Education vs. Repetition

bonsaial1

Education vs. Repetition
By Al Keppler

Under the right circumstances most bonsai enthusiasts would jump at the chance to study in Japan. Formal training is something that cannot be duplicated by any other means except to fly to Japan or enlist the tutelage of a Japanese Bonsai Master living in your own country. What are we to expect from such an education? Would it be presumptuous to ask that we come away with all the tools to make artistic bonsai? I would hope that would be a given.

My personal problem stems from a feeling that troubles me from time to time. I vacillate between formal training and just good craft. I love good craft. I can find just as much inherent beauty in good craft as I can in something that many people find artistic. Artistic, whatever that means.

A very dear and personal friend of mine has some very different views when it comes to bonsai. We very much like the same things and are drawn to some of the same basic ideals in bonsai. The difference between us is that this friend of mine will not own or loses interest in anything that has been previously styled by someone else. This person feels that if the raw stock was not initially styled by him, it is never really his. In the workshop, he will take suggestions and opinions but the work must be all his. I can appreciate this very much. I think this is a noble feat and something that many people strive for in their own bonsai. Workshops are a place to learn technique and basics. I feel that artistic vision must be revealed from within. This is a practice that should manifest itself in the tree and the vision thereof. I hope to make bonsai one day that someone will be able to say Al Keppler styled this tree.

Is there a risk working with one individual as a teacher? Is the future of bonsai under the guidenance of one person going to reflect this education in all the students’ future work? Is the formally trained student destined to repeat all that has been learned from the master?

Yes I would love to make a bonsai that looks like something Kimura made. But would I love to make a bonsai that looks like Kimura made it?

Comments…..
ak

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Real men don't wear coats with "happi" in the title.

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hortriot

aw cmon al,

even if a pupil learns from just one teacher, unless it is coincidence they are unlikely to have the same appreciaciations and inspirations. techniques may be marked as similar but the student is bound to experiment and spot teachers follies and improve on them.

not to say that a little variation of teacher wouldn't hurt though

my last word is, we're not robots so relax...........or are we? beep beep beep.......

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another day, another leaf

tuckerg

-unlikely.A child at school will be "taught" to write.As the child grows older he/she will become more accomplished at the task,some by other teachers,but mostly by what the child is capable of .the teacher can only lay the founations and basics,its up to the student and his/her capabilities of-the same in bonsai.some will constantly attend workshops trying to become accomplished artists,some are quite happy to have accept the level at which they have arrived.its not down to the teacher or student,it down to how they interpet the teaching.

farrlinzee

There's an insightful episode of WorldOfBonsai that will be available for download on July 14.

Kimura guides us through a section of his garden and his young American apprentice talks about the reality.

I don't believe it will answer your questions but this video will bring something useful to this discussion.

You can use it from my site

http://www.bonsaifarm.tv/

Cheers

Lindsay

Candy_J_Shirey

Al, I respectfully submit that your friend is very egocentric. The beauty of a tree is inherent to the tree - not the creator or the tree. If everyone felt this way about bonsai, there would be no old specimens handed down from previous generations.

There is great pleasure in designing a beautiful bonsai but that feeling, in my opinion, should be the outward enjoyment of the tree - not the inward self-centered fullfillment of the designer of the tree.

If you had a magnificient bonsai on your bench, would it be less magnificient if you did not create it? Can you not enjoy the beauty of another's artistry? Would you cast it from your collection?

It's all about the tree.



... it is never really his? More egocentrism? We are all just caretakers.

Noble? Why not do what is best for the tree (and not for inward satisfaction)? ... In early instruction, it may be better for the tree if the master showed the student thru demonstration... then later instruction, the instructor would provide guidance...

It's all about the tree.



I agree. It is a personal journey between man and tree. The end product is the tree... It's all about the tree!


Why is it about Al Keppler? It is wonderful to strive for your own style but why not strive for a wonderful tree?

It's all about the tree!



It's all about the tree...

rockm

"Al, I respectfully submit that your friend is very egocentric. The beauty of a tree is inherent to the tree - not the creator or the tree. If everyone felt this way about bonsai, there would be no old specimens handed down from previous generations."

I have to agree, kind of. Such thinking discounts an enormous amount of very very nice trees that can be made into nicer trees by someone else. The beauty of a bonsai is 50 percent tree, 50 percent person. A nice piece of stock is a nice piece of stock, or even a "finished" bonsai, regardless of who's been there before. I think seeking personal validation through stock choice is a bit--well--strange. Stock can be changed dramatically by the new owner, building on past work--or not.

"This person feels that if the raw stock was not initially styled by him, it is never really his."

Why limit yourself simply because you have to "own" an image that will change anyway? Would you refuse to own a house because you don't like the previous owner's taste in paint? If the house were nice enough and showed enough promise to fit your taste and the price was right, you'd buy it, and repaint it, wouldn't you?

RonMartin(deceased)

At one time I felt the same way but then I realized just how much I had limited myself and my collection. Once I got past that thinking I enjoyed bonsai so much more.

I have trees completely done by myself, trees initially styled by someone else and even a couple that were completely styled by others. Lots of stories in those trees. Good times, good friends and lots of memories.

To me that is the important part of bonsai. The real meaning of it.

I don’t think that this is the right path for everybody to take but it was and is the right one for me.




The only risk is stagnation. With one teacher one can only learn how that teacher does things. Many teachers (good ones) show many different ways to chose from.

In the beginning stages I think it is best to stick with one teacher. Less confusing that way. But as the student grows he/she needs more wells to drink from.

Selectively combining knowledge from many different sources allows one to design their own techniques. It is an active way to move forward

bonsaial1

Please don't make this about me. I'm just asking the questions. I already have two teachers, both Japanese, both very traditional. My collection is about 75 percent material started by other artists.

Is the goal of the student to eclipse the teacher and if not why seek a teacher in the first place?

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RonMartin(deceased)

Was trying to make a general statement. Nothing about you specifically.
And yes the goal of the student should be to eclipse the teacher.