American Bonsai

Joanie

Not yet being a purist, just a newbie who still gets excited over trees that others would pass over, I am very interested in all aspects of bonsai and penjing, in tray landscapes and group plantings.....I want to do ALL of it. And NOW would be good.

And the little child in me loves the mudmen, the tiny huts and pagodas, the quaint clay figurines made to sit under a spreading tree and fish or read or discuss religion.

(Heck, what am I saying, give me half and chance and I would collect them all on their own. Some are absolutely incredible!)

Into this equation of fascination and broad interest, now add the idea of Naturalistic bonsai, and American bonsai. Which is cool by me. There is enough room in the world for new styles and innovative ideas....and everyone can find the place where they are comfortable. We live in a global world, we eat the food of many cuisines, we speak words with multiple root languages....anyway, that is not what this thread is about. This thread is about American Bonsai Mudmen.

Or Mudwomen.

What figure do you sit underneath a Swamp Cypress? Certainly not an old Japanese fellow absorbed in contemplation. Wouldn't it be a middle aged white guy with a fishing pole and a Coors? Would a pagoda be suitable under a spreading Oak? No....... it would be a Ranchero style single story home with a three car garage, in California at least. One Hummer in the driveway and a tennis court in the back. Instead of serene scenes of dainty fishing boats in the water below a rock planting, wouldn't it be a couple of racing boats and a bikini clad blonde on water skis?

And don't forget the RV with the awning and Coleman stove underneath the Redwoods which soar above in majestic disdain.

Not being able to speak to the Naturalistic/European style, but having difficulty getting rid of the image of garden Gnomes and big colorful mushrooms, perhaps someone can expand on this idea? The possibilities are endless!!

Hmmm.... maybe it's time to jump in on this market. Be the first at your club to own the Mudpeople, American style.....



Joanie, who apparently had tooooo much caffiene already!

Advertisement

Cre8tive

Joanie,

While I absolutely found the humor in your post, I was overcome by the idea that Native American figures would truly enhance the American style bonsai.

Just a thought.

Regards,
Mark

__________________
ART - An object or event that evokes an aesthetic reaction—a sense of beauty, appreciation, harmony, and/or pleasure; the quality, production, expression, or realm of what is beautiful or of more than ordinary significance; the class of objects subject to aesthetic criteria

bnsaijim

There is a clear line between "innovation" and "Schtick". "Innovation" and "different" for their own sake does not legitimize nor does it make it "art".

I'm not saying you aren't allowed to have fun but the dented matchbox car, tanks and army men have all been done. The planting in a broken shovel, shoe, etc... as well. Americana can play a part but how much is stereotypical; not to say that mud men have not created steroetypes of tehir own...

The problem is creating such that it offers symbolic or emotional messages without transcending to high art...



One can only hope they are! (endless)

If you have not already Randy Clark just wrote a brief article for BT in the last issue that addresses issue this rather well.

j

__________________
Jim Stone
Seki Bonsai Studio
sekibonsai.com
Santa Fe, TX

Joanie

Jim, my tongue was very firmly in my cheek. (Note the forum that this thread is in) While I appreciate the crashed cars (well done models being worth consideration on their own), I was not advocating using schtick, or tacky figurines. I was just playing with the interface between the traditional and the innovative styles currently under discussion in a more serious manner.

A little humor in the morning, that's all!

(Although I WILL point out that at the one and only Bonsai show I have attended and did security for, it was the tiniest mame accent plant and the little pine seedling in a miniscule pot that captured the attention of the viewing public. I saw it, I was there. They admired the majestic ancient trees, but stood and chatted about the seven little blades of grass coming from a pot the size of a bottle cap. Sometimes it is the absurd that most touches us. Merely an observation.)

Joanie

Joanie

Mark, that is an admirable and interesting idea. Native American figurines would be quite at home in an open meadow next to a group planting. Or, indeed, one of their snake mounds such as is seen in the South. Or a native canoe.....

Joanie

bnsaijim

Well, I'm wound between this thread and the other on "American Bonsai Style"- the other thread tool a little longer to contemplate so this response came first!

__________________
Jim Stone
Seki Bonsai Studio
sekibonsai.com
Santa Fe, TX

bnsaijim

And exactly what I was inferring that would suceed - would make the broadest step towards "American Style" i.e., who else would get it but an American?

Small canoe of birch bark as an accent...

__________________
Jim Stone
Seki Bonsai Studio
sekibonsai.com
Santa Fe, TX

Bonsainut

oooooo I'm telling


Shirley you called her bonsai absurd


oooo


Joanie you're funny

__________________
Keep growing,---'Nut



Lethal Use of Farce

Joanie

No, no, please don't tell on me!! Shirley's really cool and I want to pick her brain on how to keep mame alive! Darn she has some great little trees!!

You know the little grass accent that I am talking about, some guy tried to pick it up and I almost smacked him. But he really really wanted to touch it, to see for himself that it was real.

He almost found out how real my hand upside his head was.....

Joanie