Original Message: from Craig Cowing:
One last statement: I see nothing wrong with a person who collects bonsai
but
has them maintained by someone else. To my mind this is no different than
a
well-off person hiring someone to do their gardening for them. But when
it
comes to exhibiting a bonsai, especially in a competitive exhibition, I
feel
the attribution should be given to the artist who maintains the tree as
well as
the owner. This is no different than an art collector loaning his/her
Rembrandt to the Metropolitan, and having the attribution go to Rembrandt,
not
the collector. This can also advance the art of bonsai by making that
particular artist's work better-known, and give them more clients.
Craig Cowing
--------------

Craig, here you try to hit the nail on the head and, like just about
everyone who tries with this point, miss by about 3 yards. What you say
here has nothing to do with excellent art or enhancing the art of bonsai.
Let me say that again - what you say here has nothing to do with excellent
art or enhancing the art of bonsai. Instead, what you express here is the
same ridiculous infatuation with "people" getting something in a contest
INSTEAD OF bonsai artistry being recognized. There is a difference that I
hope you can understand, today or one day soon.

A judged bonsai exhibit is NOT A CONTEST OF CONTENTION. "People" do not
"win" a judged bonsai exhibit. Rather, some bonsai are judged to be
excellent. Period. Let us please get over ourselves and quit being so
concerned with "who" wins a bonsai contest. There is no reason for any
names to be associated with the bonsai in a judged exhibit. The only way
for a judged bonsai exhibit to enhance the endeavor is for us to recognize
excellent bonsai art - examples from which we artists and enthusiasts can
learn about excellence. Focusing on this or that artist does nothing to
enhance our endeavor.

As with the game of golf, it is impossible for one bonsai artist to "beat"
another in a judged exhibit. Rather, each puts forth his/her effort and the
results of that effort are evaluated. In golf, it is impossible for one
player to "beat" the other. Instead, each plays his/her best and their
scores are compared at the end. One score is, according to the
rules/conventions, the better score. These are individual efforts that are
later evaluated, not competitive efforts that win at the expense of the
other.

What you seem so attached to is certainly one way to organize a competition
between artists. However, why can't we ALSO have the opportunity to simply
compare the artistry, beauty, message, image of great art and officially
recognize a few of the highest examples in the form of a judged exhibit?
Here again, we're talking about the ADDITION of an activity, not replacement
of one method for another.

I hope that this explanation/plea reaches you (and others) and I hope that
you can begin to recognize the distinction and the inherent value in what
I'm describing. Thanks.

Kind regards,
Andy Rutledge
www.andyrutledge.com/palaver/main.htm
zone 8, Texas

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