JohnB

I am studying bonsai in the same manner in which I have studied art and music. In art school the best way to learn was by doing, the same for music. I am a professional artist and graphic designer and semi pro musician for that reason.
I began with bonsai as a 17yr old. I saw some in a shop and became interested. I immediately absorbed as much information as possible and began "doing". I took a job at a commercial bonsai co. and dove in head first. The best way to learn is by doing and I "did" thousands of bonsai activities. I had greenhouses at my disposal and tons of material to work with. I developed 3yr projects for future bonsai through directional pruning at the nursery. I propagated thousands of junipers and tropicals in the greenhouses using the clippings from all of the future trees being developed. I practiced grafting with maples to produce better bonsai quickly and cheaply. I consider it the best experience one can have in America as far as bonsai training goes.
The result of it all is - I have the confidence to choose material and create bonsai satisfyingly. I have designed projects which will further my understanding and I hope to share these things when I undertstand them.
Of course, given the diversity of approaches to bonsai I doubt anything I discover hasn't been discussed already somewhere.