GSBF: A Moment with Dennis Makishima

Joanie

Photo #29762 Click to Enlarge

When you speak to Dennis Makishima, you are immediately aware that you are in the presence of a man who has achieved far beyond what most of us ever will. A dynamic, witty, and very friendly person, Dennis is a powerhouse in the bonsai community.

In 1980, Dennis began ornamental pruning of a friend’s tree, using nature as his guide. At a family function in 1982, Dennis overheard Mas Imazumi talking to people about bonsai. Dennis soon became one of his students, learning about bonsai while continuing to prune ornamental yard trees. His knowledge of each discipline augmented the other, and he quickly grew in his skill. In 1987 he formed the Merritt College Pruning Club, in Oakland, California. Here his understanding of ornamental pruning (with a dash of bonsai thrown in, no doubt!) fuelled the curriculum for many hundreds of students.

"Dennis appreciates and strives for this “coarse to fine” philosophy which he developed, as the epitome of what good bonsai can be."

Dennis was given a Golden State Bonsai Federation grant to go to Japan and study bonsai under Yasuo Mitsuya, and in 1990, 1991 and 1992 he spent part of each year there. Although he asked to be treated as an apprentice, some allowances had to be made. Despite being of Japanese descent, Dennis spoke very little Japanese, and upon arrival was told that he even mispronounced his own last name! His accumulated knowledge of bonsai and ornamental pruning allowed him to gain great understanding under the Master, and exercises which would have been rote to a young apprentice gave Dennis the insights he needed to move forward quickly. It also gave him a foundation in the traditional aspects of bonsai.

As President of the Golden State Bonsai Federation, Dennis moved forward with two projects that he is very rightly proud of. His work, along with the committee, on the Bonsai Basics Teachers Guide was to promote excellence in teaching. Dennis feels that, within the student /teacher relationship, the onus is on the teacher to be a good teacher, and the onus is on the student to be a good observer. By using the study guide, many new bonsai teachers were more prepared to make a positive impact on their students. Much thought was given to the way people learn, and how they can best be taught. In its beginning, the guide was used by a handpicked crew to educate a set of teachers, which then went out into the community and started moving the knowledge outward. The Teachers Guide is still used by many organizations and no doubt will be used far into the future.

The other project is a little more difficult to find information on. It is the collection of bonsai history that is now stored at the Huntington Library, in San Marino, California. Gathering papers, photos, and all sorts of ephemera from the early history of bonsai in California has now assured that it will all be safely kept in the archives of the Huntington for the use and perusal of bonsai historians. This is critical, because the gradual passing of the older generation and the loss of their information is a very real threat to an eventual understanding of the traditions here in California and in the United States as a whole. By thoughtfully archiving this information, Dennis and his peers have shown great foresight and we owe them a debt of gratitude.

"Dennis feels that, within the student /teacher relationship, the onus is on the teacher to be a good teacher... and on the student to be a good observer."

On a more personal level, leaving aside the rest of his numerous achievements, Dennis most favors the maple as bonsai. He loves the grace of the maple, and especially enjoys the winter silhouette of bonsai maples. The winter silhouette shows the refinement and the care with which the bonsai has been trained. As is echoed by many teachers today, the Merritt College program teaches “coarse to fine” when working with trees. Dennis appreciates and strives for this “coarse to fine” philosophy which he developed, as the epitome of what good bonsai can be.

One of his first trees was a laceleaf maple, others included an Alberta Spruce; two Shimpaku junipers; and a Japanese Black Pine.

His personal collection has about 400 bonsai, an impressive accomplishment, but after speaking with Dennis it isn’t surprising. He is an incredible, motivated and personable man who has given of his heart, and the bonsai community is better for it.

Note: while every effort has been made to assure accuracy in this interview, if any mistakes have been made they are entirely my own. Joanie

Attached Images

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