after watching all the hoopla and comments after
posting to share the 'book'...the educator in me
has to say...andy, do you like what you've made?...
and if you do, then whoo hooooo...that's what counts...
if it helped you to MAKE it...then purpose served...
and it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks about it.
period.
smiles,
alicia
----- Original Message -----
From: "Andy Rutledge"
To:
Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2003 2:18 PM
Subject: [IBC] New Bonsai Design Book


----- Original Message -----
From: "Craig Cowing"
Relax, Andy. Drink less coffee. No need to be hyper in your efforts to
promote
bonsai as an art. It's a gentle art, at least the way I see it. I
really
don't
see much room for polemics.
-----------------

Sure. I guess I'm not tuned in to the hyperactivity and polemics you're
referring to.
-----------------

My use of the word "marred" is intentional. What you have in the book
about the
specifics of artistic principles applied to bonsai is fine, although I'd
add that
I'd be interested to see how you apply these principles to your own
trees,
something that most authors of books on bonsai do.
-----------------

I agree. I did use 2 of my trees in 4 of the examples. One of the trees
involves a before/after restyling that was covered in the extensive
article
from BTOJ. The principles covered there are directly related to and
supported by the elements covered in the book. Like most enthusiasts, I
use
my own trees for exercises of artistry, but like with most enthusiasts,
some
are not the kind of material that lend themselves to high artistry. ;-)

I could have used more of my trees, of course, but I opted instead for the
highest quality material in the photos. These higher quality bonsai also
show the contrast better (great material, poor composition).
-----------------

If the purpose of the book is polemical rather than simply presenting
artistic
principles, then I can see why a strident style is not a defect but a
means to an
end. I guess what it comes down to is that I see no need here for
polemics. If
someone else doesn't see bonsai as an art, that's their problem, not
mine.
For me,
I do what I can to set an example.
-----------------

Again, contrary to your assumption, the book was not an exercise at
polemics. It was meant to address elements of our endeavor that have not,
IMO, been adequately covered in bonsai texts. If it were only meant to be
argumentative I would have contrasted my points with specifics offered in
those other texts rather than merely present information and examination.
Other bonsai texts are not bad. They're different. This one is,
likewise,
different. The style of presentation was intentionally passionate, but
this
in no way makes it argumentative or an attempt at controversy. I'm sorry,
but I just don't see where you're getting this idea or where you are going
with this. Now who's being polemic? ;-)
-----------------

Clearly, it would take a tremendous effort to quantify artistic
principles
in
bonsai.
Well, there isn't any need for you or any given author to qualify the
possible
variations. That's up to bonsai enthusiasts to do. That's what art is.
Limitless
possibilities.
Craig Cowing
------------------

Exactly my point of my statement to which you're replying. I'm glad that
we
end on a note of accord. Take care.

Kind regards,
Andy Rutledge
zone 8, Texas


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