Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Interesting. I'd be curious to hear from someone who had a positive experience in a workshop with Mr. Nagatoshi.
Owen Reich AND Roy Nagatoshi?!
- Thread starter Redwood Ryan
- Start date
I've been fortunate to take workshops with a number of people - Ryan Neil, Boon, Steve Tolley, Larry Jackel, etc. Those workshops were great experiences, the RN workshop was by far last on my list.
For a little context, I actually brought in a pretty nice kishu juniper that I bought years before from Chikugo-En in LA - very healthy, lot of character, etc. Night before I cleaned up the tree, and was ready to go. Roy saw it and said to clean it up some more. To be honest, knowing what I know now, it could have used a little more thinning out. But I did it, then tried to get him to help me select a front and come up with an overall design plan as I was still pretty new to bonsai, and he really didn't seem interested in helping. For the whole workshop, if he spent 5 minutes with me, that was a lot.
Maybe others have had better experiences. I'm just passing along mine. I do wonder how helpful he will be with ficus though.
For a little context, I actually brought in a pretty nice kishu juniper that I bought years before from Chikugo-En in LA - very healthy, lot of character, etc. Night before I cleaned up the tree, and was ready to go. Roy saw it and said to clean it up some more. To be honest, knowing what I know now, it could have used a little more thinning out. But I did it, then tried to get him to help me select a front and come up with an overall design plan as I was still pretty new to bonsai, and he really didn't seem interested in helping. For the whole workshop, if he spent 5 minutes with me, that was a lot.
Maybe others have had better experiences. I'm just passing along mine. I do wonder how helpful he will be with ficus though.
symbiotic1
Mame
I take classes from Roy at his nursery here in LA so I guess I come at this from a different angle. A class is likely a more casual context than a workshop. I've enjoyed what I've learned from his so far and felt the classes have been worthwhile. Having said that, I haven't noticed him to be the type to sit there for a long time on one tree but rather spend a minute or two evaluating and suggesting next steps, then moving on to the next person, and coming back around to check on you. If it's more raw stock then he has sat there with me for a while to figure out a direction and make any major chops. There are a number of local bonsai hobbyists that keep coming back every few weeks to his classes after many years though to get his advice on styling their trees. Maybe he was having an off day during the workshop mentioned. I haven't had enough exposure to other teachers to have a good basis for comparison yet. I've only had experience with the local teachers (Roy and bonsaibp).
discusmike
Omono
I missed last year,holding to meet Owen this spring.
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
Well, tomorrow is the day I meet Roy! I'll take plenty of pictures.
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
I'm not sure if Owen's a member here...
He has been a member since 2011 and with only 37 posts I don't blame him for not chiming in more
Vin
Imperial Masterpiece
Nice Avatar
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
He has been a member since 2011 and with only 37 posts I don't blame him for not chiming in more
Why not?
You know why exactly !
jriddell88
Omono
Whether anyone him likes him or not the man knows what he's doing and been doing it alooong time. A friend of mine out west works with him very often and tell me about how wonderful he is . He wants people to learn , maybe in a different manner than most would like but I don't blame him for not wanting to hold your hand constantly. Everyone makes mistakes but he may just say a few things to give your imagination a little boost. I personally own a few of his "worked " trees and I love em and think he's great! Much respect .
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Fair enough, but I am still
Have you worked with the man? Met him?
Brian,
I have not personally worked with Roy. And here's why:
He does come to the Atlanta Bonsai Society fairly often to give workshops. One member has a large Sargens Juniper that he bought from Roy 25 years ago. It was grafted by Roy's father.
Apparently, from the accounts of others who attend the workshops, that's the only tree that Roy works on! He seems to start with that one, works on it for a half hour, then goes around and gives all the other participants 5 minutes each, and then returns to the first tree and works on it for the rest of the workshop!
Again, let me say that I have not personally experienced this, but I've heard this from several others. Which has caused me to skip his workshops.
He is an expert grafter, and I suggest that to maximize your benefit from one of his workshops, you bring in a tree needing grafts. (Or buy a tree that his father grafted! Lol!)
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
I'm thinking that isn't quite it.
Oh yeah! I remember now.
Hes on another forum though. I got in a little trouble when I questioned them on how they treat newbies over there.
If you want information from Owen Reich go there. They have about 2 posts per week on the same trees by the same guys. They like to pat each others backs on there.
And questions sometimes don't get answered there. Instead of a like button they have an unanswered thread button. Lots of those.
Yes I do know exactly why Owen rarely posts here.
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
Some folks are more at home there.
And they should stay there!
Sure not King Kusamono!
Mad respect.
Sorce
And they should stay there!
Sure not King Kusamono!
Mad respect.
Sorce
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
To be honest, the class was great. Roy sat with me and told me his plans for my trees and why, then showed me how to go about doing things. He grabbed the tools and went to work. He had me wire the branches out while he helped other members, then came back when I had finished wiring and showed me where to position each branch. It was awesome, he did this with both of my huge Ficus.
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