What keeps you interested in your bonsai club meetings?

[lordy]

THIS WAS ALSO POSTED ON ANOTHER WEBSITE--LOOKING FOR IDEAS HERE.

When I joined a local club in the early '90s there were a lot of old timers that have become the who's who of the local/national bonsai community. Many were personally and directly involved in starting the National Bonsai Foundation, which helps fund the National Arboretum's bonsai museums. Now many have passed, and most of the rest dont participate much any more. Our club membership is still about the same in terms of numbers, but a very small part of the group continue to go to meetings and participate on a regular basis. And a VERY small number of that group actually stepped up and volunteered to lead the club. They have been in place for over 5 years because no one else in the club will get off their butts to take a turn.
Tonight I and two others are to meet and try to come up with a calendar of events for 2013. I am afraid we may stumble a bit with a lack of good ideas for meetings. So, what kinds of things do you really like doing at meetings? Paying for a "bonsai star" to do a demonstration? Hands-on working on your trees? What makes you roll your eyes and not go to meetings? Looking for any and all ideas here, people. I have probably been so close to this forest that I cant see it for the trees! (no pun intended, but in this case it actually works!)

 

[Vance Wood]

THIS WAS ALSO POSTED ON ANOTHER WEBSITE--LOOKING FOR IDEAS HERE.

When I joined a local club in the early '90s there were a lot of old timers that have become the who's who of the local/national bonsai community. Many were personally and directly involved in starting the National Bonsai Foundation, which helps fund the National Arboretum's bonsai museums. Now many have passed, and most of the rest dont participate much any more. Our club membership is still about the same in terms of numbers, but a very small part of the group continue to go to meetings and participate on a regular basis. And a VERY small number of that group actually stepped up and volunteered to lead the club. They have been in place for over 5 years because no one else in the club will get off their butts to take a turn.
Tonight I and two others are to meet and try to come up with a calendar of events for 2013. I am afraid we may stumble a bit with a lack of good ideas for meetings. So, what kinds of things do you really like doing at meetings? Paying for a "bonsai star" to do a demonstration? Hands-on working on your trees? What makes you roll your eyes and not go to meetings? Looking for any and all ideas here, people. I have probably been so close to this forest that I cant see it for the trees! (no pun intended, but in this case it actually works!)

The single most important thing you can provide for your club is interest. Slide shows, movies, and puppet shows don't cut it. Demonstrations and work shops will bring people in. Get a bonsai rock star for one meeting and go with local talent the rest of the year. People want to get their hands dirty. You must have people in your club that can do a demonstration on material they are good with, and also assist in doing various workshops. Find someone within the club that knows enough about bonsai that he/she is capable of choosing some decent nursery material for various workshops. This is not brain surgery. People join a club because they want to do bonsai-----DO BONSAI!

This will educate the beginners, involve the intermediate members and keep the old timers coming. What ever you do don't be afraid to get involved with the politics of running a club, someone has to do it and if you don't like the way it is currently being done change it. But realize most people want to be led and not lead.

 

[JudyB]

I don't (and have never) belonged to a club, but I can tell you what would entice me to join one...
It may be more of a study group that would work for me, where members bring in trees that need work, to get critique, and learn techniques, and actually work on the trees.
Occasional shows, with good vendors would be interesting to me as well.

I can tell you what would (and has) dissuaded me from joining (other than my work schedule).

Using the club as mostly a social event, instead of making the focus advancing the trees of the club members.
Poor quality shows, with little of what I'd consider good trees.

I hope this doesn't seem snotty, I'm just being honest about how I feel about clubs, and my general impression of them.
Maybe someday I'll give it a shot, if I ever find the time available.

 

[Ron Dennis]

Interesting questions

Our local club has a meeting at night. One of the things I like is our swap and shop before our meeting. I really enjoy seeing and hearing what our more experienced members have done and learning from them. We had a really good potter come in at one meeting to discuss pots. To me, this was one of the very best meetings. I have learned a lot from the experienced on timely topics geared to the current needs of the trees.

On the Saturday following our meeting, we have a workshop in which the more experienced try to help those with less experiece. This is a good opportunity if one will participate.

A couple of times a year we have the bonsai super stars come in for a one-on-one workshop. The slots are limited and each participant gets a reasonable amount of time. We have Ryan Neil coming next fall and everyone is excited about this. I have already signed up for two sessions--hope I don't embarass myself.

It has to be a big challenge to pick topics that will help the new comers and still keep the experienced interested.
Here are a couple of topics I would personally like to have discussed in detail:
(1) What to look for when selecting a tree--more than the usual trunk, taper, nebari etc
(2) Deciding on the right style for a tree
(3) Local challenges of trees
(4) Maintenance time requirements
(5) Pot selection
(6) Best way to display a tree in your local shows

 

[Vance Wood]

I don't (and have never) belonged to a club, but I can tell you what would entice me to join one...
It may be more of a study group that would work for me, where members bring in trees that need work, to get critique, and learn techniques, and actually work on the trees.
Occasional shows, with good vendors would be interesting to me as well.

I can tell you what would (and has) dissuaded me from joining (other than my work schedule).

Using the club as mostly a social event, instead of making the focus advancing the trees of the club members.
Poor quality shows, with little of what I'd consider good trees.

I hope this doesn't seem snotty, I'm just being honest about how I feel about clubs, and my general impression of them.
Maybe someday I'll give it a shot, if I ever find the time available.

Sometimes the lack of quality trees in a club show, which I think is important, is because a particular club has no quality trees to show. This happens. However if you believe your trees are so superior to those other club members are showing then maybe you should step up to the plate. Clubs should not be all take and no give. Personally I get a lot out of giving, so in short I take a lot by trying to help other members grow better bonsai. I agree a club should not be a social event, though to totally rule friendly exchange between members is stupid and self defeating.

 

[Poink88]

Good thread.

"It is hard to rekindle the fire if all you have left is ash." That said, there are some who just need a little push but I would love to draw new members too. What deters most potential (and current) hobbyist IMHO are time and money.

- Make the meeting time or location more friendly.
- Share tips to do this hobby cheaply. They can graduate later to better things but reel them in first! Among those "newbies" might be a diamond in the rough. I missed a meeting discussing this, luckily, I am already practicing most of those discussed.

Encourage people to bring in their trees for help, guidance, and tips...and make sure to devote time on it. Nothing more frustrating than bringing your tree and nothing happens. Maybe choose a few trees for general discussion. Encourage new members to show/share their stick and stumps as well...even if only with pictures. Celebrate each tree.

Workshops, workshops, workshops. We usually have a discussion about a topic during a meeting and it is followed by actual workshop the next, putting the lessons to actual practice. Most of the time it is a seasoned member who runs it. Tap those local talents.

Of course nothing beats the big guns...world renowned masters always draw the crowd...member or not.

Have an agenda but be prepared to deviate if a good discussion is going... Asking and feeling what the members want is the best.

Avoid turning the meetings into a fund raising event. Pressure to participate can be a turn off. Make it fun and keep the discussion on problems and challenges down to the minimum.

Good luck and I would love to hear/read other ideas as well.

 

[Nybonsai12]

I joined a club earlier this year because I wanted to learn more. Nothing in particular other than the desire to get info from more experienced folks was what enticed me. Now that I have gone to a bunch of meetings I will say what is most enjoyable are the demonstrations performed usually by a big name and the workshops where a senior member helps with a tree.

I can see how it would not be as exciting for a senior member who has knowledge and has seen many demos. Hopefully for them the interest will remain in that they enjoy passing on info, teaching and spending time with other members with which they have friendships.

 

[lordy]

I can see how it would not be as exciting for a senior member who has knowledge and has seen many demos. Hopefully for them the interest will remain in that they enjoy passing on info, teaching and spending time with other members with which they have friendships.

Like Vance Wood said, I too find myself usually giving tips and advice to newer members who seem to be lost, or at least not have good direction. I was on the other end of the equation back when I started and remember picking the brains of those who were the grizzled vets from the 70's. I enjoy helping out those who have not done it so much. It is fun for me when I see on their faces a sense of accomplishment after they successfully wire a branch or appropriately orient a tree in a pot or repot a tree for the first time.

 

[Vance Wood]

I joined a club earlier this year because I wanted to learn more. Nothing in particular other than the desire to get info from more experienced folks was what enticed me. Now that I have gone to a bunch of meetings I will say what is most enjoyable are the demonstrations performed usually by a big name and the workshops where a senior member helps with a tree.

I can see how it would not be as exciting for a senior member who has knowledge and has seen many demos. Hopefully for them the interest will remain in that they enjoy passing on info, teaching and spending time with other members with which they have friendships.

Personally I enjoy giving the demos and work shops. Face it, it is not likely the club is going to be able to afford to bring in someone who I am prone to drive across town to see. Do I think I'm that good? Absolutely not, not that good, and not that interested in some big named talent.

 

[Dwight]

When I do get to go a meeting I've driven 250 miles so anything works.

 

[lordy]

When I do get to go a meeting I've driven 250 miles so anything works.

I probably live the farthest from our meeting place of our whole club membership. About 30 miles or so. Most members are under 10 miles away. Cant figure if they work a lot or have other interests or are just ambivalent.
250 miles? Why dont you just take your helicopter?

 

[Tona]

This is a great thread. I think it is an ongoing chore for club board members to keep things fresh and interesting.

Ron, how does the "Swap and Shop" work? It sounds like a good idea.

All of the suggestions are good. I'm on our club board and I'm guessing that most clubs follow a pattern similar to this:

Our typical meeting is held on the first Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. There is a workshop that starts about 5:00 p.m. that one or two retired club member’s hold. It is not a class but a place to get different opinions etc. (free advice if you will) and work on your trees. Our board meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. Typically we either have a demo, lecture or a "bring your tree night workshop". This Wednesday for instance we are having a lecture on re-potting and soils by Ryan Nichols a graduate student of plant biology and a Bonsai practitioner.
We have a raffle table with various Bonsai stuff. Usually if there is a demo we raffle off the demo tree also. Typical of most clubs I believe.
Typically one or more members will bring a Niche Tree and tell the members it's story.

Any new or different activities that anyone has done would be greatly appreciated.

Tona

 

[monza]

Regarding a swap meet, heres the best swap meet I've seen, on a club members driveway: (from smoke-Al)

http://bonsaial.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/fourth-annual-swapmeet-is-in-the-books/

I can only dream of such things locally.

 

[Gene Deci]

There are two things our club does that usually generate excitment and have not been mentioned in this thread. Each spring we arrange a colleting trip. Sometimes it is on land a member owns but we have also gone to land that developers were going to build on and to Conservancy land. Once a farmer at our annual club show asked where we got our trees. In the course of the discussion, he offered his farm for a collection trip. There are opportunities out there if people are willing to look for them. There are some very fine trees in the club that started from these collection trips.

Once a year we hold an auction. It is popular because people bring in good stuff to donate to the auction. All proceeds go to the club. People bring in pots, tools, and most importanly trees. The trees are mostly starter material, but with good potential. Occasionally some more refined trees are donated. as well as other more unexpected stuff. We had a bag of turface once and a collection of bonsai pins. But it only works if people are willing to contribute.

 

[lordy]

There are two things our club does that usually generate excitment and have not been mentioned in this thread. Each spring we arrange a colleting trip. Sometimes it is on land a member owns but we have also gone to land that developers were going to build on and to Conservancy land. Once a farmer at our annual club show asked where we got our trees. In the course of the discussion, he offered his farm for a collection trip. There are opportunities out there if people are willing to look for them. There are some very fine trees in the club that started from these collection trips.

Once a year we hold an auction. It is popular because people bring in good stuff to donate to the auction. All proceeds go to the club. People bring in pots, tools, and most importanly trees. The trees are mostly starter material, but with good potential. Occasionally some more refined trees are donated. as well as other more unexpected stuff. We had a bag of turface once and a collection of bonsai pins. But it only works if people are willing to contribute.

Our club does these activities annually as well. I like both of them too. Our auction is a bit different in that only 30% goes to the club, but every year several people give 100% to the club, or a former member might discontinue practicing bonsai, or pass away, and the club has been the benefactor of several of these donations.
These are good things to do as a club for sure, but that may only account for one or two of the monthly meetings. The tough part is to keep it fresh, make it interesting and something people will get in their car and drive to one night per month. Another problem is that I dont think it would be a good idea to repeat the same program every year. Some months do lend themselves to certain topics, however. If I have the last word in our planning sessions, hands-on tree work will be included more often than not. There are only so many times you can watch someone wire a tree before the level of uptake starts to fall off. Pretty soon you just need to bend a few branches yourself. Right? Like the guy who showed me said, "Stop bending the branch just before it breaks..."

 

[october]

Like Vance said.. Doing actual bonsai. To specify further STYLING. It is the styling of trees that keeps everyone interested. Cutting/chopping a large tree to create a small tree, wiring, jin and shari, bending difficult trunks and branches etc..Styling should always be a priority. I mean, actual hands on work, whether a demonstration or people working on their own trees with guidance.

All other sub categories, such as pot size, pot selection, winter care, display etc..could be considered part of the class, but not the main topic. The great thing is that there are always trees to be styled. Maples and pines around spring, fall and winter. Junipers for a big part of the year and tropicals almost all year.

Rob

 

[Ris]

Hi, as a newbie I joined 2 clubs and first expression from the group was that they say hi to
the members they know. The chairman don't ask if there are visitors/new members obviously you can notice new faces and you don't really feel welcome as the meeting continue.
I would say the board members should after welcoming all attending members divide into smaller
Groups with members and work with them.
Find good meterial to do demo's on.
Raffle good quality in different stages on pre bonsai trees.
Have members bring in a tree to do a time limit demo so say 5 people per meeting, saying what he/she
See in that tree for stlying .
I can sure come up with more...

Rishi.

 

[berobinson82]

My club brings in big names about 2wice a year which is a great perk. Besides that, it's mostly a social club for sexagenarians. I wish they would plan more meetings to bring in trees and what not. As it is, I'm learning much more from the internet and literature. SO, thanks Nuts, you are my club.

 

[Vance Wood]

My club brings in big names about 2wice a year which is a great perk. Besides that, it's mostly a social club for sexagenarians. I wish they would plan more meetings to bring in trees and what not. As it is, I'm learning much more from the internet and literature. SO, thanks Nuts, you are my club.

I really don't understand how or why some old fart bonsai growers would want to get together and not fool around with bonsai? Maybe it's just me but I am not that kind of social animal that has to use bonsai as an excuse to get out of the house and drink beer, smoke cigars and watch football.

 

[jkd2572]

I'm a member of the Dallas bonsai club. I have never been to a meeting because they always hold them on saturday mornings, which I can't make. If the had them on week nights I would go for sure.