Better than "good enough"

[sorce]

I understand what you mean @MichaelS .

However.....

I don't know what it's like in Japan...

But I do know they have no problem understanding many people may have owned/cared for/styled a tree.

I would guess most know who originally collected the tree.

Anyway...

Let's DO award Ma Nature.

It's the least we can do for her.

Here, in the States, I would be willing to bet that when (insert collector) sees their tree winning an award, credit on the table or not, they are again proud to have collected that tree, so they ARE awarded, and have been paid good $ by someone.

Whoever paid for that tree, is now deserving of the award.
Whoever may have styled it may also be proud. We've been over the steps.

I think Bill V. Nailed it when he said they don't care how a tree gets to the Nationals, it's not about that, it's about a venue full of good trees.

When you watch the awards given out, you never hear boos, or see rotten tomatoes flying.

That is just not the Spirit of the Craft.

Everyone is always smiling.

Whoever doesn't realize Ma Nature has the biggest hand in this game no matter what....
Realized it when she takes their tree from them.

Point is....

Like it or not....

You must respect Ma Nature....
May as well award her now and again.

Sorce

 

[Anthony]

Bows to Mother Nature ---------- who surprisingly looks like a large woman with a basket of fruit / veggies on
her head heading to market - singing --------- Rum and Coca Cola
Good Day to the Sorce - meister.
Anthony

 

[M. Frary]

Last week we had our annual show. Which tree ''won''? A collected tree of course. Why? because it had a great trunk. The rest - the actual work done on the tree- average. We are awarding the work of nature not art!

So. I take it the tree wasn't yours.

 

[aml1014]

actual",



You are missing my point. (and I'm not sure how because the last 2 pictures illustrate it pretty well) The work done to the tops is just the same kind of work done to most other bonsai that are started from the beginning. It is a very simple matter to follow some pre-determined formula by selecting the best branches, wiring them down and removing the rest. Whether you start from scratch and grow up or start from wild and cut down, the result is the same. What makes the tree special or different, or outstanding is the trunk. In the case of Yamadori, the trunk is not shaped by a human.
Taking the last 2 pics of my previous post, How many trees have you seen like the first one. Answer, thousands. The only difference with the next pic is the trunk. If you award the tree you are awarding the work of nature. It is a magnificent tree but for someone to take credit is just plain pretentious. Like I said, enjoy the image but please spare the bullshit. Let me look at the tree in 30 years and if the branch structure is truly developed, inspired and unique, then award the tree's maker. If it is just more of the same old clipped and wired into horizontal planes, it is just more craftwork and without art and IMO should not be awarded. It is as much art as is building a house. Most of the awarded trees in Europe, and these days even in Japan for that matter, are just that - Crafted trees. All the same on top. So what exactly are we awarding? Copies? Take away the trunk and they fall into the realm of mediocrity. Why can't you see that simple fact? Let's stop beating around the bush and call a spade a spade. It's OK.

Last week we had our annual show. Which tree ''won''? A collected tree of course. Why? because it had a great trunk. The rest - the actual work done on the tree- average. We are awarding the work of nature not art!

I understand completely where your coming from, but how often is it that in a single lifetime a tree can be styled and refined to the point in which you are speaking. The answer is not to many! It can take a couple generations to make a masterpiece. I agree the show winners need to have the best trees overall with no flaws, and this is not the case many times. Nevertheless, you can't ignore the fact that there is art put into the tree, if there wasn't none of us are doing art at all, only making "copies" as you put it. This also isn't the case MOST times, mallsai are an exception. We're all artists so overall we all try to do the best we can to make the tree as pleasing as possible.

Good day
Aaron

 

[Vance Wood]

I was going to make a specific remark but I will make it general. It has been said that putting branches in place on a Yamadori does not take a great deal of ability. This is a crock. Have you ever read or seen Kimura's book? Those trees are most of them Yamadori and it is amazing how that man's imagine works to take what many would define as a great trunk into an amazing bonsai. How about Graham Potter who also works with collected trees, and some from trash piles? Do you think you can pull some of the results out of the material he started with? Most of the people making some of the off these off the wall claims that the artist did not have much to do with the image created by their work with a Yamadori, would be frustrated to tears if faced with trying to emulate the same results with the same material? The whole trick with Yamadori is to not destroy the material.

In the end, and especially with Kimura, if you see what the artist started with, I challenge you do reveal how he came up the image he created. Having a great trunk and all sorts of dead wood means nothing if you cannot create an image from them, or have a vision of where this can go. You think this does not take talent and does not take some sort of recognition for doing it?

I have seen really good material turned into kindling and compost. Just because you have access to this stuff there is no guarantee you can do anything other than boast about it.