2023 Meetings and Events

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In general, when the meeting place availability and meeting content allows, the time from 1:00-2:00 pm will be available for informal conversation, tree advice, and sharing. The formal meeting will be from 2:00 - 4:00 pm.

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2023 Upcoming Meetings

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 November 12: Woodfin Community Center

Annual BRBS  pot luck dinner and auction. Also, we will elect club officers for the next two years.

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December 2 & 3: Everyone is encouraged to go to the Winter Silhouette exhibit in Kannapolis, NC. Admission is free: https://www.winterbonsai.net/ 

No regular club meeting this month.

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2024 Upcoming Meetings

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January 14:  Venue tbd.     

Presentations by club members:  

Brian McCrodden — bonsai soils                                      Greg Hinson — topic tbd

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February 11:  Venue tbd.      

Forest creation demonstration by bonsai professional Danny Coffey

 

March 10:  NC Arboretum    

Presentation by NC Arboretum Bonsai Curator Arthur Joura

 

April 14:  Woodfin Community Center                

Bring a tree to share/work on

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May 5:   Woodfin Community Center                

Create a kusamono workshop led by club member Peggy Snow

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May 11/12:  NC Arboretum    

Celebration of World Bonsai Day weekend; club display; club demos

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2023 Completed Meetings

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Jan. 8 -  Meeting at the Asheville Botanical Gardens

Presentation by bonsai professional Daniel Coffey on the development of deciduous bonsai, using trident maples as an example. He also had some small trees for sale.

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Note: All members who ordered potting compound materials from the Bonsai Learning Center picked up their orders at this meeting.

 

PLANNED Feb. 12 -  Meeting at Bullington Gardens in Hendersonville. This is the first time we have met at this location. See their website for driving directions:

https://www.bullingtongardens.org/

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12:00-2:00 pm: Repotting workshop - the basics. Chris will cover this information at the meeting using his PPT which you can download on the "Tips, Advice, and More" page. If this is your firt repotting, experienced members will be ther to answer questions and help you

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2:00-4:00 pm: Everyone bring a tree for any kind of work, including repotting, or just advice and comments.

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ACTUAL MEETING: Because of forecast freezing rain and snow, we actually met from 1:30  to 4:00 for the repotting presentation and worked on members' trees.

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Saturday, Feb. 18 - Field Trip:  Stone and tree-collecting trip to member Greg Hinson's property close to Spartanburg.

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Mar. 12 -  Meeting at NC Arboretum. (Education Bldg)

Arthur Joura, the Bonsai Curator at the Arboretum, restyled an old Chinese Hackberry. More than simply showing what to do, Arthur explained the thought process behind working with an older, established plant when shaping it to be a miniature expression of a great old tree in nature.

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Note: This event was open to the public. BRBS members had a short business meeting starting at 1:00. Arthur's presenation started at 2:00 pm.

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Apr. Field Trip to Mountain Meadows Nursery and New Leaf Garden Market. See Stuart Roger's email on March 17th

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Apr. 2 Meeting. RESCHEDULED FROM APR. 16. At Bullington Gardens

Hands on session: Wiring and/or initial styling of members' trees.

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May 7 Meeting.  At Asheville Botanical Gardens

Make Yourself a Kusamono workshop led by Peggy Snow.

Note: This was open only to BRBS members who had paid their dues for 2023.

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There were two sessions:

10:30 am - 12:30 pm or 2:00 - 4:00 pm. 

Instructions  to members:

• Register for one session using email from Chris. Registration deadline is April 1.

• Bring a pot, tools, and wire and moss. Everything else will be provided. Fee of $5 to be paid in cash or by check at the event to help defray the cost of the plants. 

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May 13 & 14 -  World Bonsai Day with club activities at the at NC Arboretum on both days. Club members  displayed trees, did demos, and answered questions from visitors.

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June 2 through 11 -  Our exhibit of "Bonsai as Fine Art" was held at the Blue Spiral Gallery in Asheville with associated activities at the NC Arboretum. 

See the "Bonsai as Fine Art" webpage.

 

July 9 - 1:00 - 4:00 pm. A picnic for members at Peggy Snow's house in Asheville. A BBQ lunch from Louella's was provided for $5 per person. 

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Aug. 13 Meeting. Woodfin Community Center

"How to prepare trees for a bonsai show and how to judge bonsai." This was preparation for our BRBS show in October when our trees will be judged by our members and also by as by bonsai professional Daniel Coffey.

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Members each brought a tree of their own to work on at this meeting, and Chris led of review of the judging guidelines we received from bonsai professional Tyler Sherrod last year. You can download the guidelines here: 

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Sept. 17.  Meeting at the Bonsai Learning Center at 193 Volt Circle in Statesville, NC. 

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This was a great afternoon at the Learning Center owner with bonsai professional, Brad Russell who presented an informative program. There were also pots, tools, and trees at all stages of development available for purchase. Brad offered club members a $5 discount on soil.

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Oct. 8 Meeting - Asheville Botanical Garden

BRBS Club Bonsai Show 

This show displayed club members' trees.  Its purpose, besides being fun, was to give members more practice in judging trees. 

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Oct. 14 Workshops

Bonsai professional, Daniel Coffey, will offered two workshops at his studio in the River Arts District in Asheville. https://www.treethepeople.com/ 

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The two workshops were:

• Basic information and styling workshop - Limited to 7 participants. A boxwood tree was provided as part of the fee.

• Advanced workshop - Limited to 5 participants who brought their own trees to work on with evaluation and guidance from Danny.