RonMartin(deceased)

Was just setting here thinking about the many comments made about people that buy trees that have been styled by others. Tree collectors if you will.
Some say that they miss out on the true meaning of bonsai. The "creation" so to speak.
This is a thought that I have never subscribed to. I say get the joy of bonsai in what ever way you want. To heck with what others think.
Funny thing is that there are a lot more collectors out there than one might think. They are a bit secretive about it and maybe some aren't really aware that they are "collectors"
As some of you might know I do travel a lot, meet many people that are into bonsai. Almost always these people will show me their bonsai collections.
A lot of the time I hear about how they styled this tree or that one in a workshop with ( supply your own favorite artists name here) I get a lot of he did this and he did that. Not a lot of I did this and that.
Hate to say it but at a lot of workshops the artist pushes the student aside and styles the tree. Not all of them mind you but enough to make note of.
Now if the student watches the artist style his/her tree. Then takes it home so that they can tell everyone that this or that tree was styled in a workshop "with" ( again supply your one artist name here) are they collectors or practitioners. If they have several of these trees do they have a major collection of trees that are styled by others.
Are you a closet collector.

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