News & Events

The month of September is a very busy bonsai month both with things going on and other things NOT going on, so in order to be where you want to be, and not be disappointed by showing up for a non-event, please read this Newsletter very carefully, and mark your calendars.

September Program: Our meeting on September 18th will feature our own Robert Stoll offering a demonstration and a workshop on tree carving.

When most people find a tree interesting or attractive its usually not because it is just a nice tree, but because it has a certain feature. That feature might be a particularly interesting trunk, roots, branch formation, flowers, fruit, etc. and the feature might also be interesting deadwood.

Deadwood on a tree might be a branch, stripped of its bark and bleached white, which is known as "jin".

It might also be a part of the trunk or roots which have been torn away by a gnawing animal, insect infestation, a rock or another tree falling and damaging the trunk; it may be the result of water collecting in a crack and then breaking the bark apart when it freezes, etc. It also may be the result of a bonsai artist having carved the tree to add a point of interest, or to enhance the appearance of age of the tree, or it may even be a major sculptural piece with the living, green portion of the tree becoming relatively minor.

The art of tree carving is an integral part of the art of bonsai. You may add a subtle suggestion of deadwood to a tree, or you may create a major sculptural work as we frequently see in the work of Masahiko Kimura. The choice is yours.

In his demonstration Robert will finish some carving on a tree which he has already begun, and then offer the tree in the Raffle for the day.

After the demonstration, Robert will conduct a workshop where you are invited to bring your trees and any carving tools you may have, and work on them, either independently or with Roberts guidance.

Robert will also do some carving as you wish on your tree as well.

Robert's carving tools are a simple set of chisels and hammer, and also a "Dremel" electric carver. There are a wide variety of carving accessories available, but you can do lots with just a simple set.

So..bring your trees and your ideas for carving and we can have a good time.

REFRESHMENTS: for the meeting will be by Gene Broderick and Karen Shea.

As indicated above, there WILL be a raffle, so bring your donations and also buy some tickets to support our club.

There WILL be a Bonsai Basics Class beginning at

8:30 AM at our September meeting. Gareth Shepherd

will conduct the class and he urges you to bring any material you may have from past classes, or new material with which to fashion a semi-cascade, a cascade or a formal upright.. This class will be more hands-on rather than lecture, so be prepared to do some work.

ALSO: There will be NO bonsai basics at the October meeting. (see below about what WILL happen)

ONE OF THE NON-EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER: There will be NO Wednesday Evening Workshop this month.

THE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY FAIR will be held Sept. 15-19th at the Fairgrounds in Watsonville.and the Santa Cruz Bonsai Kai will present an exhibition of Trees. Gode Apon and Maggee Brubaker are in charge, and they invite your participation.

Bring the trees you'd like to show to the Fairgrounds, (any number of trees is welcome) on Sunday, 9/12 or Monday 9/13 between noon and 5PM each day.

Your trees will be at the Fairgrounds for about a week, (Pick up the trees on Monday, 9/20), and they will be well cared for during the exhibit.

Gode and Maggee have a schedule of volunteers who will be docents at the exhibit, and if you'd like to participate as a docent, call Maggee at (831)663-5044.

Members of the Watsonville club will also be participating. Exhibiting trees at the Fair is an old tradition for us, and when YOU attend the Fair, be sure to come by and see us in the Horticulture Building.

The Santa Cruz Bonsai Kai invites its members to visit the bonsai garden of Ed and Tomi Oshiro in Prunedale on Saturday, September 25th, around 10AM.

In addition to is own trees, Ed has a great many other bonsai and pre-bonsai material which he offers for sale at reasonable prices.

Below is a map leading to their home: however, if you prefer, you may meet Maggee in the parking lot of the SUPERMAX shopping complex in downtown Prunedale at 10AM and she will lead you to the Oshiro's.

This opportunity to purchase good pre-bonsai material is propitious for the special event coming up for our October meeting. In October Kathy Shaner will offer us an ALL DAY WORKSHOP in the Grange Hall in Sta.Cruz. (See following article for details).

I'll presume you know how to go to Prunedale via San Miguel Canyon Rd. As you approach Prunedale, having passed the lake on your left.continue to the Intersection of S.Miguel and Castroville Blvdthen continue along S.Miguel to the FIRST DOUBLE DRIVEWAY on the left, (maby 100 yds), then take the SECOND of the two driveways..up the hill to their home.

If you miss the driveway, continue on to Prunedale and meet Maggee in the Supermax parking lot at 10AM.

The Special OCTOBER 16th DAY WITH KATHY SHANER:

This is a VERY special opportunity to work under the direction of the best known and appreciated Sensei in Northern California. Kathy is fully knowledgeable, and she is a wonderful teacher. The cost for the workshop is $60.00. Silent observers may attend at no cost.

You will want to bring material "worthy" of the investment in the workshop, so if you don't have anything right now, you can buy something appropriate at Ed Oshiro's on Sept. 25th. Actually, you may bring more than one tree to the workshop. Depending on how much time you spend on your first tree, you may have time to also work on your second tree, (or even a possible third one). You can be sure that whatever material you bring, you will go home with it developed to its optimum.

This workshop will last all day, starting at 9AM and lasting 'til about 5PM. We will take a lunch break, and for those interested, we'll go as a group to the "China 1" Buffet Restaurant in Sta. Cruz, at Water and Market Sts. (Site of the old Adolph's restaurant). Cost of the lunch is around $7 and you'll have a wide variety of Chinese and some Japanese food to choose. Drinks and dessert are included.

I(Robert) recently spent a weekend with Kathy at her school called Eldorado Bonsai in Placerville, (where the cost is much more than the $60.00 we'll be paying) and it was well worth it. We had a sign-up sheet at the August meeting, and I don't know how many people have signed up, but you can call Jim Carlson at 761-3531 to see if there are any openings left. The number of participants IS limited.

SOME UPCOMING EVENTS:

San Mateo, CA: Sept 18-19, S.Mateo Bonsai Club presents its Annual Exhibit at the Central Park Recreation Center, 50 East 5th Ave. and El Camino Real. Hours are Sat. Noon-5PM, Sun.10AM-5PM. Oakland, CA: Sept 25.

Golden State Bonsai Collection-North will have its Annual Volunteer Recognition Day at its facility from 2PM to 6PM. Awards, B-B-Q. Everyone is invited. Oakland, CA: October 9-10 East Bay Bonsai Society 43rd Annual Bonsai Show at Lakeside Garden Center. Hours Sat: 10AM-=5PM, Sun: 11AM-4:30P{M. Demos by Dave DeGroot at 1 PM on Sunday. (Dave is the Curator of the Pacific Rim Collection at Federal Way, Washington.

Hayward, CA: October 16-17th Yamato Bonsai Club 33rd Annual Bonsai Exhibition at Centennial Hall, Foothill Blvd. At City Center Drive. Hours Sat:10-5PM,Sun: 10-4PM. Special Event: Demos by Masahiko Kimura and Johnny Uchida together at 2PM each day. Admission to the demo is $5.00. Demo trees to be raffled at $5.00 per ticket. THIS WILL BE A BIG EVENT; DON'T MISS IT.

Cupertino, CA: Midori Bonsai Club presents its 43rd Annual show at Yamagami's Nursery, 1361 DeAnza Blvd. From Sta.Cruz Take Hiway 17 to 85 North then take the DeAnza Exit, turn left over the freeway one block to Yamagami's.

A VERY BUSY MONTH..RIGHT?