Age Discrimination by Will Heath
Photograph by Walter PallIn our wonderful art of bonsai there seems to be a heavy prevalence toward older, scarred, rougher looking trees that contain an overabundance of character. From forum to forum and book to book the same question is asked: "How do I make my tree appear older?" The same philosophy is ingrained into every newcomers head, "To create a successful bonsai, you must give it the appearance of great age."
Whatever happened to youth? The pure freshness, vigor, innocence, unmarred beauty of youth has escaped us as bonsai artists. Is there no beauty in a sapling reaching up in perfect health towards the life giving sun? Is there no merit in unscarred bark, thinly laced roots, leaves fresh and green with new birth? Is there no tales to tell of seedlings exploding with energy, of saplings being whipped by the wind, of the blank slate that youth so well represents?
Photograph by Walter PallWith the few exceptions of the "Towering Tree" style of penjing and a few odds and ends here and there, youth is almost completely ignored in the art of bonsai. For years we have gazed with envy at the ancient Japanese bonsai, in awe at the seemingly eternal trees, having these images of age impressed upon our very being. Have we been conditioned to only see the beauty in age and to forever ignore youth?