Solita Rosade's Bonsai School

Bart Thomas(deceased)

At the WBC, in DC, Soli Rosade ran a children's workshop. I'm sorry that Soli was moving to fast too capture on film, but I did catch some of the instructors that were led in by Soli and Chase, the pied pipers of bonsai.

Charles Bevan assisting Chase Rosade

Jim Brandt, John Lyle, and, from Great Britain, Malcolm Hughes

John Lyle (That's Bill Valavanis' mother making sure the instruction is good)

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	JimBJohnLMalcolm.jpg (37.8 KB, 81 views)
	JohnLyle.jpg (35.4 KB, 81 views)

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Bart Thomas(deceased)

A closer pic of Malcom Hughes, who was a little startled when his floridian student said to him, "First, we defoliate, right?"


Minshuan Lo, who handles his ficus with forklifts, deals with a smaller one.

Walter Pall finds a lovely youg student, or did she find him?

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	MinshuanLo.jpg (35.7 KB, 57 views)
	MalcolmHughes.jpg (33.1 KB, 68 views)

Bart Thomas(deceased)

There are three instructors I need help in identifying.

Let's call them Intructors A (Ted Matson from California), B (Sherwin Amimoto, Past Prez of Golden state Bonsai Federation) (Thanks, Bonsainut!), and C (John Thompson from California) (A & C Identified by Gary Marchal)

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	whodat3.jpg (32.9 KB, 36 views)

Bart Thomas(deceased)

To make sure that standards were maintained, Harry Hirao dropped by as well.

Prettly classy "faculty" don't you think?

Attached Images

HarryHiraowbc.jpg (39.3 KB, 49 views)

Gary Marchal

Hi again Bart....

The A instructor is Ted Matson from California and the C instructor is John Thompson, also from California.

Best Always

Gary Marchal

Bart Thomas(deceased)

Thanks, Gary.

I was pretty sure someone would spot them.

Regards,

Bart

Walter_Pall

Christine Schmalenberg was also a member of this most prestigious faculty.

Attached Images

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__________________
best regards
Walter Pall

CD now available online
http://walter-pall.de/cdavailable2.jpg.dir/index.html
http://walter-pall.de
http://walter-pall-bonsai.blogspot.com/

Bart Thomas(deceased)

Indeed she was! Thank you for providing the photo. Mine had "gone missing"!

It was good to meet you there!

dbz12fan

And just to note, that Floridian student was not me . He is from the Ft. Myers area, and has been in bonsai for about two years. People have confused him for me in the past.


Can't say that is the best photo I have ever seen of myself .

Before the workshop had begun, I was talking with Rob Kempinski and Min Hsuan Lo of Taiwan in the exhibit area. Solita came and asked us for our help on the workshop. I was going to let the two go and help, but I was asked to join along. Solita put me with a nice little kid named Rico, and asked that I helped him with his tree. I had done similar one-on-one beginner's workshops before at Bonsai Under the Oaks at Jim Smith's nursery, so I knew that I would not have a problem helping him.

Soon after, Chase Rosade appeared and asked where my tree and instructor was . I told him that Solita asked me to help Rico with his tree. Although Solita had recognized my name from the Ben Oki International Design Contest, Chase had not. I got the impression Chase was not going to trust me to assist Rico with his tree, so I was about to leave and allow a more skilled instructor help Rico. However, Solita stopped me, and told me that she wanted someone younger to help because she felt the kids could connect better with someone closer to their age. She must have explained it to Chase too, because for the most part, he left Rico and I to work on the tree alone.

My policy for beginner's workshops is to allow the beginner do the work with a little assistance from myself when they need it. I did a run through of the basic goals when styling a bonsai, and then I began talking to him specifically about his tree. We discussed each branch, and as we talked about each one I would give him hints on whether or not he would want to keep it or remove it. However, the decision was ultimately up to him. He always made the right decision, because I made sure to give him enough hints. Jim VanLandingham had done this with me when I was first beginning, and I have found this is a good way for a beginner to gain confidence in their styling abilities. After we had selected the primary branches, I let him wire each branch into the proper place. The wiring was a duel effort, because he had trouble understanding how to anchor the wire. I would usually end up anchoring it, and he would wire the rest of the branch. Although it ended up a little sloppy, I felt he would be much happier if he had done most of the work himself.

When we were nearly done Chase came up, examined the tree, and told Rico the trunk needed some movement. So, he grabbed a large wire, wired it, and bent it himself. I agreed with him that the trunk needed more movement, but I had not wanted to do anything too elaborate with Rico because I wanted to make sure Rico styled the tree himself. If Rico had wired the trunk, there is a good possibility it would not have bent much, or it may have even cracked. So, earlier, I had decided it better not to wire the trunk. The photo you see, is me looking a little uncomfortable because Chase had suddenly taken over the workshop. In the past I have never minded if someone more knowledgeable than I assits in a one-on-one workshop that I am helping with. Yet, in this case, I felt it was Chase's way of saying he had not trusted me from the beginning, and he regrets listening to his wife. Maybe it was just a misunderstanding, but that was the impression that I had recieved.

All in all it was an enjoyable experience. Rico was mature beyond his years. He would listen attentatively, and then ask questions when he did not understand. Hopefully, he enjoyed the workshop enough to stay with bonsai for years to come.

__________________
"Success demands understanding"-Andy Rutledge

Charles Bevan
Vero Beach, Fl