JoeyA said:
Wei, Bob owes you big time (and so do I). I watched the video and THE SHOT and it was impressive. My apologies to Bob Jewett for doubting his dream shot. I don't mind eating a little crow every now and then.

Thanks Wei.
JoeyA (zigging and zagging in my dreams)
Dear Joey
Zigging and zagging would be the style of the artist in your first post.
He was ahead of his time and totally focused in his vision. I have heard something which might/might not be just rumors:
Once he was trying to do a self-portrait. For days he could not get things right. He was frustrated. He was hearing things in his head. He thinks one ear was taking up space in a perfect compostition.
He cut his ear off.
I think of billiard as a collection of artistic expression over time, where the table is the canvas, the balls are the colors, each shot is a distinctive brush stroke and each "pattern", "Position Play", "Road Map", "Trap" is a composition. Every player is a creative artist who carries a distinctive style.
"One man's candy, the other's poison..."
Or perhaps a more positive way to put it:
" I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
Take
Project LaFortune for an example, there were 16 solutions to one layout and everyone looked at other's happily. People like new ideas. Maybe cutting off an ear for a composition is a little too extreme for people like you and me. However, it can be the most straight forward idea if done under good hygene (Van Gogh later died of gun wound infection). I believe we are all searching for these "crazy" ideas, to study and understand them. All of the sudden they start to make perfect sense and everyone wants to try them out.
Bob actually has taken a great part in organizing many billiard events, including the World Championship in Vegas and the Sang Lee International just this past August. He has done quite a lot for the sport other than teaching.
As for me, don't worry about it. I am just a happy stationary maker whose job is to find the best canvas for you. Without the artists, canvas is only good for making laundry bags.
Now, where can I buy crows?