Editor’s Note — February 2021

All These Children Made of Wood — A Short Film Review

In the midst of the pandemic, Bay Area filmmaker Andy Westhoff presents a documentary featuring Bonsai Master Kathy Shaner titled All These Children Made of Wood. Originally released on February 19, 2020, Westhoff takes us on a tour of the Lake Merritt Bonsai Garden in Oakland, California showing us a day in the life of a local bonsai master.

Kathy Shaner is a world renowned bonsai artist — she is the first western woman and the only Japanese-certified bonsai master in the United States. She is the current curator for the Lake Merritt Bonsai Garden. In All These Children Made of Wood, Shaner shares some tidbits of bonsai advice and stories from her training with her teacher.

A beautifully shot short film, it is filled with shots of the daily happenings at the garden: from the water system sprinkling in the mid-day sun, to scenes of Shaner pruning some trees. Westhoff sets the scene with life in the hustle and bustle of downtown Oakland. This is a must see for any bonsai artist.

Thanks to Elliot for the suggestion on writing a review on this!

The Filoli Bonsai Exhibit

In the middle of the Bay Area Peninsula is a garden that is hosting their first bonsai exhibit. The Filoli Historic House & Garden is an estate constructed in 1917 that consists of 654 acres of land. It was opened to the public in 1977 and consists of gardens, the Filoli House, and exhibits.

The bonsai are currently maintained by the garden staff. The collection features a variety of trees, including single and forest style trees, a 400 year old black pine, and a 100 year old wisteria.

There is also a tree sale at the exhibit. They are offering a collection of trees from Carlo Besio, a local bonsai artist who worked with the Kusamura Bonsai Kai Club in Palo Alto. Please see this form for more information.

Admission is $20 for adults. The exhibit is open January 15 - February 28 from 10am to 5pm daily.

Thanks to Grace for the lead on this exhibit!

A Story About Pots

If you’ve been attending the workshops lately, you’ll know about the importance of having proper bonsai pots for your trees. Juan has said that it is a good idea to have more pots than trees so that you always have a few options available for a tree when you repot.

This story about pots began a few years ago and concluded yesterday.

A few years ago, I was on my way down to Big Sur. We took the coastal route and saw a sign for a pottery place called PotStop in Moss Landing.

“Oh, maybe they’ll have bonsai pots there! Let’s pull over.”

They certainly had pots, but they unfortunately did not have any bonsai pots. I asked if they plan on carrying bonsai pots any time soon, and the owner said, “Not any time soon, but if you leave me your number I’ll give you a call if we do!” She pulls out a thick 3-ring binder full of sticky notes, phone numbers, and papers and writes my number and the word ‘BONSAI’ on it.

“There’s no way I’ll ever get a call back if she writes my number in that thing, but who knows, maybe she will,” I thought.

Fast forward 3 or 4 years later — It’s mid-January. I was walking my dog around the block for his daily walk and I get a phone call from an unfamiliar number. Could be spam or something. I decided to pick up.

“Hello, I’m returning your call. I have this ancient note to let you know that we have bonsai pots,” the garbled voice said. The way the voice worded that initially made me think they were trying to sell me a car warranty extension or something. But I heard something about bonsai pots.

I had no clue why someone would be calling me to tell me that they now have bonsai pots. I thought about it for a second and that trip to Moss Landing a few years ago came back. “Oh, you’re the pottery place, right?! The one by the highw—”

“Yes, Pot Stop! That’s us!”

“Oh my god, I remember giving you my number! Thank you so much for returning my call. I’ll swing by sometime soon.”

Some stars aligned at the end of January that made it convenient to pay them a visit again. I punched in the directions to the place as I headed down to Big Sur to check out the selection.

The bonsai pot selection there consists of pots of decent quality, various sizes, both glazed and unglazed. The quality is normal bonsai pottery fare; I believe most of them were of the mass produced kind without a chop, looked appropriate for general bonsai use, and were priced appropriately. A few of the larger ones did have a chop.

I decided to get two of the larger medium sized pots. One was a glazed blue one with a striking glaze pattern. The other a round rectangular unglazed pot.

We get to the check out stand to pay. I asked when these pots came in. The cashier said they came in a few weeks ago. Turns out the lady who called me back was there.

“You’re the 408 number?” she asked.

“Yup that’s me!” We had a laugh. That binder must be magic.

I’m still amazed that that little sticky note left in there a few years ago lead to a phone call a few years later.

So if you’re passing through Moss Landing and need a bonsai pot or two, you can consider this place another one to add to your list of pot dealers.

Editor’s Note

If you have any suggestions for newsletter items, please drop me a note! It was a joy to write a review for All These Children Made of Wood and do a little research into the Filoli House and Gardens. Thanks to those who led me to those.

Upcoming Midori Events

The next online meeting will be on February 4th, 2021 at 7pm. The topic will be a surprise, so tune on in!

Upcoming Northern California (and Beyond) Bonsai Events

Filoli Bonsai Exhibit

Now-February 28 — 86 Cañada Road, Woodside, CA 94062
Filoli Historic House and Gardens

For the first time, Filoli’s collection of bonsai will be displayed in the Garden House, and on the Garden terraces. Filoli’s extensive collection ranges from traditional juniper plants to the more unusual bonsai azalea and pomegranate.

Baikoen Bonsai Kenkyukai 57th Winter Silhouettes Show and Online Auction

February 1-6, 2021 — Arcadia, California (online)
Baikoen Bonsai Kenkyukai

In lieu of an actual show, there will be a virtual YouTube video, premiering on February 6, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. Deciduous trees from club members and invited Guest Exhibitors will be on display. A short narrative of the trees, interesting facts and its owner will be presented by Tom Lau and Joe Galgoul. The Nagata-Komai Award for excellence of instruction and encouragement in the art of bonsai will be announced.

In addition, an online auction of bonsai plants and related items will be held between February 1-6, 2021. For more information please visit their facebook.

Visit their website or contact Joe Galgaoul for more information.

7th US National Bonsai Exhibition

September 11-12, 2021 — East Rochester, New York
US National Bonsai Exhibition

The world bonsai community will once again be enriched by the display of bonsai gathered from across the United States at the 7th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition, September 12-13, 2020, in Rochester, NY.

Like Japan’s Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition, people from around the world attend the U.S. National Bonsai Exhibitions to appreciate and study the diversity of the unique and distinctive species displayed by accomplished bonsai artists from across the United States.

Towering bonsai from the Pacific Northwest, rugged bonsai from the Rocky Mountains, and tropical bonsai from the Southern swampy regions will be displayed alongside weathered bonsai from the Southwestern deserts and refined deciduous bonsai from the Northeast.

A Short Film Review and More