the extreme view of the art as well as the realistic view. Some people focus on an aspect of the tree, as seems to be the case in the maple above with the massive base, and work to bring out that aspect technicaly and artistically as far as they can. I've seen MANY examples of this kind of nebari in pictures of trees from Japan. I believe that they are quite highly prized there as a certain type of representation of a tree. I've also seen many examples of extreme deadwood in trees that do not match reality and these are highly considered as works of art. I believe Picasso's cubism, out there as it is, is still considered great art despite the fact his subjects aren't rendered in photographic and realistic detail.

Trees emulating nature accurately and an artist's extreme view of a tree in nature can both be considered art and artistic. I think we should seek to understand the reasoning behind other artist's actions and techniques before judging and, in some cases, demeaning the artistic efforts of others. I believe that fostering understanding between bonsai artists of different persuasions might be more constructive.

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Thanks

Steve Delaune
Houston, Texas