Gabler
Masterpiece
It's literally crazy how many experts are regulars here. It's a real privilege to share the same forum with them.
Compared to other art-forms/hobbies, there are relatively few people practicing bonsai. That comes with many downsides. For one, we can’t take advantage of an economy of scale. Take pots, for example. Mass-produced pots are several times more expensive than porcelain tableware of similar quality. A ten-inch dinner plate might sell for about a dollar per plate in a set. Imagine getting ten-inch frost-hardy bonsai pots for a dollar apiece. It could happen if growing bonsai were as popular as eating from ceramic dinner plates.
On the positive side, we have better access to world-class artists. They aren’t mobbed by fans in the same way a world-class pop singer might be. I’m sure they’d love to be making that kind of money, but regardless, it benefits the rest of us that the best artists from around the world remain approachable and accessible. It’s the positive trade-off for pursuing a relatively obscure medium.