rockm
Spuds Moyogi
You might want to post them here. You'll get better assistance, probably from folks in Texas.
Would you let someone style your tree for you?
- Thread starter Fidur
- Start date
Shogun610
Masterpiece
I have styled with professional help , As a learning experience in workshops or someone collaborating at the studio. Some day I hope to be proficient to not have to seek input but there’s too many more people out there I’d Iove to collaborate with.
vp999
Masterpiece
95% of my trees are styled by some one else, mainly because I pretty much buy my trees at a more advance stage. I like to have nice looking trees on my benches and not just "stick in the pot" it keeps me more engaged in the hobby. Im only been in the hobby for 4 years and although I do try to style some of my trees, they dont look as good lol. So.....my main task is keeping the trees alive and well, I guess "collector" is a more fitting description of me.
He’s a busy guy. He’s on the road a lot. But he’s based in Hickory. That’s not too far from you.
The Bonsai Smiths.
What’s really bad is the person who has one tree, then takes it to multiple traveling experts every 3 to 4 months. Take tree gets restarted over and over. What’s good is to have one tree and have the same traveliing expert work on it every 3 or 4 months. That way the work is progressive.
weetree3
Yamadori
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Don't know if you're a member, but the Bonsai Society of Dallas is a good place to start looking. Folks there will probably have more local resources. There are some excellent bonsai people down there.
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weetree3
Yamadori
Yes sir. Already a member. Missed last several meeting due to health. Will grab Howard or Sylvia at one of the meetings.Don't know if you're a member, but the Bonsai Society of Dallas is a good place to start looking. Folks there will probably have more local resources. There are some excellent bonsai people down there.
Home - Bonsai Society of Dallas
Share your passion for bonsai and other related plants by joining the Bonsai Society of Dallas. Contact us for info.bonsaisocietyofdallas.com
Friends of BSD - Bonsai Society of Dallas
Check out the important links of the Friends of Bonsai Society of Dallas. Get in touch with us for more information. Learn more.bonsaisocietyofdallas.com
ShadyStump
Imperial Masterpiece
This brings up a very good point that hadn't crossed my mind yet.
There is a very distinct difference between a collector and a practitioner/artist/craftsman/whatever you call your self. Both are equally legitimate in my view.
I tend to think of myself as a bonsai craftsman, and honestly suspect I will create nothing but mediocre trees throughout my life, but I love doing it. I'll likely settle into a flowing cycle of trees in and trees out, trading and gifting and selling most, keeping only a few dear ones my whole life.
The collector is not unlike someone why pays a landscaper to put a garden in for them, but maintains it themselves. They're still very arguably a gardener, but for whatever reason are not inclined to spend the years and labor to build their garden themselves. They'll replant the annuals, and prune the perennials, and weed and all other aspects of care on their own, so they are absolutely gardening.
So really this whole conversation is about our personal preferences, not whether one or the other is right or wrong.
Gr8tfuldad
Chumono
We think we are growing trees, they are really growing us…
D
Deleted member 32750
Guest
This is what bonsai is all about. The top trees in Japan have been in many collections over many years and worked on by many different professionals.
I think we in the US need to get rid of these narrow minded and here and now, instant gratification mindsets and start to think for the future and the next generation.
D
Deleted member 32750
Guest
Ive heard this many times - that a tree that he worked on won a kokufu prize. I think that’s incredible. Do you know what the tree is/have a picture of it?
amcoffeegirl
Masterpiece
That is very cool. I would love to try pottery.
amcoffeegirl
Masterpiece
I would absolutely let a master work on my trees. If I respect their work and trust them then yes I would do it. I’m certain that I would learn many things by watching this process.
Deep Sea Diver
Imperial Masterpiece
My prospective, and that of my better half is that we want to continuously learn and improve our skills and abilities. Since we both volunteer weekly at the local PB Museum, the best way to add to these experiences is to go to workshops and classes by those that know better, much better then either of us…. and get our hands on trees.
Recently we had two professionals work on four trees with us.
The first two trees had been neglected for over three years, the owner passed away and his wife took care of watering… that’s it. Then donated the tree and I picked them up. Both had gnarly trunks and needed a really ancient styling. Dan Robinson helped on these, a JWP and a JRP. He outlined a style, helped initially, then checked in to help or give tips.
The other two trees were rescued from ill health and grown out for four years. These also had nice trunks and lots of branches and foliage. Each had been previously only perimeter shaped and never styled seriously… at least for twenty years. Both needed a reset in style. Todd Schlafer helped create a wild styling on these trees, a JWP and a Mugo. Here is the JWP afterwards
Both pros asked for our thoughts and talked us through the decision making process. We did most of the wiring. Todd showed me how to set up one rebar for a bend both on the top of the tree and on the bottom using the same bar, something I hadn’t done before. He stayed late with us until each of us were at a good stopping point.
What do I think. With out a doubt… worth every penny and the trees look great and are in great shape!
We have a number of trees left to rework at least four will be going to pro workshops in the next two years,
That’s my experience and thoughts
Cheers
DSD sends
Recently we had two professionals work on four trees with us.
The first two trees had been neglected for over three years, the owner passed away and his wife took care of watering… that’s it. Then donated the tree and I picked them up. Both had gnarly trunks and needed a really ancient styling. Dan Robinson helped on these, a JWP and a JRP. He outlined a style, helped initially, then checked in to help or give tips.
The other two trees were rescued from ill health and grown out for four years. These also had nice trunks and lots of branches and foliage. Each had been previously only perimeter shaped and never styled seriously… at least for twenty years. Both needed a reset in style. Todd Schlafer helped create a wild styling on these trees, a JWP and a Mugo. Here is the JWP afterwards
Both pros asked for our thoughts and talked us through the decision making process. We did most of the wiring. Todd showed me how to set up one rebar for a bend both on the top of the tree and on the bottom using the same bar, something I hadn’t done before. He stayed late with us until each of us were at a good stopping point.
What do I think. With out a doubt… worth every penny and the trees look great and are in great shape!
We have a number of trees left to rework at least four will be going to pro workshops in the next two years,
That’s my experience and thoughts
Cheers
DSD sends
I do not. I know it was a Japanese White Pine. It was owned by a customer of his Master, Shinji Suzuki. Tyler was asked by Shinji to style the tree, and it ended up winning the Kokofu Prize.
Tyler also entered a competition they had for all the apprentices in Japan. He won that as well.
The dude is good!
WNC Bonsai
Masterpiece
If you go to a BYOT workshop where a professional gives you guidance that’s fine but to have one style your tree and call it yours is aboout as right as having an artist paint a picture for you and call it your own. I know some professionals make a living off styling and caring for other peoples trees which they then enter in shows and I don’t consider that right either unless it is acknowledged with a “styled and grown by“ placard.
Deep Sea Diver
Imperial Masterpiece
Hmm…. There are all kinds of bonsai hobbyists out there.
….IMHO all are welcome to the party.
Cheers
DSD sends
….IMHO all are welcome to the party.
Cheers
DSD sends
And yet "having an artist paint a picture for you and call it your own" is exactly what many of the old masters routinely did. It's still a common practice for the big names in the art world to essentially have an atelier model where they come up with the overall composition and carefully supervise the work but have many apprentices doing a significant portion of the actual painting. The painting may be signed by da Vinci, but that doesn't mean that every brushstroke on it was his.
Your statement is also very much counter to how bonsai is practiced in Japan. Trees typically pass through a lot of hands before they end up at Kokufu or other top tier shows. There's quite a lot of specialization in the bonsai industry. One guy has fields and fields of trees being grown in the ground to develop trunks and exposed roots. Another guy is great at setting up the basic branch structure on trees. Some other guy is the guru of deadwood. There are also some folks who pretty much exclusively do satsuki or do pines or whatever.
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