Woowwwweee,

I know we all want a kind and gentle forum, but doesn't a little itchy/scratchy make you want to get back to the computer and see what you missed.

Andy doesn't touch down in our little world too often, but when he does, sparks fly. I for one enjoy it. Al said, who died and left him bonsai God? I say he's more like strong religious fanatic. He is a defender of the bonsai faith. If you spread any info contrary to his doctrine he MUST correct it and set the record straight, for fear that some might be led astray.

Let’s not squelch our Bonsai Reverend, cuz we all have a right to speak our minds.


Bonsai Jim,

This may be what you remembered,

Andy said:
And to clarify, I'm not suggesting that if you're a bonsai grower you have to be following a bunch of rules. In addition to being an art, bonsai is a cool hobby that doesn't have to have anything to do with art, just as there are plenty of painters who just enjoy putting paint on canvas and creating pictures of landscapes, still life, etc... What they're doing is not necessarily art...


From, http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/showthr...=&threadid=2194


Sorry Jay, shoulda taken your advice!

Nah, it didn't happen here. It was on IBC.

Like I told Andy off forum I didn't continue with it or even let him know I was ticked because I figured (at elast) half of it was my perception of things at the time.

Can't blame him for being ticked. I did blindside him with it yesterday.

Jim

Thought I would check in to see how this conversation is doing. Guess it is doing well as there have been 1144 viewers on this thread so far.
Just winder how much longer it will go on and what direction it will take.

I forgot what this thread was about. I had to go back and check. It's definitely full of random thoughts, but I am still looking for the apologies (I saw only one). Oops, two on recount.

I added a poll, though, to round things out. I know people love when I do that.

Regards,

Matt

OK - I admit it - I voted "No! - I love the scufflin', bitin', tusslin' and whatnot!"

Since Al and Glenn have been "making nice" with their scratchy and itchy stuff - the entertainment factor has gone way down.

Seriously - I am still learning about bonsai here ...But admit it - after you read the headlines in the paper - don't you turn to the comic strips

This is a long one. I finally got around to reading the whole thing. Wouldn't you know the art subject came up again. You guys could have just read the last art thread you know. They always seem to turn out the same.


Andy, here are a few of my random thoughts.

First I must say that I'm not an artist. I can sketch pictures and I did a little painting in earlier years but nothing I would really call art. I've had no formal training in the subject of art and that's fine with me. Most of the things you say in your posts about art are way over my head. That's ok too. As I told you in a PM not long ago, not everyone is destined to be, or even should be an artist.

One thing I've noticed though. You always talk about the "art of bonsai" in the abstract. Art theory, I think you could call it. Do you ever describe how to actually get the job done? Afterall, we're working with trees here. We have to force them to grow in ways that they normally wouldn't grow on there own. It's all well and good to talk art in theory but I can't remember a single post of yours on the forum where you helped someone with a repot or a trunk chop or how to build an apex. Do you ever get down to the nitty gritty of bonsai growing.?

Another thing. Whether you mean to or not, you are perceived by MANY people as to be talking down to them. Maybe that's not your intent but that's how it comes off in the forum. I think you should give it some thought. If there's this many people saying it then there must be some truth to it. I've seen some of your trees too. I think they're pretty good. I'd put them up there in the same class as Al's and Ron's trees.

This post is meant in the spirit of constructive criticism. You can take it like that or not. Just some observations on my part.

Regards

Tony