Is bonsai art? - inspired by BVF

M. Frary

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But MichaelS and Vance could get Thru This....
And Remain friends...
I'm going to go out on a limb and say they never were and never will.
Cuz it's weak, childish, moronish, the Other N word!, and the feeling I get trying to talk to him....

Literally....

Makes me question.....

Well it Would be Rude to ask a friend to give a diagnosis
Whether MichaelS is weak childish moronic and negative.
No diagnosis needed.
It's a fact.
And he's easily goaded into showing that side.
That's the weak part of his character.
His arrogance will show up.

Or if you're referring to me don't forget to toss in mean and enjoys being a dick to idiots.
I embrace my God given talents.
 

Coach

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Saw this Bonsai on the Valvanis blog.

The dead wood sculpting on this tree is magnificent. I see/feel art here.
 

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amcoffeegirl

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The thing about it is the artist does not need to be told he is an artist.
He is not nearly as vain as accused previously.
If he assisted someone on a tree or coaches them through a process he does not claim that tree as his own work.
There are a great many very giving and skilled bonsai practitioners that seek to help others. No one goes to the teacher that has ugly trees.
The people that help others grow in this experience are the true masters!
And I am thankful everyday for them.
 

amcoffeegirl

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According to Langholm, bonsai is part art, part craft, part horticulture, and part philosophy. It’s sometimes described as a collaboration between man and nature, but at its core it is about imagining how a tree might grow in the wild and interpreting that vision in miniature. Or, as he puts it, “Bonsai is supposed to take you to the place where that tree was growing without you having to actually go there.”
 

Vance Wood

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You don't have to cut someone down to build yourself up- ever.
I enjoy debates but this is a trap because art means different things to different people.
First of all if it seems that my mental capacities may be diminishing and that may be true, the effects of agent orange are building at an alarming pace, but I can still put together a cogent argument. If any of you have taken time to audit this turd storm you may have come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as art. In order for something to be art you have to first know what art is and no one here knows that or can define it least of all MichaelS. Second point I wanted to clear up is my being mistaken about MichaelS's trees. He actually has trees.
 

Vance Wood

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According to Langholm, bonsai is part art, part craft, part horticulture, and part philosophy. It’s sometimes described as a collaboration between man and nature, but at its core it is about imagining how a tree might grow in the wild and interpreting that vision in miniature. Or, as he puts it, “Bonsai is supposed to take you to the place where that tree was growing without you having to actually go there.”
This I like very much and is as good a definition of art and bonsai that could be made. "Bonsai is supposed to take you to the place where that tree was growing without you having to actually go there.” We forget where bonsai came from and the sentence just quoted defines the what and why of bonsai in the simplest terms. You can call bonsai what you will you cannot escape it's purpose.
 

Paradox

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tenor.gif
 

Paradox

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I'm glad you agree Sandy, though I don't fully understand why this response.

My reaction to the bickering that unsued in this thread. I mean, its fine to have a difference of opinion but to get as angry as some have to the point of degrading to a name calling contest then stomping off like "I'm taking my ball and go home" ....geez

And I got a good chuckle out of it
 

coh

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Yes, if you approach these kinds of threads with the right frame of mind, they can be very entertaining.
 

amcoffeegirl

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This I like very much and is as good a definition of art and bonsai that could be made. "Bonsai is supposed to take you to the place where that tree was growing without you having to actually go there.” We forget where bonsai came from and the sentence just quoted defines the what and why of bonsai in the simplest terms. You can call bonsai what you will you cannot escape it's purpose.
I was hoping greatly that someone would post something like this in the first 5 minutes and get it over with.
We have seen this topic more than enough.
Thank you sir.
I admire so many people in the bonsai community you are one of them. Thanks for your feedback always.
 

amcoffeegirl

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First of all if it seems that my mental capacities may be diminishing and that may be true, the effects of agent orange are building at an alarming pace, but I can still put together a cogent argument. If any of you have taken time to audit this turd storm you may have come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as art. In order for something to be art you have to first know what art is and no one here knows that or can define it least of all MichaelS. Second point I wanted to clear up is my being mistaken about MichaelS's trees. He actually has trees.
dont put yourself down and out :)
You have probably forgotten in your lifetime more than I will ever know about bonsai.
I love to hear from you any time I get the opportunity!
 

my nellie

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First of all if it seems that my mental capacities may be diminishing and that may be true, the effects of agent orange are building at an alarming pace, but I can still put together a cogent argument... ...
dont put yourself down and out :) You have probably forgotten in your lifetime more than I will ever know about bonsai. I love to hear from you any time I get the opportunity!
At the expense to prove myself as being inconsistent with my previous statement of not participating any more to this discussion, I could not help but confirm and enhance!
 

Vance Wood

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Thank you all. first of all the previous sentiment put forward by amcoffeegirl which I quoted as after reading it, is actually the best definition of the relation between art and bonsai. Bonsai seems to occupy a unique slot in the world of art. You first have to identify what bonsai is before you can determine the art in it.

When you understand what bonsai is supposed to portray then you can define how well it accomplishes that goal by the art involved. I try to give credit when credit is due and this is a significant revelation on the subject that all I can do is wish I had said it;--- but I sure will now.

As to my growing disabilities; I was not fishing. I appreciate the sympathy but I have noticed recently a lot of things changing in my life. These things are the result of direct exposure to agent orange, and sadly many of those things seem to be coming in my mental acuity. It is sad that we do have members that find it necessary to digress there arguments to the lowest common denominator in order to discredit some other member. This should not be but neither should a lot of things I cannot change. We should remember that as far as bonsai is concerned we are family.
 
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amcoffeegirl

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but I sure will now.

As to my growing disabilities; I was not fishing. I appreciate the sympathy but I have noticed recently a lot of things changing in my life.
I know- I will use this quote from now on to describe art in bonsai also.
I'm sorry to hear your having health issues. Seems we are all growing older. It's not fair that we all have an expiration date. Death is sad but only for the living. -I hope anyway.
I haven't told anyone publicly yet but they found precancer cells in my body about 4-5 months ago. May freeze them out or laser them out if they progress.
Make sure the doctors keep a close eye on you.
 
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M. Frary

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. It is sad that we do have members that find it necessary to digress there arguments to the lowest common denominator in order to discredit some other member
It is and it pisses me off to no end.
Taking shots at someone's health is almost as bad as taking shots at my family. I kind of consider you family Vance.
And it makes me so mad that if that kind of crap is uttered in my presence they will wish they were born without a tongue.
 

Adair M

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It is and it pisses me off to no end.
Taking shots at someone's health is almost as bad as taking shots at my family. I kind of consider you family Vance.
And it makes me so mad that if that kind of crap is uttered in my presence they will wish they were born without a tongue.
Hey Mike! You and Vance gotten together yet to work on those junipers?
 

M. Frary

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Hey Mike! You and Vance gotten together yet to work on those junipers?
No. We've been talking about it.
They're both down at his house still.
I need to get down there soon to get at mine.
By the way.
They are awesome!
I was going to bring mine home last fall but it wouldn't fit in the car. We couldn't take my truck because on the way down I hit a deer with it.
I think about what I want to do with it almost every day.
Thank you again so much Adair.
 

my nellie

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@amcoffeegirl It is their attitude which characterizes every person, not their abilities.
A rude attitude annihilates all of one person's achievements.
And even if Mr. Wood said above that "as far as bonsai is concerned we are family" allow me to say that in a real family the members do never put on ignore each other....
You keep your head up and continue with more strength!
 
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