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bonsai is not my hobby
Join Date: Oct-2001
Location: Egling, south of Munich
Country: Germany
Posts: 1,440
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René,
you did not get me wrong. These are close to classical trees and they are somewhat naturalistic at the same time.
THE classical tree is an idealized pine tree from the northern hemisphere and a harsh and rather cold climate.
It should ntotbe a surprise at all that my pine trees look a bit classical then, because that's their natural form and our climate is similar. The difference is that I think what is called refinement is often overdone in classical trees acording to my taste.
The spruce shows a clear triangle, it is besides the Redwood one of the trees which form scalene triangles for a crown even when they are old. No surprise there either. The spruce is only not as much refined as one would expect a classical tree althyough it is in training for more than 25 years.
Why that? Well, take a woman painting her face. Why does she doe that? Because it works. Why does it work? Because she get's to look closer to the ideal woman that way. She can go on improving and refinign the painting and will look more beatiful.
At one point some may think that she looks more like a model from the fashion magazines. Some will not lkike this anymore, the majority will like this, because it's the mainstrweam taste.
She continues refining and all of a sudden she looks like a doll.
Some still like this, because they happen to like dolls, but many will think that this is now too artificial. A cookie cutter woman face.
What does this have to do with cookie cutter bonsai? You can refine a tree and make it look more and more like THE ideal tree. at some point it will look artificial, as if it were of plastic.
I happen nowadys to stop way before this point is reached. But this is not the mainstream taste, yet?
Anyway, did I now confuse you enough?
I can do more of confusing. I have a lot of neoclassical trees in my collection. Tehy are still winning awards although I think they are good craft but not art. I may still do a classical design if I happen to have the kind of material that wants that. What is prepared over many years in bonsai nurseries is invariably material meant for classical shapes. So when I get one of these it would be kind of silly to force some other shape onto it.
This is often funny at conventions. They give me this 'outstanding' piece of material which is meant to become a classical tree. So this is what I do with it. While I style the tree I keep talking for two hours about my concept of naturaslitic styling. There is always the person who just does not understand.
With the fig it was the otehr way round. This was impossible material for classical styling and was crying for a naturalsitic shape.
It was not a big deal and to some it did not look like a temendous change. It obviously rather looked like the easy way out. Naturalistic styling seems to be for lazy people. Absolute misunderstanding here.
Attached is one of my famous cookie cuttter trees. It is a Chinese elm which has won lots of awards. I think it is really bonsai kitsch. It is a transvestite, an elm that desparately wants to look like a pine tree, an overstyled pine tree even, that is so abstract it could be of plastic.
This weekend I have a big garden party. More than 150 people are expected in my garden. I bet you, most will admire this elm while I smile.
best regards
Walter Pall
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