In response to Augustine;
Jim Smith has always used 100% Turface.
The reason I pointed the fact out that the [tropical] trees are in 100% Turface is because of the soil nazi's who don't think anything can grow in the substrate.
My opinion, and I learned this from Jim Smith; "you can grow any tree in any soil".
In fact, Salicaria do not need soil to grow.
In response to Poink88;
As the curator, not the owner, I do not have the right to restyle the trees.
I respect your opinion, I believe some of the trees could be wired to feel more modern, but Jim Smith is 94 years old, and this collection is to honor and display his bonsai art, not mine.
Wiring every branch in the US is almost a new concept and Jim Smith does pretty much everything by clip and grow.
When I was working with him, one of my questions to him was whether or not he feels I should wire anything.
He said no, and that the most he would do is use guy wires to lower some branches.
These are his trees, those are his instructions, I'm here to carry out and continue his vision.
That being said; if we appreciate bonsai as art, then we should appreciate the art of the artist which is being displayed. As the curator of any art gallery, the eye may be interested in art besides what is on display, but it is not the curator's position to redraw the eye that Picasso had placed on the chin...if you catch my drift. One doesn't go to a Salvador Dhali exhibit and say Picasso's work is better, one goes to the Salvador Dhali exhibit to enjoy the work of Salvador Dhali.
http://artofbonsai.org/galleries/jsmith.php
This is something I've actually spent a bit of time thinking about; prior to this post. Bonsai as an art; we too often times do not appreciate the artist but just compare a tree to the "rules". If we did this with music, theater, poetry, or any other form of "the arts"; we wouldn't be evoking emotion, which is what separates bonsai from horticulture. So to appreciate bonsai as art, you need to appreciate the different cultures of bonsai and different artists of bonsai; not just the rule book. Bonsai in Florida is distinctly different than bonsai in Oregon; and again bonsai in Europe is distinctly different than bonsai in Taiwan; do we compare and challenge the two or appreciate both as art of different cultures? I think that is how we appreciate bonsai as art; instead of appreciate knowing the rules.
Erik Wigert is the strongest bonsai machine in Florida; he is driving the state in my opinion. His style is distinctly different from Jim Smith's designs and Erik is also known to be a great carver. I don't compare the two's work at all, because they're radically different from one another, but both are indeed world class. What Erik is doing on the West Coast of Florida is what the East Coast is lacking. Erik is bringing the level of refinement and creativity forward and the East Coast is lagging behind. Partially this is due to the amount of wealth on the West Coast, and also less of the old and retired.
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And to wrap things up on the matter; these trees, like I said in the first post, have been neglected for several years. The collection has not had a curator for over a year and a half; prior to that there was a man in place for 19 months who's work did not please Jim Smith. The trees have not been properly cared for and the collection was in a state of decline upon my arrival. I had repotted 20 tropicals this summer; have about 30 more tropicals for the spring/summer of 2015 and have 10 temperate trees that are in need of repotting, but were already out of season. Right now I'm looking to raise around $3,000, maybe even more, just to replace pots that have been busted either from a lack of repotting or mishandling; currently I'm looking at 8 busted pots, none of which are smaller than 19" wide and all are Japanese. So you are right when you say, the trees do not appear to be what they should be, because these bonsai aren't at the level they were even 5 years ago.
These pictures are from Google Images; both of these trees I have posted in this thread. Compare the pictures.
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And these three show the progress with one tree in particular.
Several years ago, I decided I wanted to get a bougainvillea bonsai for my mother because it's her favorite flower. So I did some Google Image searching and found this picture and posted it on tumblr with the text "for mothers days I'm going to get my mom a bougainvillea bonsai one year". I was inspired with this tree. I had no idea it was Jim Smith's.
When I got to Heathcote; I saw the tree in person and was in total amazement that this tree which I had come across online was now in my care. But I was disgusted to see the health of the tree. This is what I saw in June 2014. The photo was taken after I had repotted, but the foliage reflects the health.
This was taken in the begining of September, should have some fall blooms next week. I feel like this tree is a testament of the work I've been doing, and that yes, I am proud of this collection and have many reasons to be.
Yours truly.
