What would you want in your dream Bonsai Club?

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bardo

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So If you had your dream bonsai club what would that be? I always hear so many say to much politics and socializing not enough education. To many people teaching the wrong or different ideas.
So what would you want in a great club hypothetically?

Would you want New member fee of $250 and you get good tool set and a nice quality tree to learn on. Would you like higher fees and do more or lower fees and just talk? Would u want no politics? Would u want a teaching education based club? Iv always wondered what would be everyones idea of the perfect bonsai club. Look forward to hearing your ideas.......
 
Ideally:

Low participation, coupled with suggestions on what others really need to do (best when this is the same person)
Sign up sheets to volunteer for non-bonsai related chores (all empty slots filled by the poor SOB who sent it around)
Inexpensive guest artists (good for newcomers who don't want to spend $75 to learn their new hobby)
Some sort of political/bureaucratic strife with the host location (sets the tone nicely, right at the entrance)
People leaving when Ryan Bell's pottery lecture goes past 8:01 PM (shows we care...to a point)
Potlucks (cause we gotta eat, right? Good way for spouses to participate)
"Experts" (every club needs at least 2 of these, so they can derail meetings to argue the "correct way")

Wait, what was the question again?:p

I've been in several clubs; ours here is one of the best I've been in; it has moments of greatness. All are better when they don't have to deal with any combination of the above.

Stick to good trees, avoid politics, realize that quality is worth the price. A mentor club or small study group is best.
 
Good topic. May I expand a little with a question? how would you go about getting a group together? I am member of 2 groups, and neither offfers what I am looking for. So I am considering a small studygroup myself...
 
leatherback said:
Good topic. May I expand a little with a question? how would you go about getting a group together? I am member of 2 groups, and neither offfers what I am looking for. So I am considering a small studygroup myself...
Click to expand...
Good question, I don't know enough like minded people in my area to set up a study group. I may try as Owen has several study groups that he visits a few times a year. Would be something I'd totally be interested in...
 
leatherback said:
Good topic. May I expand a little with a question? how would you go about getting a group together? I am member of 2 groups, and neither offfers what I am looking for. So I am considering a small studygroup myself...
Click to expand...

If you do that on a weekend day not too far into the east I'd be in! Well, if it's people like me you're looking for :p;)
 
I would love a club that concentrated on a task per year. A whole year on all the aspects of wire. Taking it off, putting it on, moving branches etc. etc.

Maybe the next year concentrate on ramifications and pruning.

These yearly workshops do not need to be in any order, just unanimous in decision to all be on the same page and learn a technique to rote.

A good year long workshop could be on branch selection and the whole less is more aspect of bonsai.

Another good yearlong workshop could be Jin's, Shari, and carving. I know I would benefit from a year of this work. Working the same tree over the year is equally beneficial in my mind.
 
Just a club would be nice, whatever it consist of. NO one here works with bonsai, I mean no one. The closest is where BVF lives (which he has kindly invited me to multiple times) it is a 4 hour round trip for me, have never made it up to a meeting. So this is my club ;)
 
Smoke said:
I would love a club that concentrated on a task per year. A whole year on all the aspects of wire. Taking it off, putting it on, moving branches etc. etc.

Maybe the next year concentrate on ramifications and pruning.

These yearly workshops do not need to be in any order, just unanimous in decision to all be on the same page and learn a technique to rote.

A good year long workshop could be on branch selection and the whole less is more aspect of bonsai.

Another good yearlong workshop could be Jin's, Shari, and carving. I know I would benefit from a year of this work. Working the same tree over the year is equally beneficial in my mind.
Click to expand...
Add grafting and I might join such a club (not meaning to make me the subject of preference).

Q: Are you assuming all members have a tree of the same species for club work? I think/agree that would be a good idea too.
 
ml_work said:
Just a club would be nice, whatever it consist of. NO one here works with bonsai, I mean no one. The closest is where BVF lives (which he has kindly invited me to multiple times) it is a 4 hour round trip for me, have never made it up to a meeting. So this is my club ;)
Click to expand...
I guess you need to attend a few club meetings to realize how fortunate you are to have your present 'predicament'.
 
0soyoung said:
Add grafting and I might join such a club (not meaning to make me the subject of preference).

Q: Are you assuming all members have a tree of the same species for club work? I think/agree that would be a good idea too.
Click to expand...
Much of the work I speak of would be much the same no matter the species. I mean when one gets good with wire and all it's complexities it will be the same on most all plants. Same with branch selection. The biggest problem I see with a lot of hobbiests is the vision to see or know what will happen tomorrow with the work today.
 
Anthony said:
Open minds, and a sense of the experimental.
Click to expand...
JudyB said:
BYOT workshop every meeting. With guest artists as many times as possible. Working on the trees is all I care about...
Click to expand...

Two excellent ideas. Add to this as members Ryan Neal, Randy Knight, Michael Hagedorn, Matt Reel and the Perfect Mate and Perfection is near:D.
 
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