Friday, January 9, 2015

Eighth Annual Mid-winter Bonsai Workshop, Baton Rouge Garden Center, 7950 Independence Blvd., Jan 17, 8:00 - 5:00

Eighth Annual Mid-winter Bonsai Workshop, Baton Rouge Garden Center, 7950 Independence Blvd., Jan 17, 8:00 - 5:00

Bonsai show, raffle, and workshop.
Bonsai Vendors and consultants
Food, fellowship, and fun
Come early, stay late. 

If you are an accomplished bonsai artist or a just starting in bonsai, this event is for you.

We are working to make the 2015 Louisiana Bonsai Society (LBS) Annual Mid-winter Bonsai Workshop the best ever.  Our goal still is to help you improve your bonsai collection.  This will be possible with the help of our club members, other bonsai clubs, bonsai vendors, and Joe Day, who will conduct a “bring your own tree” bonsai workshop.  This is an advanced bonsai workshop and Joe will discuss various varieties of trees or bonsai in various stages of development.  This is a workshop designed help both observers and participants in improving their bonsai.  Each participant is encouraged to bring a bonsai from their collection that has been worked on before, but needs special assistance to move it from a good bonsai to a spectacular bonsai.  I am sure all of you have that bonsai you like, have worked on it for years, but know it can be better.  Joe has the bonsai know how to help you to carry your bonsai to the next stage.  He can also help you get started with an addition to your bonsai collection by helping you start a new bonsai correctly.  He conducts workshops as multiple lecture/demos so that participants and observers can learn advance techniques by gaining knowledge on different styles and species along with hands-on know how. 

In addition to the workshop, the LBS members will have bonsai on display and will be glad to talk about their development.  To expand the fun and keep the costs low, we asking anyone that has anything, pre-bonsai plants or bonsai material, to donate for the raffle.  Getting rid of some of your problem bonsai can also improve your collection.  Thanks to other bonsai clubs and LBS club members, we usually have some interesting material in the raffle.

Joe Day is well respected for his knowledge of art and bonsai.  He is from Mobile, Alabama, and began his bonsai interest in 1979.  He is a founding member of that city's bonsai society, The Azalea City Bonsai Society, founded in 1981. He is a past president and has supported the club every year since.

Joe has been the author and publisher of the ACBS newsletter for many years. He created and taught three courses in bonsai at the University of South Alabama continuing education programs, and has been featured on radio, television and newspaper articles in the Mobile area.

Bonsai articles by and about Joe have been featured in the ABS and BCI journals and has lectured and taught workshops at most of the bonsai clubs in the Deep South. He also has a large collection of bonsai. He grows bonsai stock and collects native material in addition to carving natural stone slabs for forest groups and single trees.

Vendors
The vendors we have are all bonsai experts that can advise you on what you need to reach your bonsai goals.  John Caro, owner of Red Leaf Bonsai Nursery, is a member Louisiana Bonsai Society.  See,http://www.redleafbonsai.com/ , for more information.  Bill Butler, owner of Bill’s Bayou - Bonsai, is a past president of the Greater New Orleans Bonsai Society.  See, http://www.billsbayou.com/ for more information.  Bob Specian has been doing and teaching bonsai for many years.  He is a member of Shreveport Bonsai Society and you can find him on Facebook.  Byron Myrick, Myrick Bonsai Pottery owner, is a member of Mississippi Gulf Coast Bonsai Society and has been doing pottery for years and bonsai for more than 10 years.  See http://bmyrick.com/Pottery/Welcome.html .     

It will be a full day of learning more about bonsai and will also include raffles, door prizes, food, and more.  The cost is $12 registration which covers the cost of lunch and the workshop cost is $30.  The workshop is limited so contact Lowell Tilley soon to reserve your space.

Lowell Tilley
225-272-6744 (home)