Due to an unfortunately timed power outage, the Ken Nakaoka Center was closed and we had to cancel our January meeting. Our apologies to our featured presenter, Ed Clark, and to our members.
For those that did show up though, we had a blast hanging out in the parking lot with you all, eating pizza and chips (thanks Allan and the Hoxies!), and talking bonsai.
Moving forward into 2019, we have a fantastic roster of monthly demonstrators coming up. This Friday’s meeting will feature Elsa Boudori. Elsa has been passionate about bonsai since the age of 14. She currently teaches and demonstrates her bonsai techniques in her native Greece, and throughout the world. This is a demo you won’t want to miss.
Next month brings Will Baddeley back to DIBK to do another fantastic carving and styling demo. Will will also be conducting another Masters Series workshop where you can bring in your trees and get styling advice, as well as learn to use the tools and techniques to create beautiful, naturalistic deadwood. See the workshop advertisement in this issue for more information.
In May, our featured demonstrator will be Tomohiro Masumi. Masumi, a second generation artist from Kyoto Japan, is the Managing Director of the All Japan Shohin Bonsai Association, and his award winning trees, lectures and demonstrations have been featured throughout the world. His nursery, Koju-En, was founded by his father Hiroichi Masumi, who was the past president of the All Japan Shohin Bonsai Association. Tomohiro will be demonstrating advanced styling and display techniques for shohin. He will also be leading a Masters Series Workshop on shohin techniques.
In July, DIBK is proud to have Bjorn Bjorholm as our featured demonstrator. Bjorn Bjorholm, owner of Eisei-en, is a bonsai artist and instructor who spent six years as an apprentice under Master Keiichi Fujikawa at Kouka-en bonsai nursery in Osaka, Japan before receiving certification as a bonsai professional by the Nippon Bonsai Association. His tenure as an apprentice at Kouka-en was followed by three years as artist-in-residence at the same location, making him the first foreign-born working bonsai professional in Japan. During his time in Japan, Bjorn’s works were featured in the Kokufu-ten, Sakufu-ten, and Taikan-ten exhibitions, among many others.
Bjorn will also be leading a Masters Series Workshop, so if you missed the last one, you have another chance to get incredible styling advice to take your specimen bonsai to the next level!
November brings Colorado based bonsai master, Tood Schlafer. Todd is a long time enthusiast who has been honing his skills under the direction of International Bonsai Master Ryan Neil of Bonsai Mirai. Todd started his Bonsai career under the tutelage of International Bonsai Master Harold Sasaki in Denver, Co. Todd is an avid collector of Colorado Yamadori. Todd has a website called First Branch Bonsai where he sells some of his pre-bonsai collected trees. Todd recently won the American Bonsai Society Finest Native North American Species tree at The 5th US National Bonsai Exhibition, and was awarded the 2010 Rocky Mountain Bonsai Society – Bob Kataoka Memorial Award: Artist of the year.
On April 13-14, DIBK will once again feature an exhibit at the Torrance Sister Cities event, “Bunka-Sai” Japanese Festival. We will be doing several short demonstrations and presentations as well as featuring a small grouping of some of the club member’s finest trees. We are looking for members who would like to participate in the event, speaking to the public, and sharing our love for bonsai. If interested please contact me or Doyle.
Our annual club show “Serenity through Bonsai” is scheduled for May 5th and 6th, and ALL members of DIBK are encouraged to show a tree as well as to sign up to assist with the show. Not too late to think about what trees you want to groom for the exhibition.
Live. Love. Grow.
Jason Saito
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