Minimal Bonsai

pootsie

Matt:
CLICK ME

Will:

You know better. (Do we have a finger-wagging tresmiley yet?)

EDIT: found one!

pootsie

__________________
p.s. My cat is a bonsaiTALK Master.
Columbus Bonsai Society

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Attila

Dear MSG,

Calling our bonsai "plants" is highly disrespectful and bad manners. After being tirelessly and meticulously worked on for 20 years, they certaily deserve more respect than a cabbage.

Please don't hurt our feelings!

Will_Heath

Rats, chastised again.


Will

randyclark

Well Will,...

Since the definition of "Bonsai" is "to plant in a container," then I guess the african violets count as bonsai. Why not try taking them to the next club exhibit and get some opinions from the rest of the group.
Point... Art, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

It is a painting if I do it on a piece of stretched canvas.

It is grafitti if I do it on the side of a building.

In my case, it is a public service if I would simply not try to do it at all.

Randy

Will_Heath

Randy, nice points.

However art is in the eyes of many beholders, one single person proclaiming something as art just doesn't cut it.

"It is a painting if I do it on a piece of stretched canvas.

It is grafitti if I do it on the side of a building."

And either is art if it is accepted as such by peers, artists, and viewers.

randyclark

Will,

That is true. If I do it unapproved then it is grafitti. If the committee for community beautification does it on the side of a building its "art." Thats why I think you should take the african violet to the bonsai meeting. If enough people agree with you that it is bonsai, then it must be. Hitler used this kind of logic trying to sell everybody on the theory of a master race. If it hadn't been for the Allies, he might have made it stick.

All kidding aside, I don't think we will be able to sell Atilla on this line of logic. (Huns are historically shortsighted) What he overlooks is that just putting 20 years into a "plant" dosen't make it bonsai. He says you should show a little "respect." Respect does not come with time, but with knowledge, talent, ability wisdom and a number of other things. I know a lot of so called "bonsai" which have a lot of time in them... but on viewing them I would still classify them as shrubs in a pot. I know a lot of people who have lived for many, many years and I still have no respect for them. I often wonder why we as a culture seem to have this desperate need to give things classifications. Art is art. Bonsai is bonsai.... some good, some not so good, and some downright bad... only that and nothing more.

Attila

Randy, stop it!!! I was KIDDING.

My post was a mockery of those who take bonsai too seriously. Believe me, I've seen bonsai which after 20 years of training looked worse than a nice healthy cabbage.

I guess when you are trying to joke on the Internet, you either come across as funny, or as an idiot. It looks like I assumed the latter role this time.

(if I were you, I wouldn't want to be within shooting range of those "short sighted" hun archers...they would hit the bull's eye from a running horse, shooting backwards - as historical accounts tell us)

Will_Heath

This time?


Yes, the ability of the Hun archers is legendary. What would expect after so many years practicing?


Will

RonMartin(deceased)

For those of you that might not know Randy Clark he has been around bonsai for just a little while. About a zillion years that I know of.
He is noted for three things.
1. His sharp wit and excellent sense of humor.
2. His bonsai
3. His teaching skills.
(His reputation for all three are legendary. )
He can and does walk in tall cotton. Highly respected not only by myself but his peers. And his peers are among the worlds finest bonsai artists. They also accept him as such. He does in-fact fit the bill mentioned in the above comments.
FWIW the only thing that I can say bad about him is that he likes cats.