Programs
Artist Demonstrations
Three Demonstrations
François Jeker has selected a collected Spruce, where he will be teaching skills in carving.
Ted Matson will create a Zelkova Forest on a granite slab using trees he has been preparing for this forest.
Demo Wars will feature artists Mark Fields, Todd Schlafer and Jennifer Price, each selecting their own material to demonstrate their skills and entertainment showmanship.
Artist Workshops
Nineteen Workshops
One of the most enticing events of any bonsai convention should be the workshop and material opportunities. This year is no different. The guest artists have worked hard to provide quality material by selecting the trees for you to choose and gain valuable insight from them. Special emphasis is being paid to how you choose, prepare and work with collected, pre-bonsai and nursery material. Look for these three special “experience” workshops. Review the sixteen workshops planned; thirteen of these have material provided including two where you can pre-select your material from the artist/vendor.
Artist Presentations
Six Presentations
Additional events include a series of short lectures. Several artists from our region can help us understand what works and what is needed for bonsai in the Mid-America region. These presentations are included in your registration. Each presenter is a member of MABA and has skills and knowledge specific to our region.
Bonsai Hacks - Tips, tricks and money saving ideas to enhance your bonsai experience presented by Kris Ziemann, long time bonsai practitioner with experience in keeping bonsai real.
LED Lighting – With the efforts of NASA researchers, LED lights have been in the spotlight for bonsai growers of all levels of experience. Cheryl Sykora who lives near one of our coldest regions in Minnesota uses LED lighting in her greenhouse and has recently added the latest technology in her storage shed.
Bonsai Insects – presented by Phil Nixon, Ph.D. Entomologist specializing in tree insects as well as pesticide safety. He not only has 37 years experience as an instructor at the University of Illinois, he and his wife care for 30 tropical, sub-tropical, and temperate bonsai and over 100 pre-bonsai and other potted woody plants.
Soil Biology - Links between soil organisms, carbon and nutrient cycle and how they impact soil and our bonsai. Brian Susler is an intermediate bonsai instructor at Milwaukee Bonsai Society.
Propagation – From saving seeds, stem and root cuttings, air layering, to grafting, Houston Sanders has practiced propagation for more than twenty years and has amassed a collection of over 200 maples and fruiting trees at his home in Southern Wisconsin.
Grafting to Improve Bonsai Appearance – presented by Doug Hawley, a well known Greater Cincinnati Bonsai Society member, has been a contributor to ABS and is known for his knowledge of a wide variety of species used for bonsai, especially Black Pine.
