Nybonsai12
Masterpiece
I was lucky enough to see a few of Kathy's demos. Of the demos I've seen I enjoyed hers the most. I thought she was fun in the sense she can give out lots of great info, but remain personable and crack a joke at the same time.
For the advanced seasoned bonsaist...
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Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
Thank You for providing these pictures, I knew you could be counted on
Me too. I have known about her since the 90's when she was working with Dallas Bonsai I believe, but this is the first of her trees I have seen.
jriddell88
Omono
I'm glad that post was removed not sure what you meant, her trees are beautiful ?
A Random User
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Thanks for posting this! It is impressive!
Especially the part about her experience!
Makes me wonder then why Kathy, an individual with so much experience would make then a comment as she did regarding my tree? Clearly, then she must know that the way in which I styled the tree is not out of the norm... and in fact, is actually quite a common approach to styling.
I did find it interesting however, in the first link you posted, that seeing she is the Curator of the BGLM, and in in charge of putting on the school teaching Bonsai, that besides herself and one other individual, the one who actually was picked as the winner of the Styling Competition, she also has teaching there... who obviously is from there.
Not necessarily saying there was foul play here... but interesting to note. I think it would of been a shame if this was to of been the case... it has been mentioned before and brought up to me on numerous occasions... and I hear has raised quite a stink on the west coast.
I would rather instead choose to not believe this...
because I think Kathy would not do such a thing, and instead would rather just go with the belief that she still does not know her butt from a hole in the ground. That she is perhaps not as great of a master as some might think... it happens, not everyone can know everything.
Chalking it up to you win some... you loose some...
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AlainK
Imperial Masterpiece
Er... No, there aren't so many "Alains" on English language bonsai forums, and I've always used my real first name (Alain) and my family name (K, rather rare in France) everywhere, though I don't feel offended at all to be mistaken for "Lederrück" with whom I think I share a lot of what our vision of bonsai is.
Just got through the "new posts" and saw that "Alain" was mentioned so I wanted to apologise - or rather reassure, Chuah)
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A Random User
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Wanted to add one more thing... it was not my intention to come here and have necessarily a poop storm over Kathy...
One might note that despite my views towards her, or the fact that I lost in the competition, which I am sure some will be saying I am only sore, and reasoning for me posting...
I am not... I think the competition was awesome! Which is why I posted about it! It is something that if I was able to still participate in, I would do in a second! Despite all of the controversy surrounding it... there is always going to be controversy, there is always going to be politics involved in such events and favorites, or favorite types of approaching to styling, often defined by regions... etc.
This is life.... it isn't fair always. .. you just gotta learn to work that much harder... and become that much better to overcome these types of things... to make it so glaringly obvious who is the winner that there is no place for any of this. I just wish I was able to do this... I am over the 10 years of doing Bonsai , so I can't qualify now. If I could, I would be back tomorrow!
The event is awesome, for those newer reading this... you must try and do it! Not only do you get to represent who you are and where you come from, you get to meet others from around the States and see what they do.
They only pick 8-10 people a year, and it really is pretty much the best folks doing bonsai here that qualify. A really awesome learning experience, and a super way to learn! Have learned more by doing this, than any other experience in Bonsai.
Before one becomes to old to actually post in this thread... tuck this under your belt! You will be happy that you did!
Thanks!
One might note that despite my views towards her, or the fact that I lost in the competition, which I am sure some will be saying I am only sore, and reasoning for me posting...
I am not... I think the competition was awesome! Which is why I posted about it! It is something that if I was able to still participate in, I would do in a second! Despite all of the controversy surrounding it... there is always going to be controversy, there is always going to be politics involved in such events and favorites, or favorite types of approaching to styling, often defined by regions... etc.
This is life.... it isn't fair always. .. you just gotta learn to work that much harder... and become that much better to overcome these types of things... to make it so glaringly obvious who is the winner that there is no place for any of this. I just wish I was able to do this... I am over the 10 years of doing Bonsai , so I can't qualify now. If I could, I would be back tomorrow!
The event is awesome, for those newer reading this... you must try and do it! Not only do you get to represent who you are and where you come from, you get to meet others from around the States and see what they do.
They only pick 8-10 people a year, and it really is pretty much the best folks doing bonsai here that qualify. A really awesome learning experience, and a super way to learn! Have learned more by doing this, than any other experience in Bonsai.
Before one becomes to old to actually post in this thread... tuck this under your belt! You will be happy that you did!
Thanks!
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
All of that being said do you happen to have photos of the other entries? I too have gone through similar issues recently.
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Would be more than happy to supply some, will do it later in a PM when I get home. Would rather not carry on this here...
Side note... sadly, I am not to suprised to hear that you to encountered a similar situation... I too, have other battle scars as well. This is not the first scenario for me. Earlier I posted... that if you stick around Bonsai long enough, you will see how many Masters here in the states don't really know what they are doing... I think nothing could be closer to the truth.
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michaelj
Chumono
I went and looked through my photos and didn't find any that I could positively ID as Kathy's. My GSBF and CBS photos don't clearly show the names, and I may have been mistaken in my recollection that she had a tree in Nanpu Kai. So, sorry, no photo proof from me. I do recall, however, seeing hers among some great trees at a couple of outstanding shows, and I have a vague recollection of having her show me her tree, whichever one it was, at a GSBF show.
Thank you for the clarification. I always try my best to acknowledge people who help me out. Courtesy and being nice are not out of fashion for me. Chuah is my family name, could be difficult to pronounce and rare on English language sites. Perhaps the only prominent Chuah in the US is the author of "The Tiger Mom".
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
I did not mean to imply that Kathy was incompetent, just sadly under-represented. It is my understanding that she is and was one the first of the returning apprenticed masters from Japan certified as such to teach bonsai.
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Don't know which web y'all are searching ;-), but there is a TON of stuff out there on Kathy Shaner (do a search on "Kathy Shaner bonsai" and see what pops up--FWIW, you may not like her opinions, but she apparently has some knowledge of what's she talking about -- a five year apprenticeship (first woman to do so) in Japan and curator of a notable west coast bonsai collection.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/bre...ke-merritts-bonsai-curator-defied-odds-become
https://bonsaial.wordpress.com/tag/kathy-shaner/
Puget Sound Bonsai Club "clippings" article
http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/3136201/24790740/1398574020243/April14Clippings.pdf?token=kqmBhPlGPpBDtJrSoZV9hPtAKJU=
"Kathy Shaner’s bonsai story began in the early 80’s. She was on a mission. She studied under many reputable bonsai instructors throughout California and joined almost a dozen different bonsai clubs over a ten year span. At some point she was drawn to what she believed to be The Source. She was accepted by Yasuo Mitsuya on Toyohashi, Japan for a 5 year internship that would begin her career as a bonsai master. She was the first American certified bonsai professional recognized by the professional bonsai growers branch of the Nippon Bonsai Association. We won’t mention she was the first woman in that position. But thirty years as a professional has provided more than just practice following the "rules" of bonsai. Kathy had a foundation in Gendai bonsai. Gendai translated into English means "modern", "contemporary", but in the context of an art form it might carry the connotation of "avant- garde" or "experimental".
http://gardensatlakemerritt.org/welcome-to-the-bonsai-garden-at-lake-merritt/
Tree caretakers work under Curator Kathy Shaner’s direction
http://www.contracostatimes.com/bre...ke-merritts-bonsai-curator-defied-odds-become
https://bonsaial.wordpress.com/tag/kathy-shaner/
Puget Sound Bonsai Club "clippings" article
http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/3136201/24790740/1398574020243/April14Clippings.pdf?token=kqmBhPlGPpBDtJrSoZV9hPtAKJU=
"Kathy Shaner’s bonsai story began in the early 80’s. She was on a mission. She studied under many reputable bonsai instructors throughout California and joined almost a dozen different bonsai clubs over a ten year span. At some point she was drawn to what she believed to be The Source. She was accepted by Yasuo Mitsuya on Toyohashi, Japan for a 5 year internship that would begin her career as a bonsai master. She was the first American certified bonsai professional recognized by the professional bonsai growers branch of the Nippon Bonsai Association. We won’t mention she was the first woman in that position. But thirty years as a professional has provided more than just practice following the "rules" of bonsai. Kathy had a foundation in Gendai bonsai. Gendai translated into English means "modern", "contemporary", but in the context of an art form it might carry the connotation of "avant- garde" or "experimental".
http://gardensatlakemerritt.org/welcome-to-the-bonsai-garden-at-lake-merritt/
Tree caretakers work under Curator Kathy Shaner’s direction
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Geo
Chumono
Good to see a clarification. The bullshit was really starting to stink.
AlainK
Imperial Masterpiece
Last year, I had a brilliant pupil in my class. She came from Hanoi when 7 years old and at 12, she was already in the top three of a class with mainly upper-class children (doctors, lawyers, university professors, etc.) I never could pronounce her name correctly, and neither of her friends or my fellow teachers could either ! Her name (as written on the school list) was Chau. We tried "Chow", and "Ciao", and "Tshou", and... we never managed to say it right
I also had a Chinese student at university whose name was written "Pow Chu" in latin alphabet.
You know, in some cultures, it's a complete no-no to say no, to disagree or to tell a teacher, an elder, or anyone with a higher social status. It took her months to tell me, blushing, that the way I pronouced her name meant "little pig".
Oooooh... How embarrassing. So I asked her to help me to pronounce "Penjing" with the plosing "p" and the two rising syllables - well at least, that's how I can remember it
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
Forgive my ignorance but what is a plosing "p"? Please forgive my taking this for a run around the park of smart assedness buy I had to ask. What is a plosing "p"? A typo or is that something like Plissing in your Plants? I'm sorry, truly I am, but I tried and tried to not do this I went in the bath room, and ran around the back yard but I just could not not post this.
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Since it was me that apparently did not like her "opinion"... I will merely state that perhaps she is clued into something that no one else in the Bonsai community here and in Japan, etc. know? Seeing one can very much find examples of a tree styled as mine was from folks in Japan.
Perhaps, she is privy to knowledge that, I and no one else is? Perhaps, she has some higher power that speaks to her and no one else? Who knows... but, for the rest of us who are not enlightened in such a way? Until that time...and we know for sure, I call BS!
Ok, perhaps.... she didn't really look at my tree? Didn't like it? Whatever.... I am cool with that, and will probably never really know? But, she is the one who clearly wrote what she did. And it logically makes no sense... unless of course you consider the above reasons, of her having info no one else does. I did not make her write what she did...
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eferguson1974
Chumono
Thanks for serving!
jriddell88
Omono
Sometimes the best advice for someone could be negative? Did it inspire you and push you to do greater things and make you want to pursue and be better at bonsai? A thought ....
michaelj
Chumono
Here's an article I had bookmarked regarding that Joshua Roth competition Sawgrass was in.
http://bonsaitonight.com/2014/11/14/2014-joshua-roth-new-talent-bonsai-competition/
http://bonsaitonight.com/2014/11/14/2014-joshua-roth-new-talent-bonsai-competition/
