M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
Not only did I meet him but got to spend hours with him. He sent me a PM about a month or so ago saying that he would like to meet me. Me! What the hell right. I'm nobody. He said his bonsai club Four Seasons Bonsai club was having a show and could I come down. There was only one answer. F. Yeah! I offered to come down early to help him transport and set up his things but he declined. I was hoping to get a look in his back yard was all. But he had the transportation handled.
One thing. For me a chance to meet Vance Woods is like someone who golfs getting a chance to meet Tiger Woods.
(No relation by the way pretty sure) I don't care what any one says Vance is a bonsai superstar. Period. He won't agree because the one thing he is is a humble man when it comes to this kind of praise.
So any way I drove on down to Motown. The first morning of the show I got there and walked right by him. I was going to see some bonsai!. The first tree I looked at was his quasi-raft bonsai. Simply flabbergasted by what I saw. Then I turned and there was another Mugo of Vances that I had seen a few times on the internet. The more I looked the more beautiful trees there were. Not only Vances but the members of his club all had excellent trees on display. I was in bonsai overload.
I then went to go find Vance. Right by the door I walked through was a booth that was loaded with scotch and mugo pines. Had to be his booth. Sitting behind all that greenery was the man himself. I introduced myself and he said come sit down. He even brought a chair for me to put my fat behind in!
I told him that there were some great trees on display and he told me that I probably had some just as good. Maybe or maybe not. I'm not so sure.
The next thing he says is pick a tree for myself to work on. There was this sweet little double trunk scotch pine that I took a liking to. You don't see many double trunk bonsai and I love them. Now most of you are probably thinking he's sitting with Vance Wood and he doesn't pick a mugo. This tree I picked talked to me. And Vance is an expert on all kinds of pine bonsai. By the way there was a Japanese black pine sitting there but it wasn't saying anything to me. I let Vance have at my new tree. I was getting a Vance Wood styled tree. What could be better? I remembered to take a picture of the tree before he took it to task. I'll take a picture of the finished work here in a bit and start a thread on the tree.
After that it was time for Vance to get to work on some trees. Just watching him I learned so much on what to initially do to mugo and scotch pines I almost feel like an expert now.
Every now and then he would ask what do you think or what would you do? He was serious. Why ask me? Made me feel like he knew that I knew something. I have over 60 trees and a whole 4 are pines. I know jack shit about pines. I know a lot more now. A day and a half with him and pines and evergreens in general are going to be joining the party in my backyard.
One thing I came to realize is that everyone in Vances club respect him and they are all his friends. He is the club. Sorry Vance but that's how I saw things. He doesn't pull any punches when it comes to all things bonsai. And he knows what he's talking about. His humor is just like mine. A little rough but very funny nonetheless. I can't go into some of the things we laughed about because I wouldn't want to offend anyone. Remember the woman with her pants falling down Vance?
I think I've been long winded enough but would like to end by saying that if you get the chance to meet Vance take it. He told me it was an honor to spend some time with me but we all know that I'm the one that was honored. Knowing what I know now I would drive a lot further than 200 miles to meet Vance Woods.
Thank you Vance for one of the greatest experiences of my life. Thank you.
One thing. For me a chance to meet Vance Woods is like someone who golfs getting a chance to meet Tiger Woods.
(No relation by the way pretty sure) I don't care what any one says Vance is a bonsai superstar. Period. He won't agree because the one thing he is is a humble man when it comes to this kind of praise.
So any way I drove on down to Motown. The first morning of the show I got there and walked right by him. I was going to see some bonsai!. The first tree I looked at was his quasi-raft bonsai. Simply flabbergasted by what I saw. Then I turned and there was another Mugo of Vances that I had seen a few times on the internet. The more I looked the more beautiful trees there were. Not only Vances but the members of his club all had excellent trees on display. I was in bonsai overload.
I then went to go find Vance. Right by the door I walked through was a booth that was loaded with scotch and mugo pines. Had to be his booth. Sitting behind all that greenery was the man himself. I introduced myself and he said come sit down. He even brought a chair for me to put my fat behind in!
I told him that there were some great trees on display and he told me that I probably had some just as good. Maybe or maybe not. I'm not so sure.
The next thing he says is pick a tree for myself to work on. There was this sweet little double trunk scotch pine that I took a liking to. You don't see many double trunk bonsai and I love them. Now most of you are probably thinking he's sitting with Vance Wood and he doesn't pick a mugo. This tree I picked talked to me. And Vance is an expert on all kinds of pine bonsai. By the way there was a Japanese black pine sitting there but it wasn't saying anything to me. I let Vance have at my new tree. I was getting a Vance Wood styled tree. What could be better? I remembered to take a picture of the tree before he took it to task. I'll take a picture of the finished work here in a bit and start a thread on the tree.
After that it was time for Vance to get to work on some trees. Just watching him I learned so much on what to initially do to mugo and scotch pines I almost feel like an expert now.
Every now and then he would ask what do you think or what would you do? He was serious. Why ask me? Made me feel like he knew that I knew something. I have over 60 trees and a whole 4 are pines. I know jack shit about pines. I know a lot more now. A day and a half with him and pines and evergreens in general are going to be joining the party in my backyard.
One thing I came to realize is that everyone in Vances club respect him and they are all his friends. He is the club. Sorry Vance but that's how I saw things. He doesn't pull any punches when it comes to all things bonsai. And he knows what he's talking about. His humor is just like mine. A little rough but very funny nonetheless. I can't go into some of the things we laughed about because I wouldn't want to offend anyone. Remember the woman with her pants falling down Vance?
I think I've been long winded enough but would like to end by saying that if you get the chance to meet Vance take it. He told me it was an honor to spend some time with me but we all know that I'm the one that was honored. Knowing what I know now I would drive a lot further than 200 miles to meet Vance Woods.
Thank you Vance for one of the greatest experiences of my life. Thank you.
