GaryS

Hi Andy,

I tried to distill some of your ideas and come up with some thoughts and questions of my own on what you are proposing or thinking about in hopes you can clarify:

I’d like to see one American organization become a bona fide leader in the U.S. bonsai community.
An American organization that becomes the must-join organization for U.S. bonsai enthusiasts; one that stands head-and-shoulders above the rest.

• For what specific pupose would this organization be created? To gain prestige around the world pitting our best bonsai and artists against those other countries?
• What qualities would this organization have to make me act as if I must-join?

Bonsai and its organizations in the U.S. are lacking in several areas as compared to what can be found in other parts of the world.

• As an American, I think the limiting factor here is the physical size of our country. Our dramatic differences in climate also play a role. ie... CA hasen't become a leader in US bonsai for no reason.

Germany for instance, is a little larger in size than the state of Wisconsin, where I live. I have the resources both physical (sometimes) and economical to traverse my state but I don't have those same resouces when it comes to the whole USA. (I think this is one of the big reasons Japan and other countries have more unified bonsai organizations.)

What should the leader organization do?
Everything. The true leader organization in the U.S. should be the umbrella organization under which, by comparative scope, all other organizations logically rest.

• Here we're building another heirarchy that has control over what we can or cannot do and ultimately leads to less freedom of expression, sort of like our national government.

Without a doubt, the leader organization should host the best national exhibits each year; the bonsai exhibits that set and continually raise the standard for quality. I believe these exhibits should be judged events and held in fine arts museums.

• Who does all the judging, from judging which are the "best exhibits" to judging or raising the "quality control" to finding and convicing Art Institutes or museums to show a bonsai exhibit.
• We know this judging can be pretty political.

Further, this organization should champion the idea of bonsai as “art” first and act and conduct its affairs accordingly.

• Here we are again with Art being the main focus, not that there's anything wrong with it. ;-)

• It seems not to be a plan for the many but an organization for the few.

• Again, why would I or most bonsai practitioners want to join this organization.....what could most contribute and what would we get in return?

Anyways, just one man's thoughts on a January afternoon.

__________________
GaryS