David Yedwab

Well you better answer it, too! It's above my pay grade! Great question.

I'll take a crack at a piece of it.
The bonsai critic must have:
1. reasonable horticultural knowledge and/or experience, to be able to understand if a bonsai is being well cared for and is healthy. Otherwise they might think that a leaf bare maple in a winter show is a dead tree (an exageration but it makes the point). This knowledge would need to include whether it is trained to receive light properly to remain healthy, that the color is right for the species/variety, etc.
2. Have a reasonable understanding of design/art principles to know whether a bonsai looks well designed and is maybe even artistic.
3. Sould have some knowledge, if not skill, at the craft of creating bonsai.
And probably a lot of other things I left out like some experience ...

Now back to you Ron ...

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David Yedwab