Frankly, Ron, it's amazing how carefully one has to spell things out for you.

But here, let's try.

Ficus is just an arbitrary choice of something that I don't grow. I could have used serissa or bald cypress or eucalyptus or whatever. I have nothing against ficus or the people who grow them. Some of my best friends grow ficus. Etc., etc., etc.

So, when I wrote



this is what I was saying:

You have said many times that you don't do "art talk", but in every thread about art talk, you have to go and somehow butt in and denigrate the entire discussion.

I don't grow ficus but I see absolutely no need to interrupt every ficus thread by saying that growing ficus is pointless.

If you don't do art talk (or if you don't do "art", for that matter), why not just leave well enough alone and let other people talk about it without constantly trying to disrupt their conversations?

Best regards,
Carl

Am I at least allowed an opinion on the art subject. If so can I post it without your permission. I am willing to ask if necessary in the future.
Just let me know

Ron,

If on those art threads you ever start posting opinions instead of simply trolling for arguments, I'll be delighted. But look at Will's latest. I don't see that you've posted much by way of opinion there. All I see are some sort of sneaky back-handed insinuations that those who do art don't talk about it, and visa versa.

Which, of course, has long been your standard line.

Which, of course, is why I linked way back to this ancient thread.

Best regards,
Carl

Figures. I guess you believe what you are saying.
Hope you feel better. Mostly I hope that your one quote is backed up with the subject of the thread.
I was talking tolerance you were not.
I realize that everything in this world doesn't have to be done my way. Pity some others don't.
You are entitled to an opinion. There is nothing saying I have to agree with it.
I will however try to persuade you with logic not accusations. And you can bet that my comments will always be the same. Either on the forum or in the private email we might occasionally exchange .
Good by Mr. C

This is probably impertinent but I killed a ficus from Wal-Mart once. Tee-Hee. once, just once.

-JP

This is a very old thread, and my input may never be read, but I want to give it anyway. There are, of course, standard rules of display - that wiring should be neat and effective, that trunks and branches should taper from base to point, that branches should not cross, that the pot should complement the tree well and should be about 2/3 the tree's height in length, that the tree should bow to the viewer from chest height or so. However, there are many exceptions to the rules, bunjingi being a good case in point.

In my opinion, the balance of the tree's best features, use of the basic rules to bring out those features, and overlooking the rules when the individual tree benefits, whether for improving the overall display or for the health of the tree. What I am seeking is perfect balance, and sometimes it requires some humble recognition of limitations, both in my bonsai and in myself as an artist.

I liked the way you put that. Good words.

the original post,
thats an interesting topic for contemplation/discussion.

Hi,

It seems to me that the practice of Bonsai has been adapted to suit the local conditions wherever it has put down roots. For example, people grow types of trees in the USA that Europeans would never bother with. This is only because Japanese stock is more difficult to obtain in America than it is in Europe

Stephen