Quote:
Originally posted by bnsaijim
Ron,
How does one go about changing a system that no one particular person created- that has evolved over time and represents the unique contribution of the West to bonsai? >>
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Is the "PT Barnum demo" necessarily such a bad thing? What hapened to "let the buyer beware"? "Don't try this at home, kids..."
People don't need to know how to make a brush stroke to paint, that clay has memory to make a pot. We have an inner muse screaming inside that must be sated. We need a show, not Ms. Krabople's technique! We've paid dues dagummmit!
;^)
Jim
TX
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Jim et all
First let me take everyone back to the beginning of this thread. I did say that I was just asking a question. Sometimes a question is just a question. I have no intention of re-inventing the wheel. It does seem to roll on quite nicely without my interference.
In the back of my mind I did have an ulterior motive for asking the question though.
From time to time I am asked to do a demo. Nothing big time, certainly not a major convention or even a regional convention. Club stuff mostly. Maybe one day the big time ;o)
When I walk up in front of the group I often wonder what they expect to see. Just why are they there.
Did not figure asking them that question would be a good way to start off my presentation.
" Hello my name is Ron Martin, now just what the heck did you want to see"
A funny start but not a way to get invited back.
But if I posed the question here I might get some feed back that I could use. The list is full of bonsai people after all. Might just learn something.
I did learn that (and I am not too sure this is true) a demo at a major event is expected to be a show. As Jim said a "PT Barnum affair". Bedazzle and entertain. The audience for the most part does not expect the tree to survive. Take your chances if you win the raffle.
I am not talking about anything here except the audiences expectations. Just what they expect to walk away with and talk about till the next convention.
I do hope that I am wrong in this but I bow to this audience. Or at least to those of you that attend the conventions. You, after all, pay the bucks to see the show and you should get what you want.
I don't blame those that stand up on the podium for this. They are, after all, paid employees of the convention. They do their best in the allotted time with the material supplied. And they do try to give the audience what they expect. Most of the time everyone is happy.
No I am not saying that conventions are bad. No I am not saying that the artist at these things are rip and run artists. No one is a fool to attend them.
But I do wonder what would happen if things were changed a bit. If the audience expected just a bit more than just a show.
One day I fully expect to see Andy and Jim's names on the list of artists at one of these things. Will they be there to entertain. Will they care if their material survives the beating they give it.
I have met both of them on more than one occasion. I don't claim to know them very well but I just can't imagine them standing up there to just do a show.
Will they just go with the flow or will they try to do the best possible of jobs. Will they tell their audience they might have killed the tree or just take the check and go home.
Will they take the demo out of the Big Top and make an art form out of it.
Time will tell.
Before a lot of you get on me about this please remember that my tong was firmly planted in my cheek during most of this. But it is something to think about.