We hear it all the time;
"I only do bonsai for the fun of it".
"I'm really not that concearned about my bonsai yet, I'm not a professional"
"I do bonsai just to relax".
"I don't care to show my bonsai, I make them to please me."
" bonsai is just a hobby, I'm not that concearned about artistry'.

We say these thing for some unknown reason. Why is this? Are we ashamed that our bonsai prowess has not developed as fast as one would like. Is it easier to just submit to the notion that one is just a craftsperson.

Why would one come to a forum to discuss bonsai, the art, the craft, the techniques, warts and all, and just say that they just prefer to do it in their backyard. I smell a rat here. I don't think there is one person here that is not an artist.

I am an artist!
I am not ashamed to say it. I may not be the artist in the sense of the word to some people, but if I allow myself to slide backwards to that thinking, then everything I have learned thus far is for naught.

Does one not strive to make the best bonsai possible?
Does one gather as much information as possible to achieve just one more technique?
Do you sit and look at bonsai magazines and wish that someday you could own just one masterpiece?
When browsing the pages of the new magazine, do you dream of having just a few of you works published in a magazine?
Have you ever dreamed of being asked to do the demonstration at your local club?
Wouldn't it be wonderful to have the world bonsai community knocking on your door for your expertise in convention demo's?

While this list may be very long, and not to everyone's liking, it goes a long way towards pointing out that bonsai has to, and should be thought of as more than just a pastime.
Everyone likes to have their trees admired when the are in full bloom, whether thats leaves or flowers. Why would you want to take someone in the backyard and show them all your failures, and tiny sticks in pots that hardly look like bonsai yet?

If bonsai is just a pastime, wouldn't it make sense to not buy the expensive magazines that have all the great trees in them that you will never have? Heck no! These pages are filled with finely crafted bonsai and are inspirational, they move one to making their trees more beautiful. Bonsai folks can hardly wait for the next issue to come out, to see what new technique is in there that they may be able to pass along to their trees.

Why would one that is content to do this as only a hobby be concearned that their point of view be heard on a forum such as this? Why, because bonsai people are passionate about what they do. They do bonsai because it allows one to channel ones hope and desire into the sculpture known as bonsai. Within the trees are the eyes to the artists soul. They have dominion over the tree, and therefore become the master so to speak, for the life of the tree, directing its growth for many years.

Everyone may choose the path and decide how involved they want to be in the art of bonsai, but to say that you just do it for the fun of it is telling yourself that you do not have the desire to move foreward in the pastime.
If you are moving foreward, then you are in it for more than the fun of it.

I suspect there are alot more here that would like to display their trees in public then would admit to it. Why would you not display your trees in public? How will you ever get better if you don't subject yourself to the criticism it takes to be better.

Competition in bonsai is healthy. It promotes artistry and self examination of ones own faults. This is helpful in the big picture for the future of the artist. If you never compete, how will you know you have done the right thing. If you never take the criticism and try to make that information useful, then you have closed your mind to future growth. No one is the perfect bonsai artist, and criticism good and bad is healthy to promote good working ideals for the future development of the trees in one care.

True artists don't settle for craft. They know that the next masterpiece is just around the corner. That dream cannot be fullfilled by just settleing for second best. Who came in second in the last Boston Marathon. Who was the second man to walk on the moon. Who came in second at the last Indianapolis 500. No one ever remembers second. One has to strive to be the best.

While that list above is long and not for everyone, I hope to achieve all those things and more. That is "my" goal. I have set it high. I have made it almost unreachable in my lifetime. But then reaching goals are not that easy, thats why they call em goals.

Yea, we do bonsai for the fun of it. I just want to make the best fun possible and show it to everyone.

Kind regards, Bonsai-al, aka Al Keppler

Right on Al!
There is nothing that I would want to add to your most comprehensive pamphlet.
Maybe the following: Why would you bother to go to see a demonstration for two hours if not to learn something for what is more than a hobby to you? Why would you bother to pay 40 US$ for a workshop if not because you want to take this art for serious.

so there is hope!

best regards
Walter Pall

Hi Al,

First of all, yes Bonsai is Just a hobby for me. Having said that; of course I want to create masterpiece bonsai, and of course I try to improve by looking at magazines and going to demonstrations ans shows. But I will most likely never create bonsai that are of the same level. Why ? That's simple : I have a family and I have a job. My family is the REAL important thing in my life. They are more important than all my hobbies, heck they are more important than ME. I have to work to support them, so my job is important too. That means that I can never spend enough time to become some sort of master in Bonsai. Is that a problem ? NO ! My goal in Bonsai is to enjoy it. I will make bonsai that are on my own level and I will enjoy them. I don't HAVE to be the best at everything. I have to prove myself on a daily basis while working and if I get home I want to relax. Bonsai does that for me ! It's absolutely wonderfull, but no competition.

regards, René

René,

I honor your opinion. If it is a hobby for you than that's it.
But I do not accept your reasoning.
I was CEO of American Companies for Central Europe in the eighties and beginning nineties. I had a tough job with several hundred people reporting to me. I had to work more than 60 hours per week.
But I did bonsai for serious during that time. I considered myslelf an artist. Most of my trees that are world famous now were started in that period.
If you want to do bonsai for serious you will find a way. You don't have to , but do not complain about not having had the possibiity. It is up to you!
I just don't accept it when people tell me how much they could have accomplished if they only had the possibliites. Many of those had lots of time after their retirement and what did they achieve? Nothing worth mentioning.

best regards
Walter Pall

Hi Walter,

But I did bonsai for serious during that time. I considered myslelf an artist. Most of my trees that are world famous now were started in that period.>

First a question : do you have children ? I ask you this because this is important for me. When we decided we wanted to have children we promised ourselves that they would come first no matter what. That means that you cannot spend as much time on hobbies etcetera as you would like. When I come home after work they want my attention. That's their right. Same goes for the weekends. On the average I can spend maybe about 1 hour a day on bonsai. Sometimes less, sometimes more. About 1/2 hour of that is spend on watering. When it's repotting time or I want to dig up a tree I reserve some more time for it.



Walter, I'm NOT complaining ! This is a choice I have made in live.
I'm perfectly happy the way it is. Like I said I don't HAVE to be the best at everything ! On the other hand that doesn't mean I'm not taking bonsai serious ! I try to achieve the maximum with the time I have available.

< Many of those had lots of time after their retirement and what did they achieve? Nothing worth mentioning.>

That's true. The strange thing is, and I've seen this happen all around me, that people with lots of time achieve nothing at all, whereas people that are very busy seem to always be able to find time to do something extra.

Walter, This is nothing personal. I'm a big admirer of your work, but we seem to have a different opinion here.

regards, René

Great thread Al. Does get me to think.

I am, as you may be aware, retired. So, I do have the time. I have limits to my resources. I have other interests. Note I said 'limits' and 'other'. I do enjoy Bonsai as much as anything I do at this point. (Family and Friends aside).

I guess it is proper to think of myself as an Artist. But as in other Art forms, the capability and ability are also part of the package. Walter's, talent was developed I'm sure, but it was there. I have talent..to a degree. I do strive to improve my trees and do read all I can and try and learn as much as I can. I work with my material and try and improve both, the tree and my ability to work it.

As I have said before in other places, no one is better than me. But in some efforts there are those who are better at it, and may always be better at it! I look at your work, Walter, and dream of someday being able to do equal with mine. Not knowing the limit of my ability I will try. But if my ability is limited to producing trees that never rise to the level of yours I will still be happy. 1- I will have done my best and, 2- I will have enjoyed the journey!

At this point in my efforts I have purchased trees and started to collect trees. I have not obtained anything near show state. The reason is not just the cost to acquire, which is a good enough reason, but because I want my trees to be my creation.

"Walter, This is nothing personal. I'm a big admirer of your work, but we seem to have a different opinion here."

René,
this is fine with me, no problem at all. There would be not point in discussing things if we were all of the same opinion.

That you put your children up as number one priority in your lif is fine. No objections, only a remark: it takes away the opportunity to put somethig else as number one priority, as cynical as this may sound.
Great artists in history have ALWAYS put their art as number one priority in their life.
If you have a very demanding job you just cannot say that your children are more important. You will have to leave the job.
Yes, I have a son.

best regards
Walter Pall

I myself, bonsai started out for me as a so called hobbie that turned into an obsession. Everywhere I go I can't keep myself from looking at trees in nature or gardens and think of what characteristics that that tree has that my trees are lacking. I get alot of ideas from nature and try to use them in my vision for the trees I am working on. I have never looked at trees the way I do now. I too have children, grown up now but as they were growing up I would get them involved in the art. My 2 daughters have no interest but my son has gotten into pot making. I now have 2 grand children that live next door and they too will help me if they choose to. My family does come first but so does Bonsai, I know I have to spend time with them so why not get them involved there is alot of quality time spent with them and bonsai.My grand daughter loves to help me water. My wife has no interest in bonsai but she knows this is what I'm going to do the rest of my life.
As for work, Yes I have to work but I will get up earlier to water and sometimes come home for lunch to water but if bonsai is really important to you you will find a way.
For what its worth
John

Wonderful subject, Al. Thanx for raising it.

When I got the bonsai bug, I was 12 or 13 years old. During my life, I started working with bonsai three different times before this time, which I expect will last the rest of my life. Once, I quit because I became so discouraged with my failure to get any results because of my lack of knowledge. Twice, I made major moves and couldn't figure out how to move my collection. This time, my life has become stable and I have the knowledge to be successful. So, I'm "going for it".

Raising the question that Al raises: Going for what?

Based on what I've seen on the inter-net, I think I have rather different associations and images associated with Bonsai than those of the thought-leaders in our community. My first impressions of Bonsai was that it was a sort of Japanese folk-art with its roots in the veneration of tradition, ancestors and others things Japanese. Something we poopoo in Western circles was to me very significant: the age of the trees and the fact they'd been under cultivation for decades if not centuries, The image of something alive and beautiful being handed down over the generations had a huge impact on my young mind.

If you asked me what picture comes to my mind when Bonsai is mentioned, it is the incredibly beautiful Japanese countryside and the little farming villages where a few or several bonsai might be found in a farm-house courtyard.

These images invoke in me certain feelings, attitudes, visions of what I might create that are very far indeed from the spirit of competition that seems to pervade Western Bonsai. Well, Bonsai generally, I suppose. I probably have it wrong just as much in respect to modern Bonsai culture in Japan as anywhere else!

I like Bonsai shows very much, but, until recently, I didn't associate them with the spirit of competition. Until recently, I thought of them as being primarily ways to introduce these beautiful creations to the general public and make available our love for it to the kindred spirits who might also enjoy it. Also, to enjoy the beauty that our fellow bonsaists had created and enjoy fellowship with them. I felt that the prizes that were awarded were meant to express appreciation for special creations and had little if anything to do with competition.

I believe in competition as an excellent way towards improving products in a free market economy. I believe in competition in athletics. I do not believe in the virtues of competition in every realm of life.

For many years, I was a very serious distance runner. I had been a runner in college, but gave it up for many years. It was not until I developed a vision of it as a non-competitive activity, valuable and enjoyable in its own right, that I returned to it. I actually was running faster times in my 40s than when I'd been in college, but it was not in response to the pressures of competition. It was out of love for the activity itself.

I have the greatest respect for the genius of people like Walter. I feel honored to be a member of their community. I'm not particularly interested in competing with them or anybody, however.

Best regards, Fred

I'm an Artist too, just not a very good one yet. On another note, my karate dojo is called "Art of Karate".

So there you have it