Sorce, you said; “Relying on one Japanese trained teacher is relying on their ability to remember that overseas education is merely supplemental to what they must know to fully move us into a position where we can become so set in correct ways. Utilizing the materials we have available to us here. Nursery Stock, Swamp Trees, an entirely independent education better learned by the guys who have been doing it for years. Vance, Zach.”
What. Are. You. Trying. To. Say?
What I took from this was 1). Having a single teacher who was trained in Japan, I have limited my potential knowledge of bonsai to that he may still remember from the time he was there.
2). Since he was trained in Japan, he is not familar with American trees.
3) those that are self taught using locally available native trees are necessarily better at those native trees than someone who may have been taught somewhere else.
That’s what I understood you to be trying to say. If I misunderstood, I apologize. But, if my understanding of your statement is what you intended... I’ll have to give some thought on how to proceed here. It appears that you have been given some authority on this forum. Im wondering if the henhouse is now under control of the foxes.
I would hate to see this site become like The Facebook site “Bonsai Trees”.
I Fucking Love you Adair!
I always will!
MY apologies, for how this form of communication makes far a clash of the EXACT SAME PASSION!
What you said was enlightening....
About the Volcanic Soil...
If one of our returning masters fell into the Japanese way so strictly that he himself can not successfully collect, or convert, or otherwise use our local material....
He is not wrong ....However, he is suited to a "finished APL" Bonsai practitioner.
But Boon, Ryan, Owen, the ones that show they are fully invested in really moving AMERICAN Bonsai forward...
Those are the guys more suited who do Bonsai with a "Pre" in front of it!
Just a general "select your teacher correctly" bit of stupid advice that I think about!
And this..."best way to learn"...
I just feel that...even a seed in a cone of a JBP meant to be Bonsai one day, already is bonsai to me.
It can be ground grown without ever seeing volcanic soil...
To me this is a huge part of Bonsai that gets shuffled away in semantics.
But if I were to "apprentice"..
I might rather "apprentice" with a Japanese Field Grower".
That's my realm. I just still see it as Bonsai.
And we have few if any really teaching the ropes of this endeavor.
Sorry for the Stacey Comment especially.
Since now I realize even more how passionate you are about this! Responding with it in your heart....rather than...ahem...shit in your skull!
Love Love!
Sorce