Lodge pole pine by Dan Robinson (Elandan Gardens). From The Art of Bonsai Project. Photo by Victrinia Ensor.
Seriously, Picasso?
I didn’t make the Picasso thing up (though it’s the second time I’ve used it). It’s from a chapter entitled ‘Becoming Picasso’ in Gnarly Branches, Ancient Trees: The Life and Works of Dan Robinson – Bonsai Pioneer, by Will Hiltz. No matter who first thought to equate Dan and Picasso, I think it might be apt. Passion, willingness to break with convention, constant experimentation, a profound respect for the medium, and of course, a fair dose of natural talent, accurately characterizes both Pablo Picasso and Dan Robinson. Of course, you could have all of these things and still not be one of the all time great artists. As far as that goes, I’ll let you be the judge.
A spread from the ‘Becoming Picasso’ chapter in Gnarly Branches, Ancient Trees.
Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) by Pablo Picasso Dan Robinson from Art of Bonsai Project. Photograph by Victrinia Ensor.
Many iz tha time that I listend to stories of “tha Golden Boy” this was naught in any whey meant as non-respectful. It was meant as “gifted” and in more wheys than one.
My teacher taught me of hiz days with “tha Golden Boy” collecting here in America, before any of us knew what Bonsai is.
“Dan would pull over, turn the vehichle around and talk tha neighbor lady out of her “gross” porch side plantings with the promise and fulfillment of re-planting with something “nice”…she, naught knowing the value of her three foot high, fourteen inch base shrubs..
Eye have seen many of Dan’s trees and visited his “Gardenz” many years ago when I lived in Seattle.
Without his knowledge or even mine..tha seed of Bonsai in my mind was planted there.
Twenty years later and six years with my “master’ eye too, am a collector. It iz hard now to find tha permission slip. It takes alot of time and effort, ‘kause mos people think yur crazy, until ya find tha right one that understandz.Tha Loggerz rape my home state, Maine… yet it iz illegal to take a roadside bush. THa power companies strip tha lines…they are more gracious and give permission slips on state owned land only, (70% is privately owned today in massachuewshits) It wasn’t like that thirty years ago, grab, grab, grab…what was ..Permission..??? my teacher explained that in Canada, anything was O.K. on Queens Land and still is today, Ask any Canadien.., thou there is that giving back to the native americans thing going on now, that will end the Queens Land collecting…
I will buy Dans book, wayne. an eye’m kinna happy no uddah Bonsai nut has posted a reply yet… If ya want, tha story could go on..eye think,….nothing
will ever come of this post
the tree pictured is an old redwood trunk…mine too buds back visiously…an five years later, died. Wrong climate
Kris
wow, nice English…”an eye’m kinna happy no uddah”
how long did it take you to come up with that?