GSBF Workshop Material

[Bonsai Nut]

Ahhhhh... I am getting in the mood Here's a link to some of the workshop material that will be featured at next month's Golden State Bonsai Federation Convention

 

[Anonymous User]

Nice trunk, but personally I'd say the new leader needs a few more years of free growth and maybe another chop before styling....the branches could use the same...in a few years this is going to be one sweet piece of stock!



Will

 

[Chris Johnston]

Nice trunk, but personally I'd say the new leader needs a few more years of free growth and maybe another chop before styling....the branches could use the same...in a few years this is going to be one sweet piece of stock!



Will

I expect that some carving will be called for on this one. I would love to see the before/afters on some of the classes!

 

[Anonymous User]

Before and afters will be educational, no doubt.



Will

 

[Chris Johnston]

Who has signed up for a workshop who would be willing to photograph for us? Man, I'd love to see all that! (Especially in Kunio Kobayashi's workshop).

 

[Graydon]

Not very good cypress material. Talk about the stovepipe look... that comment is based on the photo posted here as I don't have time to follow the link tonight.

 

[Anonymous User]

Not very good cypress material. Talk about the stovepipe look...

I didn't want to say that, here I was trying be all diplomatic and nice.....



Will

 

[Graydon]

I didn't want to say that, here I was trying be all diplomatic and nice.....



Will

I'm not here to be diplomatic. I'm not saying they suck, just that they are not much better than what I could have provided in 15 minutes by chopping some local nursery grown material earlier this spring. If we have anything in Florida we have some spectacular cypress. I'm wondering why someone did not provide some good harvested material. Something with some actual taper and perhaps some sizable branches to select from during the styling. You know - pre bonsai...

I'm hoping some of the other workshop material is the knock your socks off type stuff if you know what I mean.

 

[Anonymous User]

Sometimes the material is dictated by the organization or club hosting the event. They do not want to pay the price that quality material demands....either because doing so will cause the price of the workshop to rise (artist fees, expenses, and material cost) beyond what they think they can sell spots for...or....because paying a higher cost for material will equate as lower profit made, same workshop price, same number of people, save 20 per tree and there is more money left over.

Sometimes the person in charge of stock selection just doesn't know better.

Not that this is the case here, just talking in general.



Will

 

[Chris Johnston]

Not very good cypress material. Talk about the stovepipe look... that comment is based on the photo posted here as I don't have time to follow the link tonight.

I didn't want to say that, here I was trying be all diplomatic and nice.....

Will

Wait...what happened to the "bitterest medicine?"

I followed the links and saw there was quite a variety. Unfortunately, the tree that came in dead last was the one posted here. Some of them are quite nice, depending, of course, on the price of the workshop.

 

[Graydon]

Wait...what happened to the "bitterest medicine?"

I followed the links and saw there was quite a variety. Unfortunately, the tree that came in dead last was the one posted here. Some of them are quite nice, depending, of course, on the price of the workshop.

I'm sorry Chris. I'm not following you. The opinions on this particular material can be subjective I suppose. If you thought that was "the good stuff" come to Florida and I'll take you to any non big box nursery so you can see better material. Want to see better than that? Get some waders and we'll go for a hike.

I suppose someone in California will call this "the good stuff" and that makes me disappointed. I'm attending this show at a rather huge expense and I can only hope that all of the other material for the workshops are better. I was thinking I was going to the land of milk and honey... sigh.

 

[Chris Johnston]

What were the price points for the trees as offered? That of course can make a difference. But I completely understand your point, in the land of milk and honey, bread and water are poor fare indeed.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Wait...what happened to the "bitterest medicine?"

I followed the links and saw there was quite a variety. Unfortunately, the tree that came in dead last was the one posted here. Some of them are quite nice, depending, of course, on the price of the workshop.

I just posted the first one that they had up at the time I wasn't trying to make a quality statement about them - rather that I was getting excited about the convention. Quite frankly I go into a convention expecting that I will get the worst possible stock, but learn a lot. If I end up with a tree that is a "keeper" I consider it an added bonus.