weirdowl

[/QUOTE]I submit that the central question in this thread is whether or not the 'rules,' or conventions of bonsai are central to it as an art form, or whether artistically valid bonsai might be created in ignorance of those rules. In other words, is it possible that an artist could intuitively understand the form of trees and the intent of bonsai without being expressly instructed in its traditions and institutions?[/QUOTE]


I think so, but when I look at bonsai trees I don't check them for "rule violations" before I decide if they are "good" to me. I've seen some trees that I didn't like that much, that I later realized were in compliance with a lot of the "rules." You know what I really think? I think that the Japanese bonsai artists finally got frustrated enough with impatient people asking "how do you do that?" and expecting an easy answer. So, they figured up some rules that the impatient people could follow almost word for word and most likely end up with a decent tree. I don't think the rules were meant to define good art, or necessarily to encourage it. But rather, answer a question they were tired of being asked. For me, the trees that look like trees I might see in the wild are the most appealing. There are a lot of trees in the wild that I see that do not follow the bonsai rules. For example, the only type of pine tree I've ever seen in person has usually been very tall, skinny and with minimal looking foliage. A lot of the pine bonsai trees I've seen have given a much shorter, much wider impression. These I am not as fond of. I can't picture them in a wild setting. It's kind of like this. I would rather have a painter paint a picture of my house rather than of a famous landscape or something. I guess maybe some people would rather have the painting of the famous landscape than their house.
Also, wouldn't a person going on good bonsai horticultural principles, and only trees in the wild to look at, also be following a set of nature laws? And in doing so, not only most likely create a more convincing tree in a pot but also have a better feeling of being "close to nature." Whatch y'all think, huh?

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weirdowl