AusBonsai

As a bonsai enthusiast I conversely think of myself as an artist. It was recently put to me that wire wound in the shape of a bonsai was considered as art but the people that be had trouble accepting that bonsai is an art Although I think I have the soul of an artist I have never been one that has learnt to draw sing or anything else connected with an artist. There may be actual reasons for this or it may be that I just never practiced. The ladies at pottery insist I should not say I can not draw, only that I have never learnt to draw.
I find these insinuations fascinating. The human brain is an amazing item that can be messed with. The weak minded are manipulated very easily and the strong minded must keep a vigulant watch. You will often see the many lead by the few. For a race as smart as we are god dam we are a bunch of dumb asses
What I do know is that Bonsai gives me a great feeling of accomplishment in the arts that I have never been able to fulfil an any other way. I met a great lady from the AABC and it took her a mater of seconds to put me in that category of problem solver. I found it as a great compliment that she could work out my attributes so quickly. I have no concept of creating art from nothing so this is why I think bonsai suits me so well. Give me a piece of art and I will pick it apart and tell you what needs to be done to fix it. But i feel I would be inept in creating art from scratch.
I believe this comes from my mathematical ability and also my metalwork back ground that can see something out of square at a hundred paces. Bonsai art has alot to do with directing the eye. Most trees have a story to tell you just have to make sure the chapters are in sequence.

Brett, you sure have some thought provoking posts. If I ever make it down that way, I would love to have a chat over a beer.

I agree with the pottery ladies, you can learn anything if you put our mind to it. I started college as a music major, but it took lots of practice. Same with drawing or any other form of art, which bonsai definitely is. Funny that just the other day I was looking at your pottery thinking too bad I can't do that. But I'm sure I could if I put in the work at it, now is just not the time in my life for that.

I think one of the biggest misconceptions people have about art is the idea of talent. Nobody is born with it. Sure, sometimes things will come easier to one person than another, but talent is really just WORK. You said it regarding your metalwork - I bet you couldn't see things out of square when you first started. But now it just happens without even thinking about it. Nobodies first bonsai was perfect, and I would bet a dollar that when they started, DaVinci couldn't paint and Beethoven couldn't play the piano. But we keep at it and things get better. We just have to have the passion to keep going, even if the art we are creating right now isn't the best, and ignore those who tell you that you can't.

Finally, I would say that bonsai is creating art from scratch. An untrained nursery tree is like a blank canvas, you can turn it into just about whatever you want (including compost, which I have done more than once ).

Hi ya Brett yes it is one helluva thought provoking topic, and one I hope does not get bent out of shape like our trees.

Maths and Bonsai are intransigently linked( maybe thats why mine are so flawed) my maths are terrible, all though my apprenticeship, I only just made it with maths, but the practical exercises were different, flying colours were the order then. That is what got me though.
I can still see that is not quite square still.

The Drawing part of the learning curve with Bonsai is important, and the better at it you are the better your trees agreed. However the fundamental stick drawing does at times suffice, as you get better they become more recognisable as drawings.

I do however I remember an American Author, by the name of Herb Gustaffson, highly spoken of in some circles.

He said in one of his books that if you cannot draw you cannot create Bonsai. So I stopped reading his book.
He also said in one of his books, that was loaned to me because I was giving a talk on Miniatures. Again when I saw a small Pine with the first two branches of the tree as a front on as bar branches.
I stopped reading, it was also pointed out that you should not be obsessed with the age of the tree, yet he told the age of every one. He had in the book.

What I am saying here, is if some one can get a book published, it seems the author knows more, does it mean they are better artists, than those of us who do instead of talk.
I still cant draw well but I think I do pretty well in creating, my trees.
Just my Pup

I think one of the fantastic things about the Australian bonsai community is the diversity of backgrounds and professions that poeple bring to our art. Bonsai requires such a range skills, not just artistic, and in the sharing of those skills brings a common dialogue.

Ryan