Page 36 - Tạp chí bonsai cây cảnh BCI 2016Q3

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

Typical tree forms found in
Africa.

34 | BCI | July/August/September 2016