Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
All I do is buy trees then sell them 12 days later so I clearly don't know what I'm doing.
To argue, could you put your best foot forward to post?
- Thread starter Smoke
- Start date
coh
Imperial Masterpiece
I see the discussion has morphed into the age old "when does a tree become mine" debate. Well, we're certainly covering all the bases lately! Must mean it's time for a soil war.
coh
Imperial Masterpiece
That's a loss for all of us.
Chopsie
Shohin
That's very sad, I don't know you but your opinions and knowledge need to be heard regardless!!!
Don't let anybody spoil your fun
All the best
Mick
I don't post much on here, I mainly read and look at lovely trees.
I find it a real shame that a bunch of people who all enjoy the same thing let their egos get in the way.
Where are the adults? Where are the people that will agree to disagree?
It's very sad
I did not read all the post, I scrolled through and looked at everyone's pictures. What I did read I did not have anything to add to or a tree that I would be proud to post. Most of mine are something that was grown out that way and I put in a pot. I come here to read and watch videos to learn what I can, but as I have said before no one around here work with bonsai, I am not poor mouthing, just telling a fact. I could candy coat it and say my budget does not allow going to a class, but truth is I cannot afford it. Even if I could afford it, time is just not there. As for peoples ability and the advise they give, sure their trees tell the story. And I can understand what Brian said about helping people that just seem to want someone to hold there hand and do it for them when they are not doing their part (homework). I am sure some have seen my post in that way as I seem to ask the same thing over and over. As I sat on my deck today looking at one of my favorite junipers turning yellow, thinking "what I am I doing wrong here, maybe I should just have a bon-sia fire.
I feel like I have practiced bonsai one year, 10 times over.
ArtistWolf
Mame
A teacher and an expert can be the same person. But they don't have to be.
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
I'm glad you came back, I remember when you left.
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
I remember when I found IBC back in 1998 and was learning the ropes of posting, and getting crucified by the elitist jerks, (some of whom mellowed with time some did not) Jerry Meislik basically kept me in bonsai. He told the others to back off and was a gentle yet knowledgeable teacher who answered questions, even stupid ones. He still does by they way... Anyway, there are some masters who make bonsai accessible and some who throw up glass ceilings through which us plebs can see through, but never breach without buying an intensive... or some other stupid, fake way of playing the game and live up to the invisible standards set by the current "in" crowd.
What are you talking about?
I know of no "master" who throw up glass ceilings.
What "in" crowd? Anyone can become accomplished in bonsai.
By the way, attendance at an"Intensive" won't make you an expert. I know of several who have attended them from several teachers who still make crappy bonsai.
my nellie
Masterpiece
Warning! Right from the start so that there is no misunderstanding!
I am just joking!
To add some resilience
Being serious though... and due to the fact that there has been posted a few considerations as regards to IBC moderation, I would like to make a note... (for the sake of truth)
Late Jim Lewis (may God rest his soul in peace) for whom some members here show a degree of respect, and who I do respect, and with whom I have a few discussions through pm, was very strict with moderation of posting things/views/opinions which didn't concern the issue to be discussed.
He was thus thought to be a "grumpy old man" But he was not, in my own opinion!
He was even interested in the correct use of language (as is me, too)
And of course there are tons of knowledge there, too!
I am just joking!
To add some resilience
We might use this term instead of "bonsai artist"?
Being serious though... and due to the fact that there has been posted a few considerations as regards to IBC moderation, I would like to make a note... (for the sake of truth)
Late Jim Lewis (may God rest his soul in peace) for whom some members here show a degree of respect, and who I do respect, and with whom I have a few discussions through pm, was very strict with moderation of posting things/views/opinions which didn't concern the issue to be discussed.
He was thus thought to be a "grumpy old man" But he was not, in my own opinion!
He was even interested in the correct use of language (as is me, too)
And of course there are tons of knowledge there, too!
my nellie
Masterpiece
Adair, it seems that you are judging following your own (and others' of course) good will and your (and others' of course) tend to be helpful to everyone for free...
It is sad for me to make it public...
I will not reveal the identity of that "bonsai artist". He is in southeastern Europe, though...
He had posted in IBC something about techniques to get shorter needle on Pinus halepensis which is a native in my country.
I asked him through pm to kindly clarify those techniques of his in public for the sake of the "ignorant beginners" like me.
His response was something like : I do not teach for free.
Isn't this a very sad and unexpected reaction of a BONSAI artist? Saburo Kato and his "Bonsai no Kokoro" always come to my mind!
Well, it is understandable that if you make your living teaching bonsai, that you cannot give away everything. Then people expect to get everything for free! On the other hand, showing a little, and showing the results can generate new business.
I study with Boon. I have for 5 years now. He will tell me everything I wish to know. But a complete stranger? No. If he is being paid at a workshop, or demonstration, and someone asks a question, he will, of course, answer it. But if you send him a email or text with a question, and he doesn't know you and/or you're not one of his students, he doesn't have time to reply.
Don't misunderstand, Boon's not trying to keep secrets! He wants everyone to learn to make great bonsai. But, he values his time, and he does have bills to pay!
He knows I try to share what I learn from him on this forum. He doesn't mind. In fairness, I make sure to explain that I don't "make this stuff up", I learned it from Boon. I guess there are those who don't like Boon, and do they resent me saying "Boon does this or Boon does that"... that's too bad. Boon learned from Kamiya in Japan. He didn't make this stuff up either. Neither did Kamiya.
What thread is this? Oh, yeah. The one we're supposed to show proof we know what we're doing.
How about an azalea this time?
As Purchased:
A couple years later:
The picture was taken in the winter.
jeremy_norbury
Omono
On Reddit, we use a flair system, where you need to state in your "signature" how many trees you own and a self assessment of your ability (where we set some rules in .
04014777 by Jerry Norbury, on Flickr
Bonsai skill classifications - just to help you fill out your flair:
Reddit is very much an anonymous social platform, so it's hard to know what to believe from whom...- Beginner: zero to four years experience, owns 1-5 trees, killed a tree in the past
- Intermediate: four to ten years experience, owns 15+ trees, has been on courses, killed over 10 trees.
- Experienced/advanced: well over ten years experience, owns 30+ trees, attended multiple courses - may even teach, has exhibited trees, won awards and has killed dozens of trees.
- Master: probably 15years+ experience but professionally trained, potentially owns or works with hundreds of trees of significant value, probably works professionally in bonsai - lecturing and workshops, may have apprenticeship in bonsai in Japan.
04014777 by Jerry Norbury, on Flickr
abqjoe
Chumono
Why does Joe have to be the example
Just kidding.... Honestly, for me, all that matters is if I like a tree or not! I don't care about what the naysayers have to say because I've already come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter. I didn't get into Bonsai to be part of a club or to be part of a community, I got into Bonsai because I fell in love with the tree's themselves! If I like a tree, I acquire it, water it, and care for it to best of my ability. If I happen to cross paths with a few people here and there who's opinions I trust cool, helps me out to have someone to confide in and it's always nice to make a friend. I think it's preposterous for one person in Bonsai to tell another person in Bonsai that if he/she didn't bend every branch and yadayadayada that it's not his/her tree to put his/her name on lol, that's just stupid and a little bit snobish too.... Hell, how many of us actually fabricated every part on our vehicles and assembled them too? Does that mean anything in terms of validating ownership? Hell no!
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
So you can't be intermediate unless you've killed more than 10 trees, that is ridiculous. And experienced people need to have killed many more?
I have killed some trees, but dozens, no. And I would not put that forward as a qualification...
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
You better step up your game! I guess I'm just better than you! LOL
jeremy_norbury
Omono
Bonsai killing is an absolutely decent measurement of experience - ask any master.
