RMBS Exhibition, Denver, CO, Sept. 2-3, 2023

[pandacular]

the Rocky Mountain Bonsai Society is hosting their 54th Anniversary Bonsai and Suiseki Exhibition at the Denver Botanic Gardens.

1007 York St. Denver 80206
9am - 7pm September 2nd, 2023
9am - 3pm September 3rd, 2023

entrance fee is included with admission to the gardens ($15)

RMBS Annual Exhibition

Annual Bonsai Show. Rocky Mountain Bonsai Society.

www.rmbonsai.org

 

[pandacular]

I'm in town for a concert and just found out about this exhibition while checking the hours of the gardens, which are worth seeing in their own right. I'll definitely be there! Probably Sunday, but these are last minute plan changes so I'm up in the air.

 

[thatdirtykid]

I am likely to be there Sunday as well, no idea on schedule myself. I haven't gotten to wonder the gardens in a few years and Bonsai is a good excuse to make the drive.

 

[pandacular]

I'm definitely interested in the two "tour" events. Every chance I've had to listen to a skilled artist critique designs has always been a joy. The beginner bonsai session at 1 could also be interesting... not that I haven't seen 5 different beginner classes of different sorts!

 

[thatdirtykid]

I am likely to try and make the Slab building demo, despite knowing way more about ceramics than I do bonsai any tips to doing ceramics specifically for bonsai is something I can benefit from. That said, I will soak up anything I have time for.

 

[thatdirtykid]

@pandacular did you end up making it? This was actually my first time seeing more than a couple trees in person. Definitely the highest end trees I have experienced.

Took some pictures more for reference than try to capture an image, but I couldn't do these trees much justice if I tried.

I love my conifers and there were lots of yamadori ponderosas and RMJs. My personal favorites of the show were a few Colorado Blues, specifically one from late Jerry Morris collection. Its impressive how small they have gotten the foliage on these.

or this Todd Schlafer Spruce. Really liked how some of the smaller deadwood still had dried bark instead of being completely stripped, since that's how I have grown up seeing these trees.

There was also an Elephant Bush forest that was quite the sight to get lost in. That display as well as a couple other Elephant Bush (and Jade) has given me a little more appreciation and appeal to them. I may keep a couple house plants in the future (if there's room, the ladies in the house kinda have every sunlit nook occupied)

This RMJ was really interesting.

 

[pandacular]

I was there! I took tons of (crappy) photos. I really liked Todd's other spruce, with the big bulky base, and was super pleased to get to chat with him about it.

This show had some excellent native conifers, which is really great to see. Mike Britten's informal upright ponderosa had the smallest needles I've ever seen on a native pine tree. Great to talk to him as well, he took a real interest in my bonsai education.

 

[thatdirtykid]

Yes, this one! I was curious to the needle color, they seemed so bright.

 

[pandacular]

photo dump time...apologies for not doing a better job giving credit to the artists.

Walter Buck - one of maybe two or three maples I saw, and a lovely clumpy forest.
a few Mike Britten pondos




Adam Johnson, styled with Ryan Neil - this RMJ is a BEAST!

Terri Samuelson - an awesome little Willow leaf ficus. Had a great chat with Terri about her greenhouse--and how she didn't want to haul any of her big ficuses out of it!
Steve Varland - I love this ponderosa, despite cutting off some of the base

I've attached quite a few more, check em out! I would appreciate if someone in the club updates this thread when the official pictures are posted. The lighting in there was rough for cell phone photography.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to chat with me! If you met Will from Seattle, it was a pleasure.

 

[pandacular]

to quote Walter Pall - more

to the gentleman I chatted about this radical one with--thank you for sharing about the process of working this! apologies that I never got your name. (also thanks to his exceedingly patient partner, who watched us geek us for quite a bit)

Another Mike Britten - fantastic bark and Shari!