Winter Intensive

bonsaikc

I can feel the weight of two years' worth of waiting and disappointment as I fly into Oakland on Monday night. It's been two years since I made my way to the island of Alameda, a bit of 1950s Americana preserved into the 21st century. As the shuttle breezes me to the hotel, I reflect on the changes in my own life echoed in the major construction at the airport. Fortunately, the hotel upgrades me to a suite since they are so full and it is so late.

The alarm sings me awake at 6 sharp, and I spend the next two hours getting ready for the day. Mostly that means staring blankly at CNN in the hotel room, which I have done so many days in so many hotel rooms in the last year. But today is different...today I see Boon!

I meet up with one other student in the hotel lobby. I recognize Cheryl as a S.O.B. by the large yellow equipment case and the bonsai pots she has with her. We chat and get to know each other a bit until precisely 8 am when Boon pulls up in his new minivan.

There will be three of us in the intensive this week, and we have tons of work to do. We meet at Boon's and it is time for some classroom work, setting the tone and guidelines for the work. We watch a video of a great Japanese bonsai show. The new rule is videos come at the beginning of the day, since watching them at the end of the day can be quite soporific.

Then we begin show prep, which has many things in common with fall work. I realize that I am grinning like an idiot. I am giddy being around Boon and Morten (I get a hug) and the people they seem to gather around themselves. It's a club unlike any other I have ever seen. As we work, Janet comes around (I get a hug)
and the wonderful memories of other Intensives just keep rolling. Cheryl remarks at one point in the day, that I seem like someone who just got out of prison and is breathing his first free air. She couldn't have used a more precisely correct analogy.

Why does this sense of well-being wash over me in great waves? What is it about these people? I think it has a great deal to do with the fact that this is a club built around people and by people who talk about, study, and practice bonsai. There are no offices to politic for, no place for anyone who would seek to set themselves above anyone else. Boon is the teacher, he is the sensei. Not only do we see some of the best trees in North America, we get to work on them and among them. But it is Boon's sweet spirit that sets the tone. He demands excellence and he pushes us to do the same of ourselves. His love for life and bonsai is contagious.

I wanted to keep a running account of my impressions this week to try to give a bit of the flavor of what an Intensive is all about. I hope I can convey just a bit of that to those who have never been.

The first shot is the work area where Cheryl is pulling old needles to groom a very old formal upright JBP for the show. It has a yellow bib on it to keep needles of its lovely moss. Boon is helping Ron repot a twin trunk acer palmatum.

A great deal of propogation of all kinds is always happening in the back yard. Here is a variety of spruce undergoing air layering. I can't imagine why.

Here are Cheryl, Morten, Ron and Boon at the local bakery following our first lunch of Thai food. I realized that I may keep visiting just for the two fantastic meals per day at local restaurants! Oh, did I mention dessert?

Working on trees like this large informal upright JBP is a real honor. Two and a half years ago I wired the first branch on this tree, which is now the entire lower foliage pad. Since that time, the top has been brought down and everything is much more elegant and aged. I am pulling old needles today and will moss tomorrow. Of course, I should have gotten this tree finished today, so we are a little behind.

Finally, you can see the kind of thing we get interrupted for. The tree needs a show pot, so we each have to go outside under the benches and look for suitable pots, which we then guage against the tree to find the most appropriate. Hands on stuff!

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	03instruction.jpg (71.7 KB, 171 views)
	02ume.jpg (70.5 KB, 160 views)
	01air layer.jpg (72.3 KB, 187 views)
	05bakery.jpg (72.1 KB, 166 views)
	04black pine.jpg (70.9 KB, 154 views)
	06 pot selection.jpg (71.8 KB, 167 views)

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bonsaikc

Here are the superstars: Michael Hagedorn, Morten, and Boon!

Another pot selection

Dinner at the Chinese restaurant (another one where almost all the patrons are Chinese!)

All of us at Loard's for ice cream because Tucker's was closed. (Did I mention dessert?)

And the high-school looking lady who owns the place. I just took this to be nice, honey.

Watch for follow-ups over the next couple of days!

Lest I give the impression that this is a vacation, I want to point out that I leave my hotel room at 8 am each day and get back about 10 pm. With the classroom, video, and hands on work, I learn more in each Intensive than I had learned in 10 years in bonsai from al other sources combined. It is aptly named.

Attached Images

	08 superstars.jpg (70.5 KB, 131 views)
	07pot selection.jpg (70.8 KB, 127 views)
	12 Hot owner.jpg (31.9 KB, 151 views)
	11Loards ice cream.jpg (36.5 KB, 116 views)
	10chinese dinner.jpg (72.1 KB, 111 views)

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Bonsaifreak

Just curious...Does the Intensive include work on tropical species at all?


Jorge

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gregb

Thanks for sharing your experience with us--your enthusiasm is infectious. Makes me want to drop everything and join you Alas and alack, responsibilities prevent me from doing so

So, have your fun and keep us posted!!

bonsaial1

Looks like an aweful lot of eating going on there. I think I would fit in perfectly. Hope to see you sat.

al

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no.... really!

ovation22

Chris,

Looks like we'll just miss each other. I'll be out there next week. Save some for me!

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John Callaway
Matsu Bonsai blog

Bonsai Questions - Well, it depends

bonsaikc

It's Saturday morning, show day! Today I "suit up" in respect for the show and sensei, and we get to see the final result of the placement of every scroll, accent plant, and viewing stone. I must say that this year's show is as much better than the last time I worked it (two years ago) as that one was better than any show I had ever seen. The improvement in the trees is phenomenal, and the number of trees of high enough quality is way up. This year there are 60 trees in the show.

There will be an auction today, and some of the trees in the auction are better than you could imagine! Finally, the sales area is loaded with trees, stock, pots, tools, and more!

It's so sweet to see folks I have missed so terribly. Howard and Sylvia Smith came in last night, Howard will be the auctioneer this year. Scott Elser has a mountain hemlock in the show and it's so great to see him. Tom from Seattle, sorry can't place the last name, Michael Hagedorn with his laugh, and Jonas working so hard for the show. So many fantastic people who love bonsai and are committed to its excellence...it shames me in some ways, but mostly it energizes me and renews my commitment.

I am so committed now that I have to sneak my new tree into the collection before my wife sees it!

There was a large group of volunteers in the yard to help load the trucks. Boon was taking about 20 trees, half to sell.

We used two rented trucks to transport trees and supplies.

Background is very important to show the trees to their best advantage. Most halls like this have very ugly walls. To overcome this, we use dozens of yards of muslin, tacked at the top and hanging below the tops of the benches. Steaming all of this to remove wrinkles is quite a job. Good thing I am tall!

We had so many volunteers that the show seemed to spring up before my eyes! The backdrops between the tables were absolutely beautiful maple frames that connected easier than anything I have ever seen. Kudos to Jeff for designing and executing these!

Just a taste of the show, sorry that the snaps came out better than the serious photos. I blame the camera. This shohin Japanese black pine won Member's Choice in the judging.

And this needle juniper is shown life size, or maybe even a little too big! Inga does such a fantastic job displaying the shohin trees!

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	01volunteers.jpg (61.8 KB, 98 views)
	02 loading.jpg (66.1 KB, 86 views)
	05 drape wall.jpg (62.1 KB, 67 views)
	08 shohin needle juniper.jpg (67.6 KB, 100 views)
	07 Shohin black pine.jpg (62.6 KB, 80 views)
	06 building.jpg (63.1 KB, 66 views)

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bonsaikc

Here is more of Inga's work.

The chance just to moss, clean, and lime sulfur "Ascending Dragon" is an honor (also always left to the beginners ). Morten tells me I am to say, "Without me, this tree would be nothing!"

I remember this JBP when it had a branch bender on the trunk! What a difference a few years makes!

Attached Images

	09 shohin display.jpg (68.7 KB, 69 views)
	me dragon.jpg (58.8 KB, 115 views)
	10 JBP bunjin.jpg (67.6 KB, 76 views)

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tachigi

Ahhhh....my association could take a lesson from this. Very well done! Thanks for sharing your experience.

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Tom

Shady Side Bonsai
Bonsai Vault
4MAAT