HB Smith

I know this won't be a popular opinion but I feel this way nonetheless. I believe bonsai as an artform in the US is still in its infancy. Exhibits such as the one discussed above to me seem to be attempts to run before we can even crawl, and falls flat on its face.

I rarely see traditional, formal displays even attempted in the US, and I think the vast majority of us (myself included) would benefit from practicing these further before experimenting. I can't imagine we are so bored of these things that we already have to experiment, or go the nonconventional route just to be different from other countries. Perhaps the Pacific Rim Collection and other elite bonsai collections should lead the way in teaching the public about bonsai and help establish a conventional norm so that all can understand fundamentals of bonsai display artistry and with a mental picture of this, individuals at a later point in time can better assess the nonconventional attempts of display.

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Sincerely,
Howard

www.BonsaiSmiths.net