[IBC] How not to treat a beginner
 

Second Try - sorry about the blank

Our club met yesterday, 6/18/05. The newspaper publicity said that
experienced members would help those who brought in their trees with design
suggestions. Public welcome.
One non member came in with her little Ficus that had been keep
indoors because it was very leggy. The trunk was pencil size or smaller. I didn't
get close to the tree so I am not sure of the variety of Ficus. The club member
gave her back a stick with one leaf.
He then took one of his collected Buttonwoods worth at least $100 and
began working on it.
She left the meeting and didn't look happy.
How do the list members think something like this should be handled?

Billy on the Florida Space Coast

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This kind of scenario can be kind of touchy, we all know that material like
that is junk, but one doesn't want to turn off prospective enthusiasts. I
know that for most experienced bonsai artists the first reaction when seeing
a twig in a pot like that is to say it isn't worth messing with, or cut back
to one leaf and wait for something to grow that you can work with, or put it
in the ground or a training pot for five plus years and then you can start
working on it. However, since we need to encourage those who are new to the
hobby, that kind of response generally won't do the job.

I have found that if one does some sort of basic styling on the twig (or
makes some basic styling suggestions for the person to do themselves), the
prospective member generally is quite pleased with the result, and they are
encouraged to come back and learn more. Once they progress to a certain
level they will make the determination for themselves that the twig isn't
worth messing with, and will move on to more suitable material. Usually,
anyway.

Regards,
Roger Snipes
Spokane, WA. USA, Zone 5ish


----- Original Message -----
From: "Billy M. Rhodes"
Our club met yesterday, 6/18/05. The newspaper publicity said that
experienced members would help those who brought in their trees with
design
suggestions. Public welcome.
One non member came in with her little Ficus that had been keep
indoors because it was very leggy. The trunk was pencil size or smaller. I
didn't
get close to the tree so I am not sure of the variety of Ficus. The club
member
gave her back a stick with one leaf.
He then took one of his collected Buttonwoods worth at least $100
and
began working on it.
She left the meeting and didn't look happy.
How do the list members think something like this should be handled?

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Kevin Bailey++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

It depends on what was said by the member while he was hacking her Ficus
back to one leaf. If he explained why he was doing it, what she needed to do
next, and what will happen as a result then I don't see a problem.
If, as seems to be the case here, the member just cut things off and handed
it back to her, then all he's succeeded in doing is making himself feel
important at her expense.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Billy M. Rhodes"
To:
Sent: Sunday, June 19, 2005 5:25 PM
Subject: [IBC] How not to treat a beginner


Second Try - sorry about the blank

Our club met yesterday, 6/18/05. The newspaper publicity said that
experienced members would help those who brought in their trees with
design
suggestions. Public welcome.
One non member came in with her little Ficus that had been keep
indoors because it was very leggy. The trunk was pencil size or smaller. I
didn't
get close to the tree so I am not sure of the variety of Ficus. The club
member
gave her back a stick with one leaf.
He then took one of his collected Buttonwoods worth at least $100
and
began working on it.
She left the meeting and didn't look happy.
How do the list members think something like this should be
handled?

Billy on the Florida Space Coast


************************************************** **************************
****
++++Sponsored, in part, by Kevin Bailey++++

************************************************** **************************
****
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++



************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Kevin Bailey++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

At 11:25 AM 6/19/2005, Billy M. Rhodes wrote:

gave her back a stick with one leaf.
He then took one of his collected Buttonwoods worth at least $100 and
began working on it.
She left the meeting and didn't look happy.
How do the list members think something like this should be handled?
Someone needs to privately talk to this member to mend his ways; if that
doesn't work try a big stick

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Kevin Bailey++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

On Jun 19, 2005, at 12:25 PM, Billy M. Rhodes wrote:

Second Try - sorry about the blank

Our club met yesterday, 6/18/05. The newspaper publicity said
that
experienced members would help those who brought in their trees with
design
suggestions. Public welcome.
One non member came in with her little Ficus that had been keep
indoors because it was very leggy. The trunk was pencil size or
smaller. I didn't
get close to the tree so I am not sure of the variety of Ficus. The
club member
gave her back a stick with one leaf.
He then took one of his collected Buttonwoods worth at least
$100 and
began working on it.
She left the meeting and didn't look happy.
How do the list members think something like this should be
handled?

Billy on the Florida Space Coast


Assuming the owner of the tree has little or no experience with bonsai,
leaving it in a precarious position like that is irresponsible. Just my
opinion.

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

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++++Sponsored, in part, by Kevin Bailey++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

I was quite fortunate when I attended my first meeting with a tall
skinny twin trunk Mugho pine. The main trunk had one branch in the
middle and then something like five all radiating out of the top. The
secondary trunk was the same, but shorter and without the middle branch.
Most of the members at the club I attended just looked at me, looked at
my "tree" and then resumed working on their own stuff. Keith Scott, who
is one of the most knowledgeable Bonsai people I've ever met but is
notorious for his impatience - was very patient with me. He walked me
through wiring the tree - clipped off several of the radiating branches
- and explained that it would be a few (kind exaggeration) years before
it really amounted to much. Basically, he taught me some stuff and
managed my expectations with regards to the tree I brought in. Overall,
I went away with a very positive impression. Dale Cochoy was also (and
still is, for that matter) very patient with me - without being
patronizing or raising my expectations higher than they should be for
any particular plant. Anyone with any degree of knowledge/experience
should be able to provide a little instruction, demonstrate some
wiring/clipping and leave the novice with a good feeling without
misleading them into thinking they have a potential masterpiece on their
hands. As a recent (and probably still) novice, I totally agree with
Roger's last paragraph. I would also add that it probably doesn't take
a lot of time or effort to leave that kind of impression, either.


Jeff Isom
Cleveland, OH / Sunset Zone 39


-----Original Message-----
I have found that if one does some sort of basic styling on the twig (or

makes some basic styling suggestions for the person to do themselves),
the
prospective member generally is quite pleased with the result, and they
are
encouraged to come back and learn more. Once they progress to a certain

level they will make the determination for themselves that the twig
isn't
worth messing with, and will move on to more suitable material.
Usually,
anyway.

Regards,
Roger Snipes
Spokane, WA. USA, Zone 5ish

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Kevin Bailey++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++