Is the current bonsai instructional system broken?

[AZbonsai]

several demos next to each other at the same time.

Great idea! Just passed it on to one of the PBS board members for consideration.

 

[Owen Reich]

Multiple

Nothing beats hands-on experience. Even if you are sitting directly in front of an instructor, nothing beats an instructor showing how to do something, and then handing the student a tree and saying "now show me how you do it."

One way that I am trying to really leverage online instruction is to watch a video, and then immediately go do the same work on one of my trees. In the case of Mirai, which has developed a pretty significant catalog of back content, I am actually starting to do this in reverse... find a tree on my bench that needs work, think about what I would do, and then try to find a Mirai video that covers the content. Seems like it takes me about three times of watching the same video (over the course of months or years) until I really absorb everything that is said and done.

One thing I will just add to the whole "public demonstration" issue. One format that I find particularly effective is to run several demos next to each other at the same time. That way one instructor can talk for a bit about their tree and what they are doing... and then be allowed to work in solitude for a bit while another instructor takes the mike. They use this format at the Bonsaiathon in Pasadena every year, with advanced instructors (and a relatively advanced audience) and it seems to work well.

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I completely agree about multiple demos at once, or for the weekend with planned updates on progress for those interested in the how and why.

Bonsai is not the easiest thing to keep a crowds attention on. There are some with backgrounds in teaching that do bonsai professionally. Adam Jones is the next big thing for bonsai instruction in my opinion. Studied at Mansei-en and has the tremendous respect of many for building a bonsai garden outside Tokyo. Been to 3 of his club and exhibition events, and I’m a fan. Would be great if budding bonsai pros could work with Adam or get some sort of teaching short course. I was not great at it for a few years, but studied those that are good and improved. Not every pro wants to teach all the time. Heard from many “I just want to be left alone to work on trees”. Many times I’d agree, as
that is what I’ve chosen to do; lockdown or no. Imagine what all the bonsai styled this year will look like in two years.

Juan Andrade doing a major video series on repurposing material and thinking about the plants more abstractly would be excellent as well. Suthin, Nick Lenz, and Juan stand out to me as those that do the mad scientist “what if we.... layer the top and turn is sideways.... graft a single branch.... 5 years later it’s a killer bonsai with a new lease on life.

 

[BonsaiQueen1]

Strong well organized clubs can be arranged...it takes a lot of time and most members dont realize the effort put into club mamagement. Its also nice when there is a group effort and club members are willing to give time, as in a club it's all volunteer, and many hands make a light load!