Page 51 - BSAM 2015 Q3

barriers people experience even before starting out (they think it is too difficult, expensive, etc).
BCI: How do you anticipate the ideal student will use this course to engage in bonsai?
BJORN: The course is designed for people without any prior knowledge of Bonsai—though we did try to keep it interesting for those that know the basics already. Our ideal student is one that goes through the curriculum and ends with a young Bonsai tree, as well as with a new interest in this fascinating hobby. Once the interest is genuine, the most important step has been taken!
BCI: What are your opinions about beginners joining local bonsai clubs? Is this an important experience for young people who are connected by social media on the Internet?
OSCAR: I feel online and offline experiences are not substitutes but rather complements. Learning through video tutorials probably works better than learning from books, but for those who are serious about progressing their knowledge and skills in Bonsai, joining a club or finding a teacher is crucial.
BCI: You are both bonsai professionals deeply committed to bonsai. What are your hopes and aspirations for this art form in general and for you personally?
OSCAR: I’m mostly familiar with Bonsai in Europe and in the USA and there, things are looking great. General interest in Bonsai is growing quite significantly (judging by the visitor statistics of Bonsai Empire) and the level of trees I see displayed at exhibitions is still rising. I quit my job about a year ago to be able to focus
on my website full-time, so far that has been working out quite well. I hope to keep creating content that my visitors appreciate and set up new projects with people from the community, like I did with Bjorn!
BJORN: Bonsai has undeniably been on the rise globally, both in terms of quality and participation. It is my hope that this trend continues, and I hope to be a part of that in any way possible, through both the art I produce and the educational services I provide around the world and online.
Shown here is the Before and After photos of the styling session in lecture 13, Creating Your Own Bonsai Tree. In a response to a student who asks if previous work had been done to the demonstration tree, Bjorn explains, “The tree featured in this video, started out as a very small cutting and the initial bends were added to the trunk at that time. It is only about 5 years old, though, so it’s possible to create this kind of material in a very short amount of time from cuttings as well.”
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