valuehorse

being open minded: perhaps trees do have a soul http://yedda.com/questions/think_tr..._8622950701715/

i agree that an artist should always be held accountable for the art that they produce. i went to an art college and i can tell you that it is very common for artists (especially artists that have much perspective to gain) to get upset, defensive, sometimes hostile during a serious critique. i've seen professors walk up to a piece and throw it into the trash can right in front of everyone. art IS personal so criticizing, especially adversely (constructive or not) is taken personally. being an artist and learning how to handle this type of criticism is a VERY important step and one to learn early on.


i doubt michelangelo blamed himself for a hidden flaw in his chosen material. the flaw was undetectable. how often can that be said for bonsai? maybe when collecting... in most cases the flaw is in the artist one way or another.

A lot of bonsai in north america is perhaps just terrible, absolutely god-awful and embarrassing. But a lot of it isn't. individual people, making bonsai in their own ways, should wind up with something subtly idiosyncratic, something personal and special. The culture of western bonsai is one giant scatter-- of crappy things, and of wonderful ones. this is, in my opinion, important to point out.


-chris