Why do you study with Boon?
Why Boon?
Why the need to be the best you can be?
Why the need to display your tree in a Boon exhibit?
Why fly half way across America to study with someone in California, are there not people closer, or is there some sort of badge of honor to be an SOB?
Its not about ego, your dilusional? Every post you make and mention Boon is ego. Every post you make in the name of helping someone and passing off Boon technique is ego. Come on get in the real world. I'm not that stupid. You come here and post because Study Group is all Boon and you can add nothing, preaching to the choir as it were. Here you get to flex your ego. That's pretty transparent.
Why Boon?
I'll answer that. My favorite tree for bonsai is Japanese Black Pine. Just like yours is Trident Maple. A couple years ago I decided I wanted to up my game. I love JBP, and while my trees were pretty good, they weren't as good as those I'd seen in the Japanese magazines.
So, I heard about Boon from the Bonsai Study Group forum. Bought his JBP DVDs. Learned a lot I didn't know, and the DVDs reinforced some info I did know.
I decided I wanted to go to an Intensive type class. The only two I knew about were Boon, and Ryan Neil. I researched both. From my research, Boon teaches "Classical Japanese" bonsai. With a focus on JBP.
From my research, it appeared that Ryan was working more of the yamadori, doing the Ponderosa Pines, and collected junipers.
Those trees are not really my thing. Don't get me wrong here: they're fabulous. But I don't live where those types of trees grow naturally. We dont have deadwood junipers here.
In fact, I've been doing bonsai on and off for 40 years, and had never seen a California Juniper bonsai until I went to Boon's. They just don't grow here in Georgia.
So, I chose Boon because I felt that I would be able to learn what I wanted to know: JBP.
As for is there anyone here to learn from?
Not really. Rodney Clemons, I suppose. Rodney and I go way back. We started doing bonsai about the same time. He's never apprenticed in Japan.
Bill Valavanis I'm sure has good classes. It would involve as much travel for me to go to Rochester as it would to San Fran. But his climate is not so good for JBP. He prefers Scots pines because of his climate.
So, Boon and his Intensive series of classes appeared to be the best fit for me.
And finally, I'm sorry if I annoy you when I say "Boon says to do this, or that". I'm just an anonymous name on the Internet. I have no credibility. Boon has a good reputation, so if I share a Boon technique, at least people would consider it.