It’s nearly that time again, a date for your diary for those in the UK who appreciate good bonsai.
and here are some photos from last years show to see what I mean.
Category Bonsai Events
One to One Bonsai
Well, last night was a first for me. I was asked a few weeks ago after a discussion about pushing yourself further as a bonsaist, if I would do a one to one workshop by a club member.
Up until now, any teaching of bonsai by me has always been in a club environment as part of a pretty big group or just among friends having a lark and a good time. I have organized a lot of workshops with outside professionals and I have taken part in many workshops, even 1 to 1 and 2 to 1 sessions. I don’t do bonsai to make money and I have always tried to be self deprecating and humble when it comes to bonsai, calling myself ‘Bonsai Eejit’ being a prime example. There are so many people out there better than I am at this malarkey and by putting yourself out there as if you know it all, can leave you open for the usual abuse by the small minded!
So when this request came to me, I had to think long and hard. Do I really want to do this? I feel that I am a pretty decent at helping others learn bonsai, in fact, it’s what I enjoy most about club life. No one out there in Ireland that I know of is offering 1 to 1 tuition. So, what the hell, I’ll give it a go and see what happens. Dr Pepper, What’s the worst that can happen?
So getting back to last night, I did a 4 hour [well 5 really] session with my victim. We started off by looking at how to evaluate a bonsai, good points and bad, a massive topic and one that will feature in each session. I was taught this myself in 1 to 1’s with Robert Porch years ago and it has stayed with me ever since. We then had a look at a Juniper brought along for the session. The main purpose was to learn about wiring basics but we got carried away and managed to get the full tree wired on the night. I even set homework, but I won’t go into this in case he cheats 🙂
Feedback has been fantastic and another session is being booked for next month, so I think it’s safe to say it went well.
The whole process also helped me focus on what I feel is important about bonsai and, in a way, helped me learn a little on the night too. The only criticism made was that I made him sit at this school desk 🙂
Only joking, this was the set up.
So after 20 years doing bonsai, this is a new aspect of the art for me and I must admit I’m looking forward to doing more.
Bonsai Ireland… Nearly!
Well last year in July I posted this message calling for a gathering of the clans in Ireland to get a South based club up and running. After some initial momentum, things seemed to stall for various reasons. However in recent weeks it looks like we are on the verge of not one but two clubs making a start, albeit under the one club banner of Bonsai Ireland.
Dublin and Cork look like the first takers in this enterprise and we hope to have a website up and running in the near future, perhaps even with a Forum for Irish Enthusiasts to connect and discuss ideas etc. This main portal will then link to the separate groups within Ireland giving them control of their own content.
Cork are looking at having a first meeting in September, giving themselves time to gather interest and promote over the Summer.
Dublin are exploring the option of meeting at the Botanic Gardens, which was actually were the last club in Ireland met about 15 years ago.
We do have a list of email addresses for those who expressed an interest last time and we will be making contact with you once we have more to tell you. However, in the mean time, if you are in Ireland and are interested in either Cork or Dublin based study groups/Clubs, please click on the contact me tab above to register your interest.
Those of you out West, feel like you are missing out? All we need is someone with the motivation to take the first step and get a meeting organised. We will help. Go on, ya will, ya will, ya will 🙂
As part of the deal, my local Club, the Northern Ireland Bonsai Society has agreed sister club status for any club under the Bonsai Ireland banner. This will allow close working in regards to workshops, schools etc.
Willowbog Sunday Workshop
After a great day at the Saturday Bonsai School, a few bottles that night and a great Indian meal, the Sunday Workshop loomed large.
As usual Peter starts off with at least one tree from each student getting a run through. A great way to start and a great learning experience.
As all good workshops should be, this one isn’t about getting tree styled start to finish, but about knowledge, learning and what’s best for the tree. Here’s some snaps of the workshop and some of the trees worked on during the day.
Alans Cedar before
John’s Maple before
Ben’s Berberis
Stan’s Scottie before
Ben’s half plucked maple
Geraldines Juni
Geraldines Zelkova
Ben’s raw Spruce
The opening hour
Discussing Cedar
John at work
Bud selection
Shari
Cleaning
Learning
Fingers arrives
action shot
trimming
shari done
instruction
concentration
concentration
concentration
after pruning
base
shari
Angle 1
Angle 2
Angle 3
Angle 4
Carving
Hawthorn
Ben’s Spruce
Stan’s Tanuki
After carving
PHEW!!
Well, that’s the long weekend over. Had a great time but am exhausted!
Bonsai School on Saturday, Workshop on Sunday and a Whirlwind Tour of Northern Ireland on Monday. I have heaps of photos to share and you’ll get drip fed over the next few days as I try and squeeze posts in around my real work and the fast approaching Phil and Suse Wedding.
To start, here are some general shots from Saturday’s Bonsai School.
The start
The Students
The Happy Bunch
TheCalm before the storm
The gathering
The dealing
The revenge
The coffee drinker
The browsing
The decision
The beauty
The offer
The rejection
The deal
The flying dog
The Sunshine
The snap
The study
The spin
The end
Bonsai @ Chelsea Flower Show 2013
One of this blog’s roving reporters, (or should that be raving 😉 ) Ben F, was at Chelsea Flower Show today and I asked him to snap a few photos of the bonsai on display. True to his word he has emailed me some nice shots of a few of the stands.
Koujitukai & Tokujyukai Joint Exhibition
Some more from the Bonsai Days Blog from a local exhibition in Japan.
BCI in China
Just had to add links to this! Photos from the BCI in Yangzhao, China.
I don’t think there is a single tree here that doesn’t make you think out of the box! Some I really really love and a few that are a bit out there but really made me stop and look.
Pots and mudmen not always to my taste but even some of these work for me! Don’t take my work for it, check out these links in IBC Forum and French Forum.
Just look!!
Nuts, but I love it 🙂
A Great Weekend
That’s the exhibition over, and it was a very enjoyable weekend. All the hard work and graft was made easier by many hands and good company, oh and the craic 🙂
I’ll be posting plenty of photos of the show during the week, in the meantime I’ll share a photo of the Sunday evening take down team.
Brendan, Roy, Alan, Michael, Harry, Neil, Phil, Me, Ben. Where did Graham go 🙂
Show Set Up Day Three
Final staging last night, all ready for visitors today.
Michael Ian and Hugh at work, well Michael anyway!
Roy and Billy working, well…
Neil taking in the view
…and this is me and the wife on holiday last year….
Good Man Michael, keep it up.
Ben B in quiet contemplation
back corner
long bench
front bench
part of side bench
other part of same bench
what it’s all about.
Ben F, Ben B and Graham in deep discussion.
lovely
Larch group
How long can you hold your breath for Graham
What do they know 🙂
Fingers Phil, Sharon and Big Hugh
Bonsai Eejit 