Page 36 - BSAM 2016 Q3

Typical tree forms found in Africa.
An exciting development is the emerging of more and more regional styles as sub divisions of the natu- ralistic style. Indigenous plant material is shaped to represent the natural trees found in that particular region. e styling is also done according to their dis- tinctive growth habits.
Is this the way forward? It certainly poses exciting new opportunities and challenges.
Art students hone their skills by studying the works of the great masters, i.e. Rembrandt, Picasso, Renoir, etc. It is also quite important that we understand, prac- tice and apply the techniques used by bonsai masters to produce classical as well as naturalistic bonsai.
Should not bonsai artists from here on use these skills to develop their own regional style? Regional styles are becoming more and more recognizable, i.e. the styling of classical Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese, Indonesian and African trees.
Some years ago, a friend asked me if we have a dis- tinct bonsai style in Africa. A bonsai style that we can truly call " e African Style." A tree that is shaped in such a way that anybody that has been to Africa, or has seen photographs of typical African landscapes and trees, will immediately recognise the style as “African.”
e answer to the above is both yes and no.
34 | BCI | July/August/September 2016