Evangelists toured the country during the last century, holding fiery meetings in every small and medium sized town with a church. Some brought tents and would stay weeks or months at a time “as the Spirit moved” (meaning as the offerings held up.) I remember as a young PreacherBoy, attending revival meetings, an American product of the Great Awakening, that lasted two weeks or more As an adult, I found week-long revival meetings far more common, and during Bible College, we conducted “weekend revivals” just that were very popular. So the evangelist shows up, preaches three or four messages, saves what souls need to be saved, baptizes everybody just for good measure and leaves.

I remember as a child, attending Vacation Bible School, that curiously American invention of classroom study and activity designed to keep bored children busy and spiritually entertained. When I was a young PreacherBoy, VBS was two weeks long. Kids would come, bussed in or dropped off by parents each day for the process. How long is VBS now, generally? One week? 5 days? 4?

I hear tales of how, when the Bonsai Society of Greater Kansas City was young and alive, John Naka would visit for a week at a time, holding basic bonsai classes for the entire week, using notes that would become the basis of Bonsai Techniques (later known as Bonsai Techniques I). How did that evolve into a teacher coming into town on Friday night, “demonstrating” as many trees to be raffled as possible on Saturday morning, critiquing member trees on Saturday afternoon, going to a group dinner on Saturday night, “demonstrating” more raffle trees on Sunday morning, then holding a “Master Class” on Sunday afternoon?

I have to ask, how much value is there, really, in this type of bonsai culture? Do these masters litter the countryside with valuable prestyled bonsai just waiting to be developed into masterpieces? Do they leave behind them a contingent of nascent bonsai prodigies with the tools to “go thou and do likewise?” Do they help the average hobbyist to learn a good basic foundation for bonsai care and mastery? Or are “master weekends” more about revenue for the club than solid teaching for the members? What kind of survival rates are usually seen with “master” trees? Do the club members learn anything about being a student? And how many “Masters” are there, really?

In my opinion, this culture of hopscotching around the country to buy a tree and get a free class, or having “Master (hit-and-run) Weekends” has contributed to the fractured nature of American bonsai as reflected in the combative qualities of much that we see on the web. “It’s the way we’ve always done it” doesn’t advance the cause of bonsai or the sense of community. We need to find a better way.

Respectfully submitted,

__________________
Chris Johnston
"She was a critic, and lots fo critics who aren't called to do what they write about grow jealous and mean and small in their disappointment." - Stephen King, Duma Key
Sashi-no-eda.blogspot.com

Amen Brother!


Will

Its 5 days long, about 20 hours total. I was a group leader to get service hours.

Even though i dont have experience with clubs, i think what you said makes alot of sense.

-Sal

Chris:

Ya shoulda been there in DC, with as many "headliners" in the audiences as there were total presenters.

Most of the demos were three at a time, on the same stage, with poor acoustics and an emcee. Sparsely attended, except when word got out that Guy Guidry was doing something special on a huge tree.

Most of the action was in the workshops. I've come to look on a demo as a show. Once in a while, you'll get more, but most of the time, you'd be better off spending the same time with your own sensei, if you're lucky enough to have one.

This may be one reason the ABS is going to a "Seminars" format next year.

Amen brother!

I feel the spirit move me, especially since the spirit just moved out of my demo workshop mugo

I knew when I signed up that the demo material was likely to kick it -- and I was right! My first and last demo.

pootsie

Could you expound on that just a little more?

I have seen more material, good and bad, butchered in the name of "Demo" and ego than I care to think about. And some by revered names in the community.

The above statement as to reason is speculation on my part. However, I feel that it indicates that an increasing number of people in bonsai are coming to feel as you do about the "weekend" format.

Details on the seminars are on the ABS Website .

Of course, some of these will be demos to a small group, and some will include workshops.

Unfortunately, not everyone has access to a master in their area that they can take ongoing classes with. And even those who do like to meet the "big names" and maybe see something a little different.

If the demand was greater, there probably would be more "bonsai schools" with onging, formalized training sessions. The country is just so big and the dedicated bonsaists so few that this is not really very feasable except in major metroplitan areas.

- bob

I am kind of surprised that you are coming from this point of view Chris. It is my understanding that Boon lives in California but yet you consider him your teacher, or am I wrong? If this is so then you must have been exposed to Boon through one of his many trips around the country, and continue your study with him on a fragmented basis when he is in KC. Forgive me if I am worng and please don't think I am trying to take a shot at you, I am just getting some mixed messages that seem to contradict your previous points of view.

If growing good quality bonsai is the goal then it is necessary that one is exposed to the kind of people that are capable of producing these world class bonsai and willing to teach those with a desire to learn. If you do not have anyone of such calaber in your club or area what options are left open to you? You can move or you can kidnap the object of your desire

It is true much that takes place in some of these dog and poney shows is not good, but it is not necessarily the fault of the invited "Master", as much as it is the fault of those who invited him. The club expects the instant masterpiece, and in workshops an almost finished bonsai is the expectation of almost every attendee. We expect to see the entire ball of wax demonstrated in a single sitting. Then we are surprised when the tree dies?

So what is the value?? Inspiration if nothing else. Just as in an Evangelical meeting it is the inspiration that carries the attendee, not the constant hand holding. If one is truly sold out for God they don't need to have the fires stoked all the time, or at least they should'nt. But you know the funny thing, when they fail it's always the teacher's fault and none of the blame falls on them. So it is with bonsai, we want miracles, we expect miracles so we demand the miraculous.

It seems to me it is better to see how some of these masters work first hand and understand that they too are human, than it is to sit and wonder and wish. If we find that some of them have feet of clay, that too is a good lesson less we find ourselves out standing in our fields-----in mud up to our knees. But in the end it comes down to choices. If the opportunity arises to attend one of these classes/demonstrations and you think this a useless exercise then don't go.