From: "Andy Rutledge"


Colin Lewis wrote:
The only downside is that American society as considerably more
regimented and conformist that in Europe ....

Andy repied:
When one begins an endeavor (like bonsai), there should be one way, and only
one way, shown for how to do most of the basics. Things should be taught in
the manner that says, "this is how you do this and you do it this way every
time." There should be no room for modification, variation, exceptions,
etc...

QED

Colin Lewis wrote:
This isn't just bonsai, but it is more prevalent in
bonsai, probably because of the way bonsai has been
taught in the past.

When a teacher does have the right background and they rightly begin
teaching the basics, most American students get bored and say, "All he wants
to teach is the basic junk. I want the exciting stuff!" and they soon quit
being a student and become an "artist" or most certainly an "innovator."

QED again

I am not merely speaking of bonsai, but many of the foreign arts and
endeavors. Those who do behave as students while they're in trainng as
students do learn the foundation, and then learn the rest of the stuff will
certainly find both the preoccupation with "rules" to the exclusion of all
else, or the ridiculous and weak efforts at innovation, to be odd and
disappointing.

Either one is preoccupied with "rules" or one attempts innovation - it's
hard to see how one can do both.

Art, Andy, is a creative endeavour by definition. Sure, one must learn
techniques - and the better thechnique is taught, the better it will be
learned. The better technique is learned, the better it an be applied. But
without the freedom of thought, the desire to innovate, the determination to
express one's own emotions and make one's own ceative statements, any
endeavour will remain, at best, at the level of craft, and will never
achieve the status of art.

Viva lka revolición!

Colin

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