bonsaiTALK Community - View Single Post - COOKIE CUTTER BONSAI: Where's The Justice

This is about what I expected for a reply. Truth is you are both right. No argument from me. This whole thread was about cookie cutter bonsai and weather it was good or bad. Truth is, it is a moot point. An artest will develip a new stile or technique and that is inovative, the cookie, then he will copy it over and over again for the public who is demanding his work, the cutter!
The truth is, that if you are a good craftsman and learn the proper techniques you will be a better artist if you learn to apply these techniques in a new way.
Let me see if I can paint a word picture.

To write a Bonsai book you must know the alphabet.
Just because a person knows the alphabet does not mean that he can or will write a Bonsai book.

The same with Bonsai, to create world class bonsai the artest must know and understand good Bonsai techniques. This means learning the basics and clasic stiles and then applying them in a new and inovative way.

Artest.. a craftsman who applys his techniques in a new way.
Craftsman.. an artest who uses learned techniques to reproduce succesful art.

So why does the term cookie cutter have to be negitive. If you don't reproduce the clasic stiles you won't be able to create the new and inovative stile. As Fred so aptly stated if the craftsman does not reproduce succesful Bonsai who will supply the consumers of our art. I am still looking for the negitiv aspect of reproduced bonsai... Ah! here it is, the inthusiast who does not wish to take the time to learn the basics will say "no cookie cutter Bonsai for me" The problem is he will not be able to explain why his work should be concidered new or inovative.

Rene I knew that I would catch this argument from someone so here is my answer. Anyone can have a critical opinion and most of us do. I tend to listen to and be changed by those opinions that are beond my abilities. Here is my example, if someone looks at one of my trees and tells me everything that is wrong with it but cannot tell me how to correct the flaw, or how to avoid creating the flaw, or why the flaw is concidered a flaw I will not be moved to change my techniques or ideas. On the other hand I will listen to any person who can improve my abilities and knowlege.

Yes I will do cookie cutter Bonsai for two reasons, first to learn how to create good Bonsai and second to reproduce for others what I have learned. How is this a bad thing.

Treebeard, Congrats on the exelent answers.

Glenn

30-Aug-2003	#43
ripsgreentree bonsaiTALK Master Chief Join Date: Sep-2001 Location: Fresno, CA Country: U.S.A USDA Zone: 9 AHS Heat Zone: ? Posts: 1,261	One bent penny not two cents. This is about what I expected for a reply. Truth is you are both right. No argument from me. This whole thread was about cookie cutter bonsai and weather it was good or bad. Truth is, it is a moot point. An artest will develip a new stile or technique and that is inovative, the cookie, then he will copy it over and over again for the public who is demanding his work, the cutter! The truth is, that if you are a good craftsman and learn the proper techniques you will be a better artist if you learn to apply these techniques in a new way. Let me see if I can paint a word picture. To write a Bonsai book you must know the alphabet. Just because a person knows the alphabet does not mean that he can or will write a Bonsai book. The same with Bonsai, to create world class bonsai the artest must know and understand good Bonsai techniques. This means learning the basics and clasic stiles and then applying them in a new and inovative way. Artest.. a craftsman who applys his techniques in a new way. Craftsman.. an artest who uses learned techniques to reproduce succesful art. So why does the term cookie cutter have to be negitive. If you don't reproduce the clasic stiles you won't be able to create the new and inovative stile. As Fred so aptly stated if the craftsman does not reproduce succesful Bonsai who will supply the consumers of our art. I am still looking for the negitiv aspect of reproduced bonsai... Ah! here it is, the inthusiast who does not wish to take the time to learn the basics will say "no cookie cutter Bonsai for me" The problem is he will not be able to explain why his work should be concidered new or inovative. Rene I knew that I would catch this argument from someone so here is my answer. Anyone can have a critical opinion and most of us do. I tend to listen to and be changed by those opinions that are beond my abilities. Here is my example, if someone looks at one of my trees and tells me everything that is wrong with it but cannot tell me how to correct the flaw, or how to avoid creating the flaw, or why the flaw is concidered a flaw I will not be moved to change my techniques or ideas. On the other hand I will listen to any person who can improve my abilities and knowlege. Yes I will do cookie cutter Bonsai for two reasons, first to learn how to create good Bonsai and second to reproduce for others what I have learned. How is this a bad thing. Treebeard, Congrats on the exelent answers. Glenn __________________ ripsgreentree It requires an open hand to give and to recieve.