Nov. 16 - Japanese Black Pine, Broadleaf, and Japanese Maple Continuing Bonsai Classes

  

The Gulf Coast Bonsai Foundation is continuing its membership drive, with a focus on preserving legacy specimen bonsai for the next generation. This will begin with a permanent public bonsai exhibit at the Burden Museum and Gardens, 4560 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, for which members are needed for bonsai care and visitor education. The first step is to help members develop their own bonsai collection, so you will have bonsai to show and loan to the collection.  With enough members, this specimen bonsai collection can function on a rotational basis to keep the display fresh and interesting, thereby attracting members into joining not only the Foundation, but local bonsai clubs, like the Louisiana Bonsai Society, Bonsai Society of the Acadiana, Greater New Orleans Bonsai, and others as well to support the exhibit. An agreement with the LSU AgCenter and Foundation has already been established, providing space for the exhibit and tax-deductible donations for garden maintenance. When we grow enough, they will hire a curator.   

To help you develop your bonsai collection, you can improve one or more of your specimens over the course of several workshops hosted by the foundation and guided by some of the best bonsai-teaching experts in the world: Lawrence LeClaire specializes in pine and juniper bonsai, Joe Day specializes in broadleaf evergreen and deciduous (including azaleas) bonsai, and Randy Bennett will teaching Japanese maples and bald cypress. Saturday November 16^th we will host a three “bring your own tree” workshops, with special attention given to Japanese black pine/juniper, broadleaf, and Japanese maple. These Continuing Bonsai Workshops will take place at Waddill Outdoor Educational Center, 4142 Flannery Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70814.  Registration starts at 8:00 and workshops start at 9:00, Saturday, November 16.

The workshops will be divided into three sections, pines, broadleaf bonsai, and Japanese maples so everyone can participate in all three sections.  The workshops will start at 9:00 AM.  We will start the workshops by having three short lectures/seminars reviewing the workshop trees, discussing specific bonsai development plans and caring for bonsai.  Each participant can listen to any or all the lectures, while silently working on their tree, then as each lecturer is finished with his lecture he will be coming around to assist each participant.  This is setup so all participants can listen to all the lectures and maximize the learning experience for the observers.  We are trying increase bonsai information exchange while not boring anyone or wasting their time.

Lawrence LeClaire, who has many years’ experience and an impressive Japanese black pine and juniper bonsai collection, will conduct the “bring your own tree” pine/juniper workshop. He has concentrated his study on the needs and habits of pines and junipers at each stage and season of development to bring your bonsai to the next stage.  He will spend one to two hours reviewing each pine/juniper tree and conducting a class/seminar on pine/juniper bonsai explaining development, horticulture, and specific development plans for your trees

Then Joe Day, who has over thirty years’ experience teaching bonsai workshops and has developed many innovative techniques – you would be hard-pressed to find someone who knows more about caring for bonsai in our climate, much less developing them step-by-step into very fine specimens – something exemplified by his large, and high-quality collection.  He will spend one to two hours reviewing the trees in broadleaf workshop and conduct the broadleaf bonsai class/seminar.

Randy Bennett, who learned bonsai by participating in Vaughn Banting workshops and bonsai study groups. He has conducted workshops, classes, and study groups for decades and developed a very impressive bonsai collection that was unfortunately destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. He specializes in Japanese maple bonsai and has grown pre-bonsai Japanese maples for more than thirty years. As most of you know, growing and developing Japanese maples in our climate is a challenge and there is no one more capable of ensuring your success. 

We encourage you to bring your pine or juniper, broadleaf, and/or Japanese maple bonsai you have worked on in previous classes to develop them to the next level, but you are also able to start a new bonsai. This makes it possible for new students to start at any stage and continue to Stage Nine. These workshops/seminars are designed for both observers and participants to learn new bonsai techniques regardless of experience level. While you may bring more than one bonsai for each class, you may not be able to work on more than one bonsai due to time constraints; however, you can get development suggestions on the additional bonsai.

It’s advisable to bring the same bonsai back to the session for the next step in its development, but anyone can start with a new or different bonsai at any workshop/class. Likewise, there is no restriction on attendance – if you miss one session, you can simply come to the next one. All classes are open for new students, with the only requirement being that you have a bonsai or pre-bonsai plant. These classes are custom-made for the bonsai hobbyist (weekend warrior) with hands-on learning to help you develop your collection.

The fees (payable at the door) are as follows:

$45 ($35 for members) to participate in one workshop

$70 ($60 for members) to participate in two workshops

$80 ($70 for members) to participate in three workshops

$12 to observe

Checks should be made payable to Gulf Coast Bonsai Foundation. Lunch is included, and there will be door prizes and an auction, so bringing additional cash money and anything you would like to donate for a door prize will be appreciated. The proceeds will go to Gulf Coast Bonsai Foundation to help maintain a bonsai collection and develop a bonsai exhibit garden.

These are remarkable workshops! Lawrence, Joe, and Randy are excellent teachers and there will be an inspiring variety of bonsai. If you need some material to use in the workshop, please let me know and I will help you find some starter material. Please RSVP to reserve your spot in the workshop, as space is limited!

For any further questions or suggestions, please contact me. 

Lowell Tilley: 225-272-6744 (Home) or 225-241-2396 (Cell)

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GULF COAST BONSAI FOUNDATION

CONTINUING BONSAI WORKSHOPS

Saturday November 16^th, 2019

Waddill Outdoor Educational Center

4142 Flannery Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70814

Bring Your Own Tree for Each Workshop Participation

Registration starts at 8:00 am, Workshop 9:00 am

Featuring Expert Bonsai Artists:

Joe Day-Broadleaf  Bonsai,  Randy Bennett-Japanese Maple Bonsai, Lawrence LeClaire-Pine/Juniper Bonsai

                $45 ($35 for GCBF members) to participate in one workshop.

                $70 ($60 for GCBF members) to participate in two workshops.

                $80 ($70 for GCBF members) to participate in three workshops.

$12 to observe workshops.  Lunch is included in Fee.

Proceeds will go to Gulf Coast Bonsai Foundation to maintain a permanent public bonsai exhibit at the Burden Museum and Gardens with a focus on preserving legacy specimen bonsai for the next generation. Members are needed for bonsai care and visitor education.  GCBF membership is $30/yr.

RSVP as space is limited

Lowell Tilley: 225-272-6744 (Home) or 225-241-2396 (Cell)