rockm

Ralph, your progression though bonsai is admirable. You have obviously made an effort to seek out what makes good bonsai, instead of thinking your initial thoughts about it sprang from the fountainhead of truth. You, I think, are like the majority of bonsai folks out there.

My progression was much like yours. On "finding" bonsai, I devoured every bonsai book I could get my hands on. Made an effort to get out and see them. Lost a few trees. Asked around for and took advice. Got smacked down occasionally--didn't take it personally, at least for the most part. Was embarassed to find that alot of my brilliant "original" ideas were really old discarded ones, just plain wrong, just plain silly, or all three.

For what it's worth, one day (and it will probably come sooner than you think) you will notice that your trees are just as good or better than those you've been watching in your club. This realization comes over time, but comes.