Young bonsai artist from Tennessee..astounding bonsai

[Poink88]

Now what about us and no teachers, just books and images - chuckle.

Some of us are hobbyists and will remain hobbyists. Just happy to do the hobby and learn as much as we can from books and pics. Nothing wrong with that.

That said, if I stumble on a pile of gold (or maybe win the lotto)...I certainly won't mind getting taught by the masters.

 

[Bill S]

Poink, thats the beauty of clubs, sharing the costs, and spending half a day with one of these guys/gals at a very reasonable cost. Most of the workshops we hav ehad with traveling artists usually is between $45 to $75 depending on the artist and number of people in the workshops. You don't need to hit the lottery. Many of these guys will cometo your backyard and work on your trees for a reasonable amount$300-600 for a day. Thats a very lot of learning on your own.

 

[Poink88]

Poink, thats the beauty of clubs, sharing the costs, and spending half a day with one of these guys/gals at a very reasonable cost. Most of the workshops we hav ehad with traveling artists usually is between $45 to $75 depending on the artist and number of people in the workshops. You don't need to hit the lottery. Many of these guys will cometo your backyard and work on your trees for a reasonable amount$300-600 for a day. Thats a very lot of learning on your own.

I know and agree.

Kathy Shaner comes as adviser to (The Texas State Bonsai Exhibit) TTSBE annually. We work with her for 2 days for free (TTSBE pays her) working on the exhibit trees under her tutelage. I love that one. One day I had her all by myself during lunch break (we both didn't eat)...I learned a lot in that hour and got my best praise (bonsai wise) to date .

As part of her trip, she also conducts bring your own tree workshops for very reasonable fee. I believe some brings 5 trees and hope she can get to them all or at least discuss design plans. I'll see if I can sign up for those this year.

I think she cost around $800 a day though.

 

[Anthony]

Dario,

$800.00 US = $5,040 TT$

That would be a decent salary for a lower middle class worker for a month, and you could have a wife with two children, a two bedroom government built house, and about 50 x 100 feet of land.

Amazing!

The guys down here would never pay that, even if what is left of the society chipped in.
And that is for a day --- wow!
We are never going to have Bonsai Teachers down here.
Back to my poverty.
Good Morning.
Anthony

 

[Beng]

I think Dario meant that was what she charges to lead a workshop for a large club or group.

Ben

 

[Anthony]

Ben,

as a bit of experience from Art classes, one person can only effectively teach 5 to 8 people, and that would be folk who can already draw /paint tolerably well.

I have watched K, teach both Art and Bonsai classes. He limits both types of teaching sessions to 5 people, and he is an experienced Fine Artist. I am just a low grade bloke in advertising stuff, you know ketchup labels.

So that would still be a pricey teacher.
Good Morning.
Anthony

 

[Vance Wood]

Dario,

$800.00 US = $5,040 TT$

That would be a decent salary for a lower middle class worker for a month, and you could have a wife with two children, a two bedroom government built house, and about 50 x 100 feet of land.

Amazing!

The guys down here would never pay that, even if what is left of the society chipped in.
And that is for a day --- wow!
We are never going to have Bonsai Teachers down here.
Back to my poverty.
Good Morning.
Anthony

People charge those prices because they have found that enough people consider that fee reasonable for the talent they have hired.

 

[Poink88]

I think Dario meant that was what she charges to lead a workshop for a large club or group.

Ben,

While true, her time and price I believe is the same whether she is teaching a group, or an individual, or maintaining ones collection. IIRC, the price is plus travel and accommodation cost by the way so it is higher. To lower the additional cost she try to do more classes each trip.

Anthony,

I am with you and the reason I mostly do the free stuff. During the convention/symposium, I just observed because I cannot justify the workshop fee(s). I almost did not register full time (and just planned on doing the daily fee w/ restricted access) but my club offered to pay for my registration so I can do the emerging talent competition. I did the competition but paid my own full registration (returned the club check).

Expensive is relative, I know people who won't even think about not attending the class if a "master" is in town. Ryan Neil (I believe) cost even much more.

As I said, we all do things differently and do what we have to enjoy the hobby.

 

[Beng]

New Bonsai Art of Japan video up with great tips for pruning broad leaf trees. Esp flowering cherries, i'd guess the same can be applied to other flowering trees.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqBcs7FAqRw

 

[Beng]

And another one earlier this week on tridents.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ugf1oWLuDyE&list=UUMIZqKAtSetjReDVLvBV0tA&index=2

 

[Martin Sweeney]

All,

Bjorn will be in the greater Charlotte, NC area (Mooresville, NC to be specific) on August 31st at the Bonsai Learning Center. They have one workshop spot open, and more can be seen here:

http://www.bonsailearningcenter.com/classes.html

Also, while specifics are not yet known, he will be appearing at a special Sunday 9/1 meeting of the Bonsai Society of the Carolinas. I will try to update here as details become available. Details might be available at a later date at:

http://www.bonsaicarolina.org/apps/calendar/showEvent?calID=6209854&eventID=211479502

Regards,
Martin

 

[Martin Sweeney]

All,

Bjorn will be here before we know it. In fact, check out the next 2 weekends I have the opportunity to enjoy here in the Charlotte area.

First, this coming Saturday 8/24, Arthur Joura will be presenting a program on a retrospective look at the NC Arboretum Collection, how it started, where it went and where it is going and why. (1:00pm to 4:00pm at UNCC McMillan Greenhouse). This will be Arthur's 19th yearly visit to the BSOC. I was there for the first. By the way, Arthur may not be showing it, he is getting old.....

Then on Saturday 9/1, Bjorn will be at the Bonsai Learning Center in Mooresville, which is having an all day BYOT workshop, see the link in the previous post. They had sold out, but someone backed out, so they have an opening. On Sunday 9/2, I will be going to the Bonsai Society of the Carolinas' day with Bjorn with a morning Demo and taking the afternoon BYOT workshop.

I am very much looking forward to all of this excellent Bonsai activity the next 2 weeks.

Regards,
Martin

 

[fore]

All,

Bjorn will be here before we know it. In fact, check out the next 2 weekends I have the opportunity to enjoy here in the Charlotte area.

First, this coming Saturday 8/24, Arthur Joura will be presenting a program on a retrospective look at the NC Arboretum Collection, how it started, where it went and where it is going and why. (1:00pm to 4:00pm at UNCC McMillan Greenhouse). This will be Arthur's 19th yearly visit to the BSOC. I was there for the first. By the way, Arthur may not be showing it, he is getting old.....

Then on Saturday 9/1, Bjorn will be at the Bonsai Learning Center in Mooresville, which is having an all day BYOT workshop, see the link in the previous post. They had sold out, but someone backed out, so they have an opening. On Sunday 9/2, I will be going to the Bonsai Society of the Carolinas' day with Bjorn with a morning Demo and taking the afternoon BYOT workshop.

I am very much looking forward to all of this excellent Bonsai activity the next 2 weeks.

Regards,
Martin

Martin, I just had the opportunity to meet Bjorn this weekend at the Midwest show. What a super nice guy!...and tall He did a demo on a needle juniper that was impressive given the difficulty of the tree. Plus, he's SO fast at seeing the trees potential, making the crucial cuts, and wiring. Pretty impressive. I'm sure you'll learn a lot. Have fun!
Chris

 

[Martin Sweeney]

All,

Bjorn came and went. It was awesome. Mind clearly blown on 3 occasions, with numerous minor eruptions. I tried to upload some pictures, but it just didn't work. For those of you who use Facebook, you can see some pictures here

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bonsai-Learning-Center/557277224336039

from both the Bonsai Learning Center's workshop on Saturday and the Bonsai Society of the Carolina's workshop today at the Bonsai Learning Center. I am the shrek sized guy in the white shirt.

Anyway, if you ever have an opportunity to work with Bjorn Bjorholm, you should do whatever you have to do short of breaking a commandment to do so. I will be doing whatever it takes to work with him again as soon as he is back in the greater Charlotte area.

To answer some of the questions about his future plans, he is currently working on his PHD in Economics. Sadly, he is not figuring out the opportunity cost of 3-yr quaranteed importation of fine quality bonsai and it's impact on the health of the US economy in an attempt to make it easier for us all to import Kokufu Ten winners. Something about cultural impacts on e-commerce or other. Anyway, he does not see himself working an office job and expects to make a determination on remaining in Japan or returning to the US in about 4-5 years. In the meantime he is working on a second DVD and is planning another bonsai teaching tour in the US, tentatively for the Spring of 2014. If you find yourself within a 4-5 hour drive of this man, you owe it to yourself to make that drive and learn how to work professionally on bonsai.

Regards,
Martin