Mudmen and Figurines

zen

I was just wondering if any of you potters (and there are some great ones here Dale, Ian,...just to name a couple, well you guys aren't REALLY a couple LOL) are carrying on the tradition of making mudmen?,...Now I know, that in contemporary bonsai, mudmen aren't used all that much outside of mallsai,...but I for one DO like those little guys or boats or bridges, deer,horses,pagodas etc., in some compositions, to me they can (when used properly) really add a sense of scale to a bonsai, bonkei, or penjing. If you are still making them let's see some pics of your work. Thanks
Jeremy M.C.

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zen

Just had an idea along these lines, well sort of. At one time I actually had a toy dinosaur (you know the little cheap kind,rubbery) in the pot with my nandina,...looked pretty cool, till my nephew saw it and wanted his "dinathor" back. LOL. I am actually thinking now of doing a scene with small army guys or those D&D minis that you see at hobby shops. That crazy thought just had to break free, sory you all had to see that.LOL

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"Although profoundly "inconsequential," the Zen experience has consequences in the sense that it may be applied in any direction, to any conceivable human activity, and that wherever it is so applied it lends an unmistakable quality to the work."

~ Alan Watts (1915-1973)

http://www.bonsaiswap.com/

Ian_Homer

Hi Jeremy,

Just a quick answer..... the low cost and lack of ability to make a profit is why Walsall do not make such items.

China and other Far eastern countries produce such items by the thousands, even hundreds of thousands... and I found several nice ones in China Town when I visited New York a few years back. With our Labour costs here, we just can not compete with the quality/price factor and then the distribution network needed to sell in sufficient quantities to turn a profit. In short, there are easier ways to make a living.

I have a few, just adding a little to the "theme" of my bonsai display area, also bought from a local store for about $6.

A search on e-bay or bT auctions will very often find these listed.

Best regards,
Ian.

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mike_p

Since we're talking mudmen, here's 3 images of some of my collection. They're on a shelf below a high window with stained glass panels hanging in front of the windowglass.
Some of the figurines came from my wife's late grandmother who collected Chinese artifacts and furniture. Some I've acquired over the years.
I like to use them as accents for display, when it seems appropriate.

Mike

Attached Images

	mud_1.jpg (52.8 KB, 82 views)
	mud_2.jpg (52.2 KB, 84 views)
	mud_3.jpg (51.7 KB, 71 views)

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randyclark

And while we are apparently on the subject of figurines... Why is it that everyone who deems it appropriate to place a figurine in a bonsai planting seems to only select figurines with an "Asian" appearance, nomatter whether it be a person, pagoda, animal, bridge, boat or whatever? Here are a couple which are not.

Randy

Attached Images

	moose copy.jpg (59.9 KB, 98 views)
	fawn copy.jpg (63.5 KB, 96 views)

pootsie

A little mudman in my office four years ago, ignoring his paperwork and admiring the tree.

pootsie

Attached Images

PRIDE!.JPG (28.7 KB, 96 views)

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Dale Cochoy

Mike,
those are NICE panels...cha-ching!
BTW, I'm still looking for that larger mudman of the old bald guy reclining and talking/gesturing to a frog on his knee.
Be on the lookout. Same size as the guy laying next to rock w/ bird on it in your collection ( and mine).
Dale

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If you want to be Different....
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Dale Cochoy
Wild Things Bonsai Studio
Yakimono no Kokoro Bonsai Pottery
Hartville, Ohio

mike_p

Dale, you are correct. It was CHA-CHING, but worth it. We had them made about 10 years ago by a local stained glass artist. My wife and I worked with the artist on the design, and we picked the glass for each segment. We're very pleased how it turned out.
We had to do something with these windows, as the only view is of the neighbor's chimney.

Mike

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Nature is perfect.
Man's attempts to improve nature,
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zen

Thanks for sharing guys,...Dale could you not modify the lil guy you already have, or is it antique or expensive? Randy,..it really is nice to see some figures other than the asian influenced ones,...but I see no absolute need to be non-asian in the pursuit of our origanlly asian artform,...it's not so much that we feel a need to be "exotic" but many people in bonsai have many interests in the orient in addition to bonsai, even asian artists have used things such as horses. Besides like some one here has said before, is "bonsai" not still a Japanese word? I really don't want to get into a big discussion about why bonsai is not asian, as I know that trees in pots are grown all over the world now, but in most of those places they still call it bonsai. I really do like the idea of having a tire swing in an old looking broom style,...or a treehouse in an informal upright. Anyhow thanks ya'll.

__________________
"Although profoundly "inconsequential," the Zen experience has consequences in the sense that it may be applied in any direction, to any conceivable human activity, and that wherever it is so applied it lends an unmistakable quality to the work."

~ Alan Watts (1915-1973)

http://www.bonsaiswap.com/