Bonsai Tree

Artist: William N. Valavanis
Loose Flowering Hornbeam (Carpinus laxiflora).
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Artist: Walter Pall
European Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)
Height: 70 cm, 27.56 inches
Pot: Derek Aspinall .
bonsai-bonsai-tree.blogspot

Artist: John Quinn
American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana)
Height: 18 inches, 45.72 cm
Pot: Sara Rayner
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This gallery is a continuation of our series of species specific galleries designed with the intention of creating a resource of inspiration as well as a source of enjoyment for all. It is our hope that those who favor the particular species featured and those who seek inspiration for designing bonsai of this species will find these galleries valuable and educational.

We have compiled the photographs in these galleries from submitted photographs, various sources such as contest entries and galleries here at AoB. This gallery, like all of our galleries, is meant to be dynamic and to grow as more trees are submitted. Please send any trees you feel would add to this gallery to will@artofbonsai.org for consideration.

Special thanks to Heather Hartman for doing all the legwork for this gallery.

We hope that you find the following Hornbeam Bonsai photographs as inspiring and enjoyable as we do.

Driftwood Juniper

Lindsay has been practicing bonsai since 1970, and for 30 years owned and operated, with wife Glenis, a 7-day a week bonsai nursery in Brisbane, which was Australia’s only Retail Accredited Bonsai Nursery. He is an international demonstrator, workshop tutor, lecturer and judge. He was a Headliner and workshop tutor at the World Bonsai Convention in Washington DC; a Headliner and a Judge at the BCI International convention in Chencun China; Headliner at conventions in Australia and New Zealand; lecturer at the ASPAC convention in Singapore, and is to be a Headliner at conventions in Taiwan and Puerto Rico in 2009. Lindsay has also been a Judge of many international bonsai photographic contests.

Since selling the nursery in 2007, Lindsay has been funding a programme to help train experienced bonsai practitioners to become bonsai teachers for the national Teachers Register.

Since 2001 he has been Secretary, and Director for Australia and New Zealand, of the World Bonsai Friendship Federation. Some of his previous positions include Director, 3rd Vice President and 1st Vice President of BCI from 1996 – 2001; President of Australian Associated Bonsai Clubs from 1991 – 2002, President of the Queensland Nursery Industry Association from 1996 – 1998, and Australian Representative on the ASPAC committee.

bonsai-bonsai-tree.blogspot

Lindsay has been practicing bonsai since 1970, and for 30 years owned and operated, with wife Glenis, a 7-day a week bonsai nursery in Brisbane, which was Australia’s only Retail Accredited Bonsai Nursery. He is an international demonstrator, workshop tutor, lecturer and judge. He was a Headliner and workshop tutor at the World Bonsai Convention in Washington DC; a Headliner and a Judge at the BCI International convention in Chencun China; Headliner at conventions in Australia and New Zealand; lecturer at the ASPAC convention in Singapore, and is to be a Headliner at conventions in Taiwan and Puerto Rico in 2009. Lindsay has also been a Judge of many international bonsai photographic contests.

Since selling the nursery in 2007, Lindsay has been funding a programme to help train experienced bonsai practitioners to become bonsai teachers for the national Teachers Register.

Since 2001 he has been Secretary, and Director for Australia and New Zealand, of the World Bonsai Friendship Federation. Some of his previous positions include Director, 3rd Vice President and 1st Vice President of BCI from 1996 – 2001; President of Australian Associated Bonsai Clubs from 1991 – 2002, President of the Queensland Nursery Industry Association from 1996 – 1998, and Australian Representative on the ASPAC committee.

bonsai-bonsai-tree.blogspot

bonsai-bonsai-tree

Lately, largely due to styling contests on many internet bonsai forums, there has been a backlash against the practice of trying to create a presentable bonsai from raw stock in a single styling. It is a practice many have labeled "Instant Bonsai."

4th Place - bonsaiTalk's 2005 Fall Styling Contest. Bonsai by Desdemona. Photograph by Christopher "Pootsie" Conomy.

In the following article I will present my ideas and thoughts on why this practice is not necessarily bad and, in fact, why it should be encouraged as an educational tool. I will do this in a step-by-step chronological order, following closely the same steps that usually are taken in these contests. I will also point out why I feel that each and every step provides valuable education in the art of bonsai.

Stock Selection

Generally most online styling contests set a monetary limit and require the participants to purchase an un-styled, un-worked, raw piece of stock within that limit. Stock selection is an acquired skill and a necessary one in the art of bonsai. This single skill could very well spell the difference between an average entry and a winning one.

Learning to select and recognize quality stock within any price range is a valuable and difficult skill for many to learn. These contests give the participants the opportunity to go to nurseries and practice what they have learned on this subject. The participants must select from many pieces of stock and pick the one, single piece that not only falls within the set budget, but also contains all the necessary attributes for creating a presentable bonsai in one styling.

The talent required to select quality stock comes with practice; the eye necessary for this is acquired only though doing. These contests take the participants into the field and force them to see further into the stock than usual. They are no longer looking for what could be in a few years, but what can be now.

Styling

Once the stock is selected and the before pictures are posted, the participants now must style their selection into a presentable bonsai within a set period of time. Usually a month is allowed.

This styling is very close to what we see at almost every demonstration by experienced bonsaists at our clubs and shows. The raw material is styled into a presentable bonsai in what is, for all intents and purposes, one sitting.

The object here is not much different from doing the first styling on any piece of quality stock. The participants decide which branches to remove and which to leave; they reduce the height of the tree and length of the branches if needed; they wire and shape the trunk and branches; and they detail wire the smaller branches to define the foliage. They use the skills they have to create a presentable bonsai, within the time period allowed.

2nd place - bonsaiTalk's 2004 Styling Contest. Bonsai and photograph by David Chauvin.

The participant must choose the best front, based on not only the trunk and Nebari, but also upon the existing branches and foliage.

We all give our bonsai a first styling sooner or later, maybe not as intense as these contest stylings, but the concept is the same. The object is to bring out the best in the stock. This is where the skills we have learned come into play: The ability to see and present the image of a tree within the stock; the ability to wire neatly; to show the best features and to disguise the worst; and the ability to create the vision of an artistic bonsai from a rough piece of stock. This is exactly what we do as bonsaists and the ability to pull it off is one that comes only from experience... experience that is gained by many who participate in these contests.

Presentation

Once the participant has styled their entry, they need to present it in a manner to maximize not only the vision shown but also to assure survival. Although survival cannot be confirmed in these contests, a participant should have this in mind. We will discuss survival later in this article.

It is usually not required that a entry in these contest be re-potted, in fact, in most that I have been involved with, the judges are informed to ignore the container and judge solely on the bonsai. Thus an entrant must not only style the stock artistically but also find a way to present it in a manner where the container does not distract from the tree. This is done by adding ground cover such as moss on the soil and photographing the bonsai in a manner that shows only the top inch, or so, of the container.

2nd Place - bonsaiTalk's 2005 Spring Styling Contest. Bonsai and photograph by Charles Bevan

So the participant not only uses skills relevant to how to select stock and how to style it, but they also must now consider the small things that are important to any presentation in a contest, show, or demonstration. They must consider ground covering, proper placement of such, and the visual effect of the choice that they use.

The participant must also be aware of how the wiring looks to be sure that it does not stand out or distract from the design. The wiring should be as close to perfect as one can get. Guy wires must be thin and placed in such a manner as to not distract.

Photography

Once the stock is selected and styled to perfection the participant must now use another skill that must be learned; a skill that does not come easy and must be practiced in order to achieve proficiency.

1st Place - bonsaiTalk's 2004 Styling Contest. Bonsai and photograph by Carl Bergstrom

Properly setting up the bonsai in order to take a quality photo of it that will show off its best attributes takes practice. The background, lighting, angle, and focus must all be considered and experimented with in order to achieve a quality photograph that not only showcases the bonsai at its best, but which also does not distract from the subject with shadows, blurs, or out of focus shots.

The best design and most amazing styling of a bonsai can all be for nothing if one cannot properly photograph it in order to show it. Photography is rapidly becoming another skill a bonsaist must have in their tool box in order to be successful, these contests especially focus this talent and demand that the participants not only show talent in styling, but also in photography.

Peer Review

Once the stock is selected for these contests and it is styled and photographed, the participant then puts their efforts up for public display and judging.

In the internet contests I have been involved in, entries are commonly put up for review by the forum membership who rates each tree and comments on them. These peer reviews come from people of all levels of experience, from the rank beginner to the master. As such they have many advantages for the participant.

3rd Place - bonsaiTalk's 2005 Fall Styling Contest. Bonsai and picture by Rich Hardy.

The participant has the opportunity to hear comments and suggestions from a wide range of talent that may very well take away from that some very useful information and knowledge. The participant gets to see how the choices they made on styling, display, and photography are received by a wide audience.

Once the contest is over, many participants, winners or not, will post their efforts into the public forum for critique. Here they can explain how and why they made the decisions they did and explain the techniques used to accomplish their composition. At this time they have the opportunity to receive a wide range or critiques in much greater detail than was given previously.

Judging And Comparison To Like Efforts

In the contests I have been involved with, there is always a world-class artist who has agreed to judge and critique the top five or so entries. Walter Pall has volunteered many times to perform this function, for example.

The value of having such an experienced artist judge and personally critique your bonsai is truly great. For many bonsaists this opportunity may never have otherwise arisen. What is being judged is not if the plant will survive, or what species was used but instead the final image presented. The sum of all the effort put into the bonsai, which contributes to the final image, including stock selection, styling, display, and photography.

7th Place - bonsaiTalk's 2005 Fall Styling Contest. Bonsai and picture by Vance Wood.

The judge compares each finalist with the others and picks the one that stands out above the others; the one whose creator has put all the techniques and knowledge they have learned to best use. Each finalist walks away with a professional critique and, yes, with more knowledge than they had before the contest.

An added advantage to these contests is that the entrant has an opportunity to compare his decisions and efforts with many others who followed the same rules and guidelines. This is also a valuable tool for learning as the paths others take may very well be better than the ones you took.

Aftercare

Once the contest is over and the prizes have been distributed, the learning continues for all the entrants. Aftercare is a topic not often covered in the many bonsai articles and books but it is as much a part of bonsai as any other. Collecting, repotting, and styling all leave a bonsai in the need of aftercare, if the plant is to survive.

Many of these instant bonsai may very well die due to inexperience; too much foliage removal; poor re-potting or other bad choices, but they leave behind experience, knowledge, and a determination to succeed the next time. We all have killed a few trees for the sake of experience... it happens. Just because it happens in a contest does not lessen the knowledge gained.

The successful contestant will nurse his entry though and it will survive to become a better bonsai in time. Some won’t but, either way, this is also a valuable learning experience for all.

In Closing

I think that "instant bonsai", and the contests that create them, have many educational advantages that greatly outweigh any disadvantages they may present. As you can see from the examples I have posted above, "instant bonsai" do not have to yield poor results; they do not have to die; they can in fact be a fantastic tool for teaching and learning.

In a short period of time a person can experience and use first hand the techniques needed to select stock, style, present and photograph a bonsai. They also experience first hand the reviews of their peers and being judged and critiqued by a master.

Certainly, the creation of an "instant bonsai" under these circumstances is an excellent

By Attila Soos, USA

I believe that for anyone who is seriously engaged in arts, understanding the various aspects of art theory and its evolution has important benefits. One of them is recognizing the interdependence of arts at a deeper level.

One of the oldest theories having significant influence over the arts in the Middle Ages and early modern period is the ancient rhetorical theory. This theory, from its inception to the present days, immensely affected the European civilization. It had a direct influence on literature and poetry, but since poetry was constantly associated with painting, rhetorical theory became the point of reference for the entire vocabulary of stylistics describing the visual arts.

Inevitably, the question arising here will be: what do Aristotle, Plato, and other famous orators have to do with bonsai? Aren’t we pushing the parallels between totally unrelated things into the ridiculous?

I say no. As Joseph Campbell said about legends and myths, the deeper our knowledge, the more we realize that they all go back to the same source, the same themes repeating themselves in various forms.

I was surprised to discover that rhetorical theory and bonsai has a lot to do with each other for the simple fact that they both belong to the arts. In the following paragraphs I will present some of the principles of rhetoric and apply them to the art of bonsai. Lets see how far we can go.

General Ideas

The most important principle of rhetorical theory is called decorum. It is the law governing the relationships between the form, content, and audience. In order for a work of art to successfully communicate with the audience, all three elements are equally important. This principle requires a deep understanding of expressive possibilities and acute sensitivity to social circumstances.

In bonsai the artist should be careful to select a material suitable for the picture he has in mind (or conversely, the subject he is creating should be appropriate to the material that is used), also keeping in mind the tastes of the audience he wants to communicate with. He may not care about the audience, and so he may be the only one enjoying the work at the end.

A work of art should be held together by stylistic unity and internal consistency. Observing carefully the concept of decorum achieves just that.

This tree projects an image corresponding to the forceful style in rhetoric. Many of us find it very impressive. Others would find the deadwood excessive and somewhat overwhelming.
Photo by Boon Manakitivipart

There are countless tools that the artists use today, deriving from rhetorical theory. One of them is the metaphor. This is when we substitute one thing for another in order to increase the power of suggestion. Another one is synecdoche, using a small part to represent the whole.

Bonsai is all about metaphors. Leafs can represent foliage pads. Moss represents grass. Gravel can represent water, and there are so many more. Synecdoche is also used a lot, a few lonely twigs in the distance representing a whole forest, for instance.

Plato, in the Phaedrus expressed his belief that the principle inspiring any work of art is the love of ideal beauty. Every discourse should be like a living thing, with body, head and feet of his own. All its parts should meld into an organic unity, creating an artistic composition. Incidentally, it is interesting to note what Plato said about art critics: a critic in order to have any worth, should be a foremost expert of the particular art form. He should study good and bad examples. Recognizing bad examples is just as important as recognizing good ones.

Here is an advice from Socrates on the skills of good artists: one can only master tragedy if one is a master of comedy as well. Tragedy and comedy go hand in hand.
This concept is a very important one, and points to the simultaneous existence of opposing forces. It is the secret of balance and unity in any work of art. Applying to bonsai, we need to learn to recognize and create the opposing characters in a tree: masculine and feminine; young and old; graceful and clumsy; tension and relaxed; merry and solemn; friendly and hostile. Only by recognizing the traits of youth and innocence, can we successfully create the impression of great age and wisdom.

Aristotle wrote the first complete treatise on rhetoric. Here are a few of his ideas on the art of rhetoric.

The best speeches are not always truthful. They should rather take into account human psychology and try to hit the "right chords" in the listener’s mind. In bonsai, the most successful tree is not always the one copying nature. It is much more important that the image presented by the tree seems plausible than that it is true. It is not about how the tree should look. It’s about what we believe that it should look like. You will be much more successful in communicating with your audience by telling them a lie that confirms their expectation than by telling them a truth that is against their expectations.

In his Rhetoric III, Aristotle says that Clearness and Fitness are primary requirements for creating good art. Clearness refers to the message: a plain, unambiguous message. A work that doesn’t deliver a plain message will not be effective. Trying to deliver too much will distract and lessen the impact. Fitness is about style: it has to support the content. Choosing an inappropriate style will ruin a brilliant idea.

Aristotle’s successor, Theophrastus said about delivering a speech:

"Not all possible points should be punctiliously and tediously elaborated by a speaker, but some should be left to the comprehension and inference of the hearer who, when he perceives what you have left unsaid, becomes not only your hearer but your witness, and a friendly witness too. For he thinks himself intelligent because you have afforded him the means of showing his intelligence. It seems like slur on your hearer to tell him everything as though he were a simpleton."

The implications of the above on bonsai are self-explanatory. In fact this is one of the cardinal concepts in the Zen philosophy of arts, so influential on bonsai. I also happen to find the above an essential element of any art. The ingredient that elevates it above kitsch.

Kitsch, or kitschy art leaves nothing to imagination. It may express the view of its creator, it may communicate an idea to the viewer, but it is forced upon you without inviting you to be an active participant in its world. What’s left unsaid is the key here.

Style and Rhetoric

It was widely believed that the orator should master various styles when addressing an audience.

Demetrius describes a plain style, an elegant style, an elevated style, and a forceful or awe-inspiring style. In his essays, the highest virtue is awarded to the plain style (Aristotle had also favored this style), due to its being the most accommodating to the cardinal virtue of clearness.

The graceful nature of japanese maple lends itself to an image corresponding to the elegant style in rhetoric.
Photo by Boon Manakitivipart

Looking at the above styles, it is worth mentioning that in bonsai, the traditional styles refer to the outer shape of the tree rather then the inner qualities. The above styles refer to those inner qualities. Demetrius condemns all forms of affectation, the overuse of artistic arsenal, which leads to a sense of fakeness rather than honest imagination. He includes within the elegant style whatever is graceful, charming and playful. In praise of the plain style, he believes that the more simple the setting, the deeper the audience will be touched by the poetry.

Theophrastus also warns of the pitfalls of the elevated (read Formal) style. This style can degenerate into frigid when making it too formal or pompous. This happens quite often when we over-manicure our bonsai, taking away its soul.

Here is Aristotle’s take on style:

"A writer must disguise his art and give the impression of speaking naturally and not artificially. Naturalness is persuasive, artificiality is the contrary; for our hearers are prejudiced and think we have some design against them as if we were mixing their wines for them."

Horace, in Ars Poetica, places a great emphasis on the knowledge of various styles in poetry, the moods they represent, and the artistic tools applied in their creation.

"If you cannot distinguish these various kinds of work
You should not expect to be taken up as a poet;
If you don’t find out, you will always be a fool."

And one very important thing: "The subject must choose the style; you are not important."

As mentioned above, in bonsai, this talk about style should not be taken literally as the "bonsai styles" we traditionally talk about. It is rather about the recognition of internal qualities, of masculine and feminine elements, and how the mixing of these elements affects the overall mood. We can talk about qualities such as massive, stately, towering, drooping, sad, playful, lonely, rugged, elegant, or so many others.

The pine above is a very formal one. It would be seen as made in the elevated style by the orators.
Photo by Boon Manakitivipart

The Rules of Rhetoric and the Ars Poetica

There is a lot of literature concerning the rules of rhetoric. In ancient rhetorical theory, the consensus is that departure from the rules can be extremely effective in some cases. The artist needs to be aware that art depends on rules in essential ways, but the system of rules has to be open-ended enough to allow for departures. The vitality and sophistication of any art theory depends on being sensitive to the need for this flexibility.

One of the literary gems of the antiquity is the Ars Poetica, written by Horace. This poem is the most important channel through which the ancient rhetorical theory exerted its influence over the visual arts of today. It contains the poet’s advice to those who wish to practice the art of poetry. However, the points the author makes are not entirely original; they come from the rhetorical tradition. To the pedantic observer, these points can be interpreted as rules. They can also be looked at as sage advice from a simultaneously critical and creative mind.

Here are some highlights of this work, easily applicable to bonsai.

A literary work should have harmony and unity. In spite of the artistic freedom of the creative mind, it should follow the rules of nature.

"There are rules to be observed...
The serious work must more than hang together...
Painters and poets are equal, and equally free to use their invention...
That doesn’t mean that I tolerate any stupidity."

Poets have the freedom to depart from nature and dare to create whatever they desire. But they should never cross the line where their creations seem improbable or impossible. I believe that the same principle applies to bonsai. Naturalness, or artlessness is the highest achievement a bonsai artist can accomplish.

Coherence and a clear story line is another rule to be observed.

"It’s nice sometimes to stick to objective matter...
Whatever you do, no harm in a little coherence."

Superfluous decorations and beautiful things put for their own sake do nothing but distract. How many times we saw our trees loaded with "bonsai techniques" applied for their own sake, having nothing to do with the image our tree was meant to suggest? Viewers may respond to a neatly trimmed foliage pad or an exquisitely carved deadwood. But lets not fool ourselves that they responded to the art we’ve created. Just because something is catchy, that doesn’t make it art. Mediocre art? Maybe.

Natural and clear. These are the most important virtues of a master orator. This tree seems to have those attributes and could be classified as plain style.

Trying too hard to get it right is a shallow endeavor that doesn’t lead to much good. By doing that, many will never get further than just scratching the surface.

"Aim to impress, the effect is merely inflated...
It is artful enough but nothing to do with art.
You can get into trouble by trying to get it right"

As many of our great bonsai masters said before, being artsy doesn’t make art. It takes a much deeper understanding of the process. This is very discouraging to many of us, aspiring for art. But it is also very realistic.

It happens quite often that the artist pays great attention to the details, being rather unskilled at putting together the complete picture. Keeping the whole work in mind is what art is about.

"It is not unknown to find an artist in colour
With only the vaguest idea of handling shapes,
So quite unable to put a work together."

When we create a bonsai, concerning ourselves about the branch placement and wiring first, without having any idea about the final image of the tree, we are doing just that. Doing it a hundred times will lead to good craftsmanship, but hardly any art. Isn’t it what we are doing most of the time?

The essential direction for any writer is to find the right subject.

"If the choice of subject is right,
The words will come of themselves in a lucid order."

Every bonsai material lends itself to certain subjects and unsuitable for others. To recognize the right subject is an essential skill. Not to waste one’s time with sub-standard material is part of it.

Horace also discusses the nature of beautiful. Smooth, polished beauty without flaws is not enough.

"It is not enough for a poem to be beautiful:
It must have something to get at the reader’s mind...
If you want tears from me
You had better suffer yourself, then your character might."

This takes us to the realm of beauty in bonsai. Is it necessary? Or is it character wherein lies the real beauty? I will not try to answer this question here. It would be too much to handle in this little paragraph.

When talking about traditional themes versus originality, Horace sees a lot of virtue handling the traditional themes. One of them is that these original themes deal with the universal human condition. It also removes any bogus claims to originality. The novelty is in the handling of the theme. The art of bonsai has many traditional themes. We don’t always need to reinvent them, just look at them with fresh eyes and open heart.

When talking about developing characters, Horatio says:

"Put weight on the characteristics related to age"

Where can this thought be more relevant than in bonsai? Age is one of the central themes in our art.

Every great work of art has its faults, says Horace. And trying to make it perfect will eventually kill it.

"Where there are many beauties in a poem
I can forgive a few faults from a careless hand; The writer is also human."

Imperfect beauty is what we seek in our bonsai. Imperfection makes it so much more charming.

Here is a piece of advice that will offend some: If you don’t practice the art at a high level, don’t do it at all. There is nothing easier than live without bad art: it’s one thing in life that we really don’t need. There is a need for second-rate lawyers; they can do the odd job. But mediocre poets look really bad.

"So, nothing is easier than doing without a poem
Unless it is positively going to give delight.
If you can’t play games to a respectable standard
You had better avoid public exhibition;"

What about avoiding public exhibition of bad bonsai? I am all for it.

And this leads me to the conclusion of this article: who would have thought that these men from ancient Greece and Rome, wearing tunics and sandals can teach us about how to improve our bonsai artistry? But it seems to me that we can learn from them a thing or two. At the end, art is art, whether is practiced in Japan or in ancient Greece.

bonsai-bonsai-tree

Bonsai and Photograph by Budi Sulistyo
Illustration by Will Heath

"I remember one day when Juan Gris told me about a bunch of grapes he had seen in a painting by Picasso. The next day these grapes appeared in a painting by Gris, this time in a bowl; and the day after, the bowl appeared in a painting by Picasso." - Jacques Lipchitz

The debate about imitation in art has been waged since the first artist saw the work of the second artist. As history shows, even some of the greatest artists of the world could not agree on whether imitation was an advantage or disadvantage to the artist.

Today this debate often arises in relation to the art of bonsai, where works that follow the traditional guidelines of styling are negatively referred to as "cookie cutter bonsai" and are often criticized for a lack of originality. Paradoxically, those bonsai which the artist has taken away from the traditional guidelines and are truly unique are criticized for not following the "rules." The artist is caught in a catch 22 in which he can neither imitate nor be original without harsh criticism from his peers.

Imitation has to be one of the most widely misunderstood terms in art theory, as well as one of the most looked down upon techniques in art itself. Such focus is put on originality today that the slightest hint of imitation is quickly chastised. Strangely, it was not always this way, in fact, it wasn't until after the Romanticism Movement wrongly compared imitation to copying that imitation became looked down upon and described as a "vehicle of unoriginality" by many.

In art theory, imitation means not only the copying of nature but also of the best masterpieces, imitation isn't defined or meant to be defined as copying art stroke per stroke, or in our case, branch by branch, but instead as a way to converse with and learn from what was the best of the past, an interpretation that was already well received in the tradition loving and conservative East when the art of bonsai was refined.

In the East an artist's greatness was often based on his ability to recreate existing forms of art. To this day we can see this mind set present in the bonsai being produced, with few exceptions, the typical helmet shaped foliage of conifers of the Japanese bonsai and the "S" shaped trunks of the Chinese exports are prevalent.

This outlook on imitation was followed in the West also up until about the time of the Renaissance and there it turned from a successful tool for the education of the artist to a rote copying form that led to its dislike, thanks to the practice being institutionalized by the academies.

The history of these practices is what shapes our perceptions of imitation today. There is little wonder that the majority of people look down upon imitation and considers it as mere copying and void of originality. Yet, there is a great deal to be learned from the masters of the past as well as the living masters of the day.

So how do we relate all this to the art of bonsai? Can we learn from the lessons of those who went before us?

"Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing." - Salvador Dali

In many ways we are doomed to imitating for we must imitate nature to some degree or the bonsai stops being an idealized vision of a tree and becomes something else, like topiary. We don't copy nature in the strictest sense; instead we practice emulation of the best of nature. But beyond this, is it acceptable, is it educational, is it allowable to copy the works of those greater than ourselves in order to learn the techniques, to reproduce the results, to build a solid foundation that we can build on with our own originality?

The prejudice against imitation is so strong that many beginners to the art hurt themselves by refusing to copy what has come before and insist that originality is the key to success for them, regardless of the fact that, more often then not, their attempts fail artistically. These same beginners often also ignore the traditional guidelines, stating that rules were made to be broken and they blindly continue producing bonsai that are neither based on past art, traditional guidelines, nor solid artistic principles. It is little wonder that these same individuals proclaim bonsai as a craft and not as an art form.

"It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation." - Herman Melville

The few artists who do produce original work that differs from the norm and which show creativity and originality are often criticized for straying from the traditional guidelines. A few rare examples of highly original bonsai styling can be found in the work of Walter Pall with his naturalistic style, Nick Lenz with his strangely intelligent and somewhat gothic work, Lisa Tajima with her pop bonsai that defies convention, Masahiko Kimura with his amazing deadwood, the Punk Bonsai movement practiced by the likes of Ulf of Berlin, and even the Crash Bonsai of John Rooney.

Some of the above examples are very successful artistically, others border on Kitsch, which is which varies depending upon the viewer and the reining public opinion of the day.

On the other hand, those who do use imitation to learn are often chastised for producing cookie cutter bonsai and for lacking originality. It would seem that there is nowhere for the aspiring artist to turn.

It is my opinion that an aspiring bonsai artist must have a solid foundation to build on and that this foundation can only be gained by studying and imitating the techniques of past and existing masters. Only after this foundation is built should a artist build upon it with their own originality.

We should encourage those who break from tradition and create original bonsai based on traditional techniques that work artistically We should also encourage those who imitate the work of masters both past and present. It is both methods that will raise the level of talent and art in bonsai and I feel that without either, bonsai will never reach the level that is needed to raise it to a recognized and respected art form.

"In relation to art, it is used to describe a movement, artist, or group of artists which produces work which is considered to be breaking away from tradition and which steers art in a new direction." - http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/art/overview.php

Bonsai is changing. Bonsai is evolving. Bonsai is undergoing a transformation unlike anything that has been seen since the Japanese refined what they learned from the Chinese and forged the foundations of the art.

This transformation can be directly attributed to a handful of people. Those who have broken away from tradition and steered the art in a new direction, through their design of bonsai, and their promotion, sponsorship, writing, and showcasing of such work. These few individuals are the Avant-garde of the art of bonsai.

It is no surprise to those in the know that these individuals are quickly lifting the bonsai into the realm of fine art. However, these Avant-garde of the bonsai world often face ridicule, prejudice, and outright dismissal by the so-called retardataire, the French term for latecomer or for those bringing up the rear.

Being Avant-garde also may not be a commercially viable alternative, compared to the more traditional options. Prior to the 19th century, artists who worked on commission had to be very careful to respect and conform to the pre-set expectations of their patrons. At the very most, they had to sneak their innovations or new ideas past the patrons while appearing to be predictable, comfortable, non-startling and non-threatening - otherwise their livelihood could be at risk. Nonetheless, this conversative set of incentives did not entirely stifle initiative or innovation, as the works of that period plainly show.

In the world of bonsai, when someone produces art that is outside of the normally accepted and largely expected traditional styles, they are often faced with spending a rather large amount of time explaining to the masses why they did so. One example that comes to mind is the time Walter Pall spends explaining the Naturalistic style.

The people who pay demand something that they can understand and often will not consider anything radical. There are as always, a few notable exceptions but they are rare in this day and age.

This practice forces those who dare to go outside of the socially accepted norms to either give up any commercial interests and retreat into the privacy of their own gardens, to compromise and tone down their art in order for it to be more popular, or to spend a great deal of effort justifying their work. Either option muzzles the artist, stifles the advancement of the art form, and sends a loud and clear message to other practitioners that stepping outside of the accepted norms will have consequences.

The mixture of alienated advanced artists, viewers, patrons, and consumers who feel that they are outside of the current norms, and the retardataire who either cannot understand or refuse to understand the importance of innovation and invention bear a certain resemblence to the circumstances behind the Romanticism Movement. In fact, it is often said that the Avant-garde is a spin off of this movement.

The 19th century Europeans were heavily influenced by the romantic idea of "struggling artists" who were judged to be such if they seemed to be against current trends, felt unappreciated, or produced work that they felt was not understood by the public. It seems the Europeans developed the "struggling artists" concept in order to explain away inappropriate innovation (anything outside of the accepted norms) and to justify such perceived radicalism in the arts.

bonsai-bonsai-tree

Normally I put many of my trees into the greenhouse in late October. Afterwards they set there and I started to work on them one by one Christmas and new Year. the work was finished by end of February (around 200 trees!) and then I started to work outside, beginning with larches.
This winter it is very different. after the warmest November we had the warmest December. Well, as we know from the American President there is no climate change. But it sure is changing the way I work. By now I am more through in the already.
And it is so warm outside and there is no snow, so I may as well take some winter pictures.

Here my big trident maple after I took off all leaves, edited the branches and attached some guy wires. The back side is not so bad either.

bonsai-bonsai-tree

1) Japanese maple, 35 cm, better picture
2) Azalea, 30 cm
3) wild honeysuckle, Lonicera xylostemum- what, you say that this looks like a bush??
Well, it is designed to look like a bush, yes.

Now this is most interesting. The background has an enormous effect. I love this!
What did we do in the old days when the October weather outside was so depressing?

European beech and one Japanese, almost unbelievable!
European hawthorn, Crataegus monogyna,55 cm, collected in Egland, training pot
4 larches
Garden lilac,Syringa vulgaris, 18 cm (!!), shohin, pot Axel Brockmann
Japanese maple, 50 cm, from imported raw material, pot Peter Krebs

Besides still making fall photos this is is the time of the year when there is not much to do in the garden. Now is the time to contemplate changes of some trees. This trident maple found it's way into my garden this past summer. I did not have too much time to study it without foliage. Now I have decided to make the crown quite larger, making the bonsai look like a real maple.

1) as of now
2) these are the dimensions of the future crown. The pot will be too small
3) with a bigger pot it looks fine. Decision made!

This photgraph was taken in light rain. You can see the wet trunk. But I don't know whether this was not my last chance this year. All it takes is a lot of rain and wind and the foliage is gone.

A bonsai is a small-scale representation of a mature tree in nature that suggests a particular scene or mood. The essential difference between bonsai and other potted plants is that while most potted plants are appreciated solely for their own features (flowers, foliage, etc.), bonsai are appreciated for their ability to suggest an image other than themselves. A useful analogy might be to think of a painting, which is appreciated not for the paint per se, but for the image the paint creates. Like a painting, a bonsai is not a literally accurate image, but a suggestion that is somewhat abstracted and idealized according to the intent and taste of the artist. A bonsai artist manipulates the tree by pruning, bending, and tying. The goal is not to create an exact replica of a large tree, but to create a simplified, abstract form that suggests a scene and elicits an emotional response.

Many people already know that the art of bonsai can be an exercise in meditation. When you’re “in the zone” and trying to envision the most natural, harmonious composition for your beloved little tree, you’re in a different state of mind: one that is open and flowing. Through the “soundless poetry” of bonsai or penjing, we are able to express themes of universal beauty and timeless truth.

I just discovered Karin Albert, a Chinese bonsai (penjing) specialist who studied and researched penjing during a five-year stay in China in the 1980s. She has a really great (but old) website at http://www.venuscomm.com/. On her website, I was reading more about the spiritual aspects of Chinese bonsai.

Karin Albert says that in order to understand bonsai and penjing, you have to look at it with two things in mind: the two main Chinese traditions of Taoism and Zen Buddhism. Each philosophy contributes very important ideas to the whole practice of creating little trees and landscapes.

For example, Taoism emphasizes nature and creativity, and teaches us to forget about thinking “inside the box.” It’s important to understand that as long as you “edit” yourself and keep comparing yourself with established rules and conventions, you will not be free to be as creative as possible. Once you are able to liberate yourself, you can unleash your mind so that it is naturally able to create amazing art with your miniature trees or landscapes.

On the other hand, Zen Buddhism (remember, Buddhism originally came from India; Zen Buddhism came into existence once Chinese Taoists interpreted the sutras) emphasizes meditation as the best way to help the mind to become enlightened, able to flow without any blockage. Zen Buddhists believe that enlightenment is everywhere.

I think that we can find enlightenment even (especially!) when we experience “sudden awakenings” while styling our bonsai trees. What do you think?

Are you seeking for something more audacious in the art of bonsai plant gardening? If ever so, you need not attach with the more conventional deciduous, coniferous, or sporadic fruit trees as the just items in your collected works. Your preferences could vary to the more out of the ordinary varieties which would help develop your skills.

If ever you love aromatic flowers, a brilliant alternative is Orange Jasmine which creates a brilliant red fruit and aromatic white blooms, carrying both pleasure to the nose and attractiveness to the eye. Beginning in early spring and enduring throughout mid-autumn, feed Orange Jasmine each 3-4 weeks. Apart from the hotter summer seasons when vaguely more water is required, just light watering is enough. Orange Jasmine is among the minority of bonsai that could be and almost certainly must be raised indoors given that it does better in sensible shade as well as filtered sun.

An instance of an exotic selection is Wisteria, a native plant from Korea, Japan, and China that could reach over 30 feet in size into the wild. Not compliant to any of the conventional bonsai manners, Wisteria could make for an appealing challenge. With both aromatic and beautiful flowers that come in a diversity of colors, for example, pink, white, blue and purple, this flower could be an outstanding choice. Wisteria blossoms in the spring at which instance they require lots of water yet with sufficient drainage. Wisterias do well in a wide variety of lighting states, from limited shade to complete sun. To uphold healthy plants, make sure to give them with plenty fertilizer just before they blossom in the spring and again in late summer before losing their leaves.

An extra out of the ordinary bonsai is the Desert Rose which could turn a regular bonsai set into an exciting full shade display. The Desert Rose is an indigenous of East Africa where it cultivates to 10 ft tall and produces pink, large, trumpet-bowl flowers. Needing lots of fresh air and sufficient sunshine, the Desert Rose must be set aside outside most of the time. Though, their very shaggy habit makes them a very well set off to the more conventional bonsai set in your collected works.

With beautiful puffy flowers as well as lacy plants, the Mimosa tree presents one more good option. They are as aromatic as either of the over choices and because of their long soft fibers they are occasionally named as a silk tree. Moderate water must be offered to the Mimosa throughout the blooming period (April-July). Though, care must be given to shun getting water on flowers, as the flowers would quickly weaken when wet, much like numerous other flowering plants.

These stunning and aromatic flowering plants would confront your bonsai gardening abilities, increasing your horizons. They would give an ever-changing exhibit as they go throughout the seasons, blossoming in the spring and trailing their leaves during fall, adding importance to your collected works as well as when spaced among the more conventional evergreens, like pines, junipers, and firs, they put in a nice disparity.

Bonsai trees or bonsai plants are not at all times simple to watch out. These plants and trees need extraordinary handling in contrast to some other domestic plants. Every special species of bonsai plant or tree would need special care. Bonsai trees would be reliant on you for the vitamins and nutrients that it needs. Certainly, a few of the nutrients it needs would come from the light of the sun, yet it is not all that the plant needs. Majorities of the wild trees could acquire what they necessitate from the surroundings, yet bonsai trees are limited to a pot and would be depending on what you provide. You would have to make certain that your plant is appropriately watered as well as fertilized.

Fertilizers are a big resource of food for the majorities of plants. The most ordinary fertilizers would have potassium, nitrogen, and phosphates. On the other hand, bonsai plants and trees need iron and, strangely enough, vitamins too. Bonsai plants and trees would require B-complex vitamins. If you could not come across the complex vitamins that you require for your bonsai plant and tree in ordinary fertilizers, a few individuals try beer. You could make use of a watery beer and water blend that evidently assists your bonsai acquire the complex vitamins that it is in necessitate of. You could also increment your plant by means of these vitamins by scattering the leaves. Certainly, once you spray the leaves, and the room temperature must be approximately 85 degrees Fahrenheit. If ever you spray the leaves on top of this temperature, the stomas of the leaves would close up and the tree would discontinue breathing. When the tree has discontinued breathing, there would be no swap over of humidity or vitamins. Spraying the leaves of the plants in hot weather could in point of fact be detrimental to your plant.

You could as well pay money for commercially prepared vitamin medications for your bonsai similar to the ones that you might pay money for yourself. These medications would come with all the vitamins and nutrients that the bonsai plants and trees need. All you have to carry out is place these medications on each side of the stem of the tree as well as water the tree every day. The water would be basis the nutrients from the medications to seep out into the soil and turn out to be practical to the plant. The quantity of nutrients that you would need to provide to your plant on every day basis would reliant on what species it is. It might as well depend on the period of the plant as well as how long this bonsai plant or tree been in its present pot.

Bonsai plant care could often be complicated. Several gardeners who are used to increasing more conventional kinds of plants often find complexity altering to their needs. The bonsai plants, nevertheless, are not normal plants. Per se, they need extraordinary care.

As what it may seem Bonsai could be a magnificently rewarding pastime and give you with plants that put in an exceptional look. If you have a little of a imaginative streak yet no appropriate outlet, Bonsais could be a great means to get artistic as also nurturing and caring for the living thing. Caring for the bonsai plant is not that complicated, yet they do have a few particular needs and could be sensitive. Below are a few essentials care for bonsai plant:

Be conscious of the kind of bonsai you have. Not the entire bonsai trees are formed equal, and they are hardly ever alike. A few varieties of bonsai are compatible to being full-grown indoors; most diversity develops better outside the home. Quite clearly, indoor bonsai have diverse prerequisites than do outdoor kinds, and vice versa. For example, outdoor bonsai must not be maintained indoors for any long phase of time. A fine statute of thumb is to stay it inside the house for 3 days for one month. Or else, the changed heat and environment would begin to harm the plant.

Be skilled to water appropriately. As bonsai plants are usually small, it trails that they have an inadequate root system. Bonsai root systems are normally insufficient by themselves; it needs person care to assist the plant stay alive. Appropriate watering is a significant component of raising bonsai. Once more, it would help to identify the kind of plant you have. A few species of bonsai require to be watered approximately always; others could get by with least amount of moisture. If you wet too often, you dash the risk of upholding fungal growth. Conversely, dryness and dampness could rapidly destroy a plant if not checked. To water the bonsai efficiently, you would need to recognize the several distinctiveness of the plant.

Repot with extra care. Repotting bonsai when you sense like it is not a fine idea. The majority of the bonsai plants don’t delay well under demanding states - repotting integrated. Bonsai plants are typically root-pruned plus repotted annually, often throughout springtime. A few species could stay in the identical pot for two years and must watch your plant cautiously to observe if it requires repotting.

Identical to any plant, you must be careful for the bonsai plants health. Search for boring limp leaves that are turning brown or yellow. Any spotting or developments on the leaves can be a symbol of disease. Search for small mites or bugs that may fill your plant. Maintain your bonsai away from other plants that have type of influx or illness. If you consider your bonsai may have an illness, take away all the diseased leaves and get the essential steps to acquire your plant back to health.

Bonsai plant care is not at all uncomplicated. Though, it is not viable to learn. By abiding to learn more on your plants and taking the instance to sharpen your skills, you could look frontward to having your extremely own good-looking bonsai trees.

the Chicago Botanic Garden unveiled a priceless gift to its bonsai collection. Mr. Susumu Nakamura, internationally renowned bonsai master, donated 19 of the most prized specimens from his personal collection to the Garden.

With the acquisition of these miniature masterpieces, including some international award-winning plants, the Garden’s collection of 185 bonsai becomes one of the best public collections of bonsai in the world.

It has outstanding examples of evergreen, deciduous, tropical, flowering, and fruiting trees.

The Garden's bonsai collection is on rotating display in the East and West Courtyards of the Regenstein Center from May to October.