Bay Area Bonsai Expo
Editor’s Note
My Big Move is finally happening! My partner and I found a new home in the North Bay. I am now in the process of moving all my stuff to our new place, about an hour and a little more from the South Bay. As a result, I did not have a lot of time to write a very long Editor’s Note this month.
I look forward to coming down once the vaccines reach more people and we can meet in person again. It’s been too long.
That said, we have some great material for the coming months. I think it will be worth the wait.
An Update from Jonas Dupuich
Our local bonsai guru, teacher, artist, and supplies guy Jonas Dupuich is planning an exposition for 2022. It’s been in the works for a while now. It seems like he has some updates to share with all of us. It is reproduced here without images from the original blog post on Jonas’s blog.
Update on the Pacific Bonsai Expo
by Jonas Dupuich
Just over a year ago, I mentioned an idea for a regional bonsai show. It’s time for an update!
For starters, Eric Shrader and I have decided to move the event to next year. We’re aiming for the first or second weekend in November, 2022. The main reason for this is to give exhibitors more time to prepare their trees for the show. It also allows us to avoid conflict with the U.S. National Exhibition which will be held this fall in Rochester, New York.
We’ve also selected a name for the event: The Pacific Bonsai Expo! The idea is to identify the location of the event without providing any limits on who we expect to participate.
For those who missed the previous post, here’s a rundown of the plan:
The event will be held in the San Francisco Bay Area
The event is open to everyone; out of state submissions are welcome
Jurors will determine which trees are accepted for display
We’re aiming to display 75+ trees
There will be a large vendor area
The event will feature traditional and non-traditional displays
Over the coming months, Eric and I will refine our ideas for the event ahead of the submission period this coming fall and winter. Here are some of the things we’re working on.
Judging
We’re evaluating different approaches to judging so we can recognize outstanding entries in different categories. To ensure broad participation in the judging process, we’re considering inviting each bonsai club in Northern California to nominate a judge to participate in a panel. There are a lot of ways to fill a panel, so please let us know if you have any suggestions.
Award Sponsorships
One way to encourage participation is to allow sponsors to directly support exhibit awards. Under this model, bonsai vendors, local businesses, or individuals can select awards to sponsor and determine the award levels. If someone wants to encourage non-traditional displays, they can sponsor an award for the Best Non-Traditional Bonsai Display in hopes of attracting submissions to the category.
Recognizing Bonsai Clubs
As bonsai organizations provide support to enthusiasts and professionals around the world, we’d like to create opportunities for them to participate in the event. This might include noting club affiliations on exhibit displays, encouraging clubs to sponsor exhibitor fees for accepted submissions, and allowing submissions for group displays. Clubs may also contribute by coordinating volunteer activities at the event in areas like docent tours, security, or special events.
If you’re curious to learn more about the event, check out the recent episode of the Bonsai Wire Podcast in which Andrew Robson interviews Eric Schrader and I about our plans, including info about the a venue we’re excited about on the San Francisco Bay. Listen at BONSAIWIREPODCAST.COM
Upcoming Midori Events
The next online meetings will be on April 1st and April 15th 2021 at 7pm. The zoom link has not changed yet, but will be noted here if it does.
Upcoming Northern California (and Beyond) Bonsai Events
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.
Edit on 2021 April 30: The thumbnail images for this month have been provided by Jack Christiansen.
