Vance, just caught this thread today... been gone for a while.
Still not sure I actually even want to come here and be involved with B-Nut,
anymore, but that is a different story... Was reading your thread and watching
your vids and thought I would comment for what it is worth on your tree, because
I think you have done an awesome job.
Having said this, I would critique your tree with the following...
I too agree that a tree should when possible look good from both the back
as well as the front. However, this is not a requirement, and often you will here
folks like Bjorn talk about world class trees in Japan being displayed with a bald
back, where the tree has obviously been wired as to be viewed from one direction.
Now, with this said... the problem I have often found with trying to work a tree from
multiple views, is that one often ends up with kinda mush. Where to much attention
is paid to being viewed from all sides at the expense of having a really awesome side.
For me... your tree is the case in point, Sorry. Yes, it is an awesome tree... but in my
opinion, it needs to have a decision made over what you are trying to show us, and a
definitive front. My reason for saying this is that I see a lot of wired branches that seem
to be wired in a direction that does not really suit the front or the back of the tree. From
either direction, they seem to not engage the viewer, and bring them into the tree.
Now don't get mad at me for saying this, I am only trying to offer you a sincere critique.
For me personally, I think if one ask oneself from which direction does the tree pose the
the most interesting features, that I would want to be front in center when displaying...
I would have to say what appears to be the back of your tree as you have it now. Reason
being... without that low, ground hugging branch your tree would resemble almost every
other pine bonsai. This is what makes it unique, setting it apart, and giving the whole tree
character.
It also has great interaction between it and the apex of your tree, creating a very nice line
for one's eye to travel, with both directions pointing in back towards the center of the tree.
Viewed from the other direction, your eye does not easily pick up this simple, but powerful
movement, because it is hidden by the soil. So, instead... my eyes are left wandering...
There have been scientific studies done on human thought, that have concluded that if
a human's interest isn't reached within the first 10 to 15 seconds, they actually will lose
interest in what they are viewing all together. Now, with that said... this doesn't mean
that your tree can't and shouldn't have layers and depth... quite the contrary, because if
someone's interest is peaked, and they come over to look at your tree, and what they saw
from a distance is all that there, they will leave just as fast... But, a well designed tree should
be understandable and easily read from a distance, but when viewed from close up, want to
make the viewer keep looking at the tree...
Just my 2 cents... The apex foliage, then would continue this line, actually pointing down
towards the bottom trunk. The real heavy branch on the right of the apex trunk itself, needs to
be brought down. At the moment it seems to be pointing up.
Whether or not you take any of this into consideration, keep up the good work !!!
I also understand it most likely looks different in person but that is what I see form the video. What time is the exhibit 
