Program: Cheryl Manning On Making Your Tree Even Better
Cheryl will bring her entertaining and informative style to our club once again for our Tuesday evening meeting this month. You may remember her presentation last July in which she wowed us with imaginative possible styles for the scraggly collected boxwood, as shown in the picture, that she brought for her demo. Cheryl’s website, appropriately enough, is http://betterbonsai.com/ .
Here’s her bio lifted from her website: For the past thirty years, Cheryl Manning has been passionate about the art of bonsai. An artist since childhood and an avid gardener since her teens, Cheryl discovered Murata Bonsai Nursery in 1981–and it was love at first sight: art and gardening wrapped up in one small package. In 1985, Cheryl joined Satsuki Kai, a club of the leading bonsai masters in West Los Angeles. Because the meetings were conducted in Japanese, she understood very little, but her commitment was strong and she formed lasting friendships. By 1989, Cheryl was hiking in the Tehachapi Mountains with Harry Hirao, collecting California junipers. Later, she was fortunate enough to become not only a student and close friend of John Naka, the father of American bonsai, but also an apprentice in Japan with bonsai master Yasuo Mitsuya, owner of Tokai-en in Toyohashi. Cheryl has conducted bonsai demonstrations, workshops, and slide presentations in the United States, Canada, and Australia. She’s written more than forty articles for many bonsai publications and currently pens a column “Trash to Treasure” for Bonsai: Journal of the American Bonsai Society. Cheryl has also edited John Naka’s Sketchbook (National Bonsai Foundation, 2005), a compilation of John’s bonsai sketches from around the world.
This month she will be doing a short slide presentation and then a talk on making your bonsai better, even if it just came out of the show. So please bring a tree, maybe even a tree that was just in the show.
President’s Message:
The Show was a great success. We had a wonderful variety of gorgeous trees. Just as wonderful was the turnout of members to help with the setup and takedown of the show. Our flyers seem to be having a good impact. Attendance was good, sales were very good and someone overheard the ladies in the Garden’s store talking about how busy they had been. Our silent auction is maturing each year. SO, great job everyone.
We have several new members who signed up at the show. We want to give them a big welcome.
Our August pot luck is approaching. If you would be interested in hosting this year’s event, please let me know. It’s always fun to see how others set up their bonsai at home.
We are entering the second half of the year with our Saturday workshops, so if you haven’t signed up yet, do let Wally Kunimoto, wykuni@cox.net, know for the 3rd Saturday sessions or Ann Erb, annerb@charter.net , for the 2nd Saturday sessions.
~ Tom
Last Month: Our Annual Show And Sale
As Tom said in his President’s Message, the show was a great success. Here are a few pictures.
The small: Steve Gibson’s shohin Trident Maple
The large: Steve Iwaki’s Redwood
Tom Post, Leroy Kubel, Steve Iwaki at the photo shoot
Mel Ikeda’s demonstration
Coming Events:
June 11 Create Your Own Bonsai (beginner’s class)
This year, the club’s annual beginner’s class will be held in the courtyard of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden from 9AM to 4 PM on the third Saturday after our show. The workshop includes pot, plant, and supplies as well as instruction. Cost is $30.00 for members of either the Club or the Garden, and $40.00 for non-members. Sign up online or contact Joe Olson or Wally Kunimoto.
June 11 – 12: Descanso Bonsai Society’s 47th Annual Show
Van De Kamp Hall, Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge. 9 AM-5 PM both days. Demos at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Trees from Novice to Master exhibitors will be on display. A large selection of bonsai trees, pots, bonsai stock and accessories will be for sale. Free with garden admission. (Garden admission is free for members of Santa Barbara Botanic Garden).
June 11–12 And 18-19: Bonsai Academy
The Huntington, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino Saturdays and Sundays, two weekends, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Bonsai master Ted Matson leads an intensive four-session gakko, or school, in the art of bonsai. Geared to beginners, the sessions explore the history of bonsai, basic tree botany and horticultural challenges, design concepts and training techniques, and bonsai display. All supplies and tools are provided, including demonstration trees for classroom practice. Huntington Members: $120, Non-Members: $135. Register online at the Huntington website.
June 18 Bonsai Club Of Santa Barbara: Open Workshop
9 AM until noon, Room 7, Goleta Valley Community Center. Free, everyone is welcome. Bring a tree to work on, or come just to kibitz and have a cookie.
July 9: Bonsai Club Of Santa Barbara: 2rd Saturday Workshop With Ann Erb
9:30 AM until 12:30 PM, Room 8, Goleta Valley Community Center. New Semester, fees are due: $108 for four workshops. Subsequent dates for 2nd semester classes are September 10, October 8, and November 12. Questions? Contact Ann Erb.
July 12: Bonsai Club Of Santa Barbara: Regular Tuesday Evening Meeting
Bob Pressler on Ficus nerifolia.
July 16: Bonsai Club Of Santa Barbara: 3rd Saturday Workshop With Guest Instructor
9 AM until noon or 1 to 4 PM., Room 7, Goleta Valley Community Center. Ted Matson, guest instructor. New Semester, fees are due: $108 for four workshops. Questions? Contact Wally Kunimoto.
August 20 (tentative Date): Bonsai Club Of Santa Barbara: Summer Potluck
If you would be willing to host this year’s potluck and raffle, contact Tom Post and you get to select the date. No Tuesday evening meeting or Saturday workshops in August.
