Editor’s Notes
January 2024
Pots For Sale at the First Thursday Meeting
Denise Soultanian will be sharing her bonsai pots with the club meeting at our first Thursday program for January. She agreed to set up a table of her latest work at our re-potting program with JT. She has worked very hard to develop the type of bonsai pots that we all appreciate and desire to have, and they will be there for us to purchase and to take home.
Everyone, bring your check books to the meeting — a nice addition for our re-potting program! 🌳
BABA Bonsai Show
Our Bay Area Bonsai Associates (BABA) will be having the annual bonsai show on January 13 and 14 at the Lakeside Park Garden Center at Lake Merritt.
We are hoping to see all who might be interested. The Exhibit will open on Saturday January 13 at 5:00 p.m. followed by a light snack and then the Japanese Black Pine presentation by Bill Castellon at 6:30 p.m. Sunday January 14 hours are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Best Regards,
Carl Morimoto 🌳
Ole Lausten — Bonsai Stand Maker
Courtesy the Artist
Originally from Copenhagen, Denmark, Ole Laustsen began his career as a woodworker in 1952, when he entered a five-year apprenticeship to become a Master Cabinetmaker. His descriptions of his days as an apprentice sound very like descriptions of a bonsai apprenticeship in Japan: long hours of physical labor, menial tasks, and exacting standards. He learned the skills and techniques to make refined pieces of Danish furniture.
In 1965, Ole emigrated to the United States with his wife, and soon after began to work for McGuire Furniture Company in San Francisco. It wasn’t long before he was running the shop. In the forty years Ole worked at McGuire, he made furniture for the famous, including kings, Presidents, and Hollywood stars. The White House and the Rochefeller Estate commissioned pieces. One of Ole’s tables has been featured in Architectural Digest.
In retirement, Ole has not given up his love of working with wood. At 86, he is in his garage shop almost every day, making or repairing furniture and other woodwork for friends, neighbors, and others who seek him out. He takes commissions of all kinds. When he hasn’t been working on projects for others, he’s made cutting boards in three different sizes, each with 50 different species of wood, the largest with 900 pieces, each piece a different size.
Neighbors like to drop by his garage just to see what Ole is working on. Recently, he fitted out a new large Mercedes travel vehicle with fine woodwork furnishings, perfectly fitted into the contours of the van’s space. Also recently, a friend commissioned him to make a small stand for a black pine she would display at the annual exhibition of Kusamura Bonsai Club of Palo Alto. He found such an interest and satisfaction in his work on that stand that he decided he would devote his time and effort to create more.
Ole’s bonsai stands are a blend of Danish simplicity and craftsmanship with Japanese design and architecture. He works with high quality woods, including walnut, maple, cherry, and oak. He has been pleased recently to use reclaimed redwood and cedar. The grain, burl, and live edges just beg for special treatment.
He welcomes commissions for bonsai stands with custom designs and sizes. Currently he charges $85.00 per hour for his custom work. For the stands he has made so far, prices range from $250.00 to $500.00, just barely covering his labor. He enjoys the work and is happy to complement his customers’ refined bonsai trees with the quality of stand they deserve. 🌳
Golden Zoom — Mike Lane
Monday January 22, 2024
6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (PDT)
Golden State Bonsai Federation invites member clubs to our 2024 first quarter Golden Zoom series featuring Florida’s Mike Lane.
We will send the Zoom link to GSBF clubs, who are encouraged to share it with their membership.
Mike will discuss Clip and Grow theory and application: focusing on proportion and wound closure. Contrary to popular belief, clip and grow refers to the growing theory of allowing trunks and branches to attain desired diameter before being cut and has little to do with whether wire is used or not.
We will send the Zoom link to GSBF clubs, who are encouraged to share it with their membership. 🌳
25 Years of the Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt
By George Haas
On November 6, 2024, the Golden State Bonsai Federation’s Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt, in Oakland, California, will be celebrating its first 25 years. It was as early as 1974, when the concept for the bonsai garden came about during a conversation between Toicho Domoto and Bill Hashimoto, two notable Japanese American bonsai pioneers. They were interested in preserving bonsai produced in northern California. They understood bonsai required a permanent place to continue to thrive. They asked themselves what will happen when we can no longer care for and maintain our bonsai trees? The answer to their question was and is the Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt.
On April 5, 1997, an official groundbreaking ceremony was held at the site located within the Gardens at Lake Merritt. Construction took more than two years. Support for the bonsai and suiseki display garden came from individuals and bonsai clubs throughout the State of California. Hundreds of volunteers and donors were responsible for making the concept into a reality.
BGLM opened its gates to the public on November 6, 1999, by hosting a grand opening celebration of bonsai and suiseki, held on site at the Gardens of Lake Merritt and Lakeside Park Garden Center. Dennis Makishima was master of ceremonies for the grand opening, including then Mayor Jerry Brown, John Naka who talked at length, Harry Hirao, Yasuo Mitsuya of Japan, recreation and parks Officials, and many more. In addition to the ribbon cutting, there was a lively celebration inside the Lakeside Park Garden Center; well attended, Japanese Taiko drum music, donated sake keg, etc.
Since the gates were opened to the public, the collection has dramatically grown in size. The most significant historic and legacy trees include the historic Daimyo Oak (Tree #115) brought to the U.S. during President Abraham Lincoln’s administration in the 1860’s, the 500 year old Japanese Black Pine (Tree #262) donated by Mas Imazumi, and featured at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, and legacy trees by famous bonsai pioneer artists; Harry Hirao, Jimmy Inadomi and John Naka just to name a few.
A group of dedicated volunteers is working to publish a book which captures the history of the garden thus far.
The book, whose working title is “The First 25 Years of the Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt”, is intended to present the very best bonsai trees in the collection and to celebrate the many donors, supporters and volunteers who have contributed to the evolution of what is now a museum quality bonsai and suiseki garden.
Pre-sales for the book will start in mid-April, with a publication date scheduled for November 2024.
BGLM Leadership
Bill Hashimoto 1991 - 1995
Seiji Shiba 1996 - 2006
Gordon Deeg 2007 - 2011
Joe Byrd 2012 - 2017
Gordon Deeg 2018 - to present
Kathy Shaner, Curator, 1999 - 2022
Gary Tom, Curator, 2023 to present
Vision Statement
Provide a Garden/Museum that advances the art of bonsai.
Mission Statement
1. Promote and maintain the living art and culture of bonsai within a permanent museum of bonsai masterpieces in northern California.
2. Educate the public about the art and practice of bonsai.
3. Provide a garden for the public that reinforces the beauty of nature through the pleasure of experiencing the works of art on exhibit.
4. Promote and encourage the art form through the development of future bonsai artists.
5. Practice environmentally safe horticulture.
Acquisition
Bonsai trees and suiseki are acquired by BGLM through donations from estates, artists, clubs, hobbyists, and include permanent loans.
Special Events
Mammoth Annual Auction and Sale
Yearly fundraiser for BGLM on the third weekend of February.
World Bonsai Day
Initiated by the World Bonsai Friendship Federation (WBFF) in honor of Mr. Saburo Kato of Japan, the world bonsai patron and founder of WBFF, World Bonsai Day is recognized annually on the second Saturday of May.
Autumn Lights Festival
Yearly fundraiser for the Friends of the Gardens at Lake Merritt, including BGLM, on the second weekend of October.
Volunteer Appreciation Day
Introduction to Bonsai Basics - hosted by East Bay Bonsai Society, fourth Sunday of the month (except February and December).
Memorial Accent Plant Display to Mary Sakaishi by Lucy Sakaishi-Judd.
Sale of Commemorative Engraved Bricks
Fundraiser for BGLM.
Dennis and Joanne Makishima Special Auction and Sale fundraiser for BGLM and the creation of curator’s fund.
Memorial Suiseki Display
Dedicated to Mas Nakajima by Janet Roth.
Hours of Operation
BGLM is open Tuesday thru Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Sunday from 12:00 to 3:30 p.m. Closed Mondays.
If you would like more information about the bonsai and suiseki display Garden/Museum, check out the BGLM website at https://bonsailakemerritt.com.
George Haas
BGLM Marketing Manager 🌳
GSBF Golden News Newsletter
Happy New Year GSBF Clubs and Club Members
Please forward this email and attachments to your club members. I will forward the zoom link to you for distribution 7-10 days prior to Mike's presentation. Please let me know if you are not the correct person to distribute this information to your club members. Thanks!
Please see two attachments:
GSBF Golden News newsletter containing key highlights:
Information about our Jan 22 Quarterly Zoom with Florida's Mike Lane
Mike Lane's Bio
Bonsai Rendezvous by the numbers and in photo
GSBF Board Member Highlight: Pam Grassmidt
Upcoming Events
Benefits of GSBF Membership / Membership renewal time
How to advertise your club show on the GSBF website
Flyer about GSBF's January 22 Golden Zoom
Dodie Newman
GSBF Treasurer / Membership🌳
Letters to the Editor
Cranberry Salsa Recipe
Hi Tung,
Would you mind asking the group who brought the cranberry salsa to our potluck?
I would really like the recipe. I know I can google it but I am not positive about the ingredients. I don’t remember tasting cilantro and web recipes all for it.
Anyway,
Thank you
Gina🌳
Show Tree Highlight
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
OPEN WORKSHOP
Thursday, January 4, 2023, 7:30pm
Midori Bonsai Club
JT will be doing a repotting demonstration. Bring in some trees and pots. We’ll help show you how it’s done, offer some tree and pot pairings, and more. Denise Soultanian will be there with pots for sale.
Thursday January 18, 2023, 7:30PM
Midori Bonsai Club
This is an open workshop. Bring in your trees and we’ll help you with any questions you may have. There will be a board meeting at 6:30pm, an hour before our regular meeting time.🌳
UPCOMING BONSAI EVENTS
For an up-to-date list, check out the Golden State Bonsai Federation events page.
Annual Mammoth Auction
February 17-18, 2024
🌳
