Pacific Bonsai Expo, Oakland CA, November 12-13, 2022

Sansokuu

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If anyone has suggestions for seminar-type programming that would happen in the 10am-3pm times during the show we'd be happy to consider suggestions.
I really love Choe Young, if she could do a demo on kusamono that would be really fantastic. She is wonderfully friendly and passionate about kusamono, any workshop or talk I’ve attended with her at the helm have been nothing short of a great time. Would even ditch Nao at the table to attend myself 😂. Accents are so complementary to bonsai I can’t imagine her not being there.

Demos/how tos are pretty important imo, if you want it more advanced than ‘how to bonsai’ I’m sure Andrew Robson can do a shohin specific talk. I bet Nao could do something too, even something like ’how to find a pot/commission a pot’ to debunking bonsai pottery myths, the history of traditional forms or showing off his growing test tile collection. Demos/seminars and vendors are pretty big draws to shows, and then networking/socializing in addition to that. Gotta keep attendees busy !!
 

Sansokuu

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Here's a little shop preview of a few items Nao and I will be bringing to the expo. Yes, he will be bringing bonsai pot.... MUGS. I might bring some of my yunomi style tea cups with chojugiga motifs for your non-bonsai infatuated friends/family you'll drag along. 😂 Nao has been puttering around in the ceramic studio every day for hours making pots for the show, this is going to be some super fun in person shopping. 💕
 

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Godschick

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Here's a little shop preview of a few items Nao and I will be bringing to the expo
I can’t wait to see all your stuff. I think it’s going to be an amazing expo. I got my ticket last week and I’m so excited for this event! Between this, the Rendezvous in Santa Nella and the Chino Show, it should turn out to be a busy and fun Fall.
 

Sansokuu

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They have shirts for sale! ☺️
 

Sansokuu

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Any reason not to have demos? Theyre a big draw
We’ve been to a shohin exhibition in Japan, not Gafu-ten, but a good sized show. It didn’t have any demos or guests but the small building had a few floors of bonsai and beautiful pots to view, and quite a few vendors with bonsai supplies, pots, and trees for sale. They had everything from little bronze animals to tools to Kinbon books/magazines. There was a food cart too and relaxing eating area. But overall it was something we could spend a few hours at or half the day. I’m guessing unless there are demos or speakers at certain times to keep people onsite, the experience would be similar. The Lake Merritt Bonsai Museum isn’t too far so a few hours can be spent there too.
 

Ruddigger

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But overall it was something we could spend a few hours at or half the day. I’m guessing unless there are demos or speakers at certain times to keep people onsite, the experience would be similar. The Lake Merritt Bonsai Museum isn’t too far so a few hours can be spent there too.

Yeah, I probably wont spend too much time there, you can only cruise the same vendors and look at the same exhibits so many times. At the last GSBF convention Liz and I watched Taiga style a juniper for 6 hours straight.
 

Hartinez

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Yeah, I probably wont spend too much time there, you can only cruise the same vendors and look at the same exhibits so many times. At the last GSBF convention Liz and I watched Taiga style a juniper for 6 hours straight.
Dayum. Thats commitment Rud!
 

Sansokuu

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Vendors I know of so far from Oregon: Us (Tokutake Bonsai & Sansokuu Arts), Vicki Chamberlain (Earthwares), Matt Reel (@reelbonsai), West Coast Bonsai (John Eads), Rakuyo Bonsai (Andrew Robson) -
 

Eric Schrader

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I should hire Mary to do PR. Lol.
As of now we are planning talks for Saturday and Sunday. Exact schedule and topics TBD
Any reason not to have demos? Theyre a big draw.
Demos - Jonas and I share the opinion that demos are a symptom of what is often wrong with bonsai learning. Because, at least from my perspective, no demo attendee ever learned what they needed to know from the demo to get them to a show like the PBE. Demo's are a combination of an economic mechanism for supporting club activities and entertainment. They can inspire, but rarely teach. We hope to inspire people with the show trees. And we can teach people through discussions and docent tours.

All that said, there is a slight chance of a demo...lol.
 

NaoTK

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discussions and docent tours.
This seems like a nice compromise, you just want scheduled events to get people to hang around for more than a few hours. I would love to walk the show multiple times and hear different pro critiques. This also allows complete outsiders to comprehend what they are seeing.
 

Sansokuu

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Demos - Jonas and I share the opinion that demos are a symptom of what is often wrong with bonsai learning. Because, at least from my perspective, no demo attendee ever learned what they needed to know from the demo to get them to a show like the PBE. Demo's are a combination of an economic mechanism for supporting club activities and entertainment. They can inspire, but rarely teach. We hope to inspire people with the show trees. And we can teach people through discussions and docent tours.

All that said, there is a slight chance of a demo...lol.
Hmm, I can understand that perspective. A different take on that is maybe professionals are styling trees throughout the day and people can ask questions as they work. Some can take a seat and watch and enjoy the process. Seems more like an active engagement activity than a passive viewing scheduled event with questions afterward.

One wild idea is what if three mystery trees are brought in, and three bonsai professionals style them through the weekend iron chef style?! 😆 Audience votes on a ‘winner’! I know bonsai is very serious and all but some of y’all are lying if you’re not secretly hoping for some shenanigans lol.
 

Eric Schrader

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Hmm, I can understand that perspective. A different take on that is maybe professionals are styling trees throughout the day and people can ask questions as they work. Some can take a seat and watch and enjoy the process. Seems more like an active engagement activity than a passive viewing scheduled event with questions afterward.

One wild idea is what if three mystery trees are brought in, and three bonsai professionals style them through the weekend iron chef style?! 😆 Audience votes on a ‘winner’! I know bonsai is very serious and all but some of y’all are lying if you’re not secretly hoping for some shenanigans lol.
OMG, don't get me going on Iron Bonsai challenges. Two-headed and Three-headed demos are a feature of nearly every event in Europe. I don't think it changes the core problem.
Admittedly, I do take things too seriously some times. Unless it's one of my own jokes, they're always worth a laugh. I'm chuckling as I wrote that.
 

Sansokuu

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OMG, don't get me going on Iron Bonsai challenges. Two-headed and Three-headed demos are a feature of nearly every event in Europe. I don't think it changes the core problem.
Admittedly, I do take things too seriously some times. Unless it's one of my own jokes, they're always worth a laugh. I'm chuckling as I wrote that.
I’m in the wrong country! 😂😂

I can understand the existence of a problem but sometimes folks are looking for a good relaxing time. Give attendees some info for workshops and one on one engagements with attending professionals for after the show. 😉

Speaking of, will attendees get a program ? It could have advertising in it and some inspirational words and photos from the organizers. :)
 

Eric Schrader

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I’m in the wrong country! 😂😂

I can understand the existence of a problem but sometimes folks are looking for a good relaxing time. Give attendees some info for workshops and one on one engagements with attending professionals for after the show. 😉

Speaking of, will attendees get a program ? It could have advertising in it and some inspirational words and photos from the organizers. :)
Yes! The printed program will contain artists' statements about the trees as well as other information about the exhibit and will be a good souvenir.
I'll put on my :") Fun :") 😋 thinking hat and try to get beyond the seriousness part for programming.
We also now have three styles of t-shirts available. (They are print-on-demand from the online store.)

A photo from our recent visit to the venue just for fun. 😍

2022-08-22 14.38.13.jpg
 

Sansokuu

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😮😮😮 Mirai podcast re: Pacific Bonsai Expo! And lots of fun nursery chat (where is this nursery Eric? Would love to visit!)
 

Wood

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Yes! For those of you who have an interest - Ryan graciously invited us to participate and we had a great conversation. Just wish the audio from my end was better. :rolleyes:

Your discussion on growing and how important the genetics of a tree are was enlightening and fascinating. Makes me excited for my own projects. I recently took about 60 cuttings from a landscape Japanese maple with leaves barely bigger than a quarter. Hopefully more than a handful take
 

Sansokuu

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Your discussion on growing and how important the genetics of a tree are was enlightening and fascinating.
Genetics is a really fun thing with things grown from seed, something you can’t get from air layering or grafting onto root stock. Takes a ton more patience though But certainly worth it. Fun fact: We have a white Asclepias speciosa (Showy milkweed, an Oregon native). It is genetically distinct enough from the original plant that Nao registered it as a unique cultivar. Fun stuff!
 
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