Illawarra Bonsai Society - Weeekend Workshops at The Tops

[jamo]

Hi everyone,

Illawarra Bonsai Society's 10th weekend workshops at Tops Conference Centre will be held on September 18-20, and registrations are now being taken. This year we have visiting tutor from the Gold Coast, Carole Waller, along with Illawarra member, Georgina Kretschmar. Carole and Georgina will be carrying out workshops as well doing a demonstration each over the course of the weekend.

Of course, you can always come and work on your own material in the sun drenched courtyard of the centre, or work on a woodwork or diaza (suiseki) project. Or enjoy the surrounding bushland and enscarpment views with a bushwalk.

It is a fun filled weekend. Details and registrations forms are all available on the Illawarra Bonsai Society website - http://www.illawarrabonsaisociety.org

Jamie Milner
Secretary

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Illawarra Bonsai Tops Weekend 2009.pdf

[MelaQuin]

This has to be one of the BEST weekends you can get as a bonsai enthusiast. Nice accommodation, good food and lashings of it, an idyllic setting and BONSAI BONSAI BONSAI. The chance to learn from the time you arrive till the minute you leave. Greenies should not be alarmed. [Greenies as in New Chums to bonsai]. This is the place to REALLY start your education. You need a decent plant to work with but you get help from all sides as well as learning from all sides. For the more advanced, still heaps of tips, an endless array of humour and just simply a fantastic weekend.

Those of you who live near enough to attend, don't miss this one. A new face coming through the door will be greeting immediately and procedures explained. The moment of crossing the threshold is the only scary part. FRIENDLY is the tone and FRIENDLY is the theme.. as well as learning HEAPS. Not only are there structured workshops but you can walk around and talk to anyone about their trees or ask them about yours, there are fun demos [Friday night] and fantastic demos [Saturday night and Sunday afternoon]. Illawarra Bonsai is to be commended for offering such a wonderful smorgesborg of BONSAI for all who attend.

[techpetal]

Greenie here as previously stated! he he he

To what level should a plant be to be classed as "Decent" Mel?

Raw but with potential or already had the essentials of training? I've found a few plants that have given me ideas which I have bought but I have left them alone for now going by your "Learn how to keep it and not kill it policy" first. As yet I haven't found a trained plants that I have looked at and said "I'd like to do that to it". I know inexperience is holding me back however.

[MelaQuin]

Anytime, and I mean ANYTIME you are putting a plant in front of an experienced tutor for guidance and styling help, DON'T bring a stick. You don't have to pay squllions but select well and have a plant with a number of options and plenty of branching or something odd and strange that unlocks potential. You can take a plant that you want to refine, a plant you have styled but are not happy with it, a plant you have been growing or picked up at a nursery or collected. Wherever it comes from, it need to present options... Greenies all too often are afraid to 'waste' $25 on a stock plant and come with a stick with a few leaves. $25 for a decent stock plant relates to 2 bottles of wine or a reasonable meal out. It is not a fortune to 'blow'. It is a learning episode and, as such, some investment is required. NOT a lot... but you also have to bring tools, wire and whatever else you will need. If you are going to repot then bring SEVERAL pots because until you know what the roots are like you don't really know if the 'ideal' chosen pot will actually suit. In fact, if you are working with a new plant [ie, never root pruned before] it is a good idea to bring a training pot as large as the one it is currently in as well as the pot you think it would fit in to.

I've had to shuffle around the attendees trying to buy a training pot when I discovered my tree had roots I could not remove at the first root prune and a larger pot was required. It may not happen... but you are not near a bonsai nursery and you must come prepared. Actually, if you go back into the early posts in events there should be a good post on what to bring to a workshop and workshop etiquette.

But look for a tree with a lot going for it. And just to show you that 'going for it' is not the same for everyone.... I brought this olive to my first ever workshop, quaking knees, terribly embarrassed by this hideous thing I had won in a raffle and hadn't a clue what to do with, and I was [sorta] mobbed with interested enthusiasts, each with an idea what to do with it. But it was the tutor who unearthed the secrets when he removed it from the soil and started it on its path to glory. "Earth Mother Dancing In the Grove' never photographes well, always looks strange when made two dimensional. But it is an olive of unusual character but very much character, wherein lies its charm. So the subject does not have to be a $100 or $500 tree to be a great workshop prospect.

Earth Mother 2000-11.jpg

Earth Mother 2001-08.jpg

Olive Earth Mother.jpg

Keep in mind, the workshop is 3-4 hours, 8 participants normally. The tutor comes around to each person to see their tree and get a feel for what they want to do with it [and it is NO crime to have no idea - you are paying for the tutor to have an idea!] and the tutor will give you a few ideas and get you started and then go on to the next so in 30 minutes can be back with you for the next round. So you don't want a hugely complex plant that will take hours to sort out but you do want something that will keep you going for a number of one to one sessions plus work. On the other hand, rather than buy new plants, I have taken a number of trees that needed refinement and each time the tutor came around I had a different tree... but I had completed the work on the earlier tree and was not breaking workshop etiquette by having the tutor advise on a number of trees at one time.

[jamo]

Hey everyone,

Just a reminder to say that registrations are still open for the Tops Weekend, but registrations will be closing on 4 September. It's a great, good value weekend, and with workshops at $20 each it is a bargain to be working with such great bonsai tutors (Carole Waller and Georgina Kretschmar).

Jamie

[MelaQuin]

Just a reminder... registrations close on the 4th of September. If you are in the Sydney area come for the weekend, come for one of the days. But COME. This is a fantastic learning experience. And for the member that asked what to bring, the Grey Myrtle I just posted would be a good type of tree to take along. With a tree like the myrtle with just a few branches I would also have another tree for the second time the tutor came around. But it will be interesting to get feedback on directions for the Myrtle from other participants.

COME AND JOIN US. Check an earlier post in this series for booking details.

[jamo]

Registrations for the workshop weekend have been extended by an extra week. Late registrations are now being taken up until Friday 11 September 2009.
Jamie

[Brenda Parker]

TWO WEEKS AND COUNTING.........Yes, that's all you have got to book in for this bonsai workshop weekend at the Banksia Compex, at the Stanwell Tops Conference Centre off Bendena Garden Road, Stanwell Tops on the 18th - 20th September.
If this will be your first time joining us why don't you just come for a day only and see what we do and where we are and how much fun we have. I guarantee that you will want to stay if not this weekend but for the next....and next.....!! The area overlooks a magnificent escarpment, beautiful gardens and very modern living quarters. The food is GREAT and there is plenty of it. This complex is only a good 15 minutes drive south of Sutherland. Outside on the grassed area you will hear power tools whirring away and sawdust flying everywhere where members and friends will be making suiseki stands and bonsai stands. There maybe even a chainsaw or two whirring into some LARGE trees. For the registration form and costs go to our website http://www.illawarrabonsaisociety.org and download the form and send it in ASAP. As you can understand we need the final numbers for the complex for catering.
I will promise you will have a great time, learning new things, meeting new friends from other clubs and catching up with old friends and you will definitely go home a few kilos heavier from the food!!!!!!!!
Hope to see you there.

Come and enjoy yourself.
Till then,
Brenda
(President)

[Leonarda]

I'm sitting here at the Stanwell Tops... styled a kunzea this morning with Georgina, and now watching Clinton... 3 guesses as to what he is doing...

having a great time, lots of knowledge, good food and folk.

[Andrew Ward]

Wish that I was there but with just one more week until school holidays it is an extremely busy time of month. Add to that the need to get the SA Bonsai Newsletter out!

Others who are at/were at The Tops ... let us know how it is/was.

Looking forward to some reports and pictures!!!

[Jonden]

Hi Andrew,
The weekend was fantastic as usual, Carol Waller from QLD did a great demo on Sat night of a Black Pine Literati.Georgina Kretchmar did a great natural looking group of Melaleuca Claret Top on Sunday.The workshops produced lots of realy good bonsai, while ouside was a hive of industry, Dremels screaming like air raid sirens as suiseki members made diazas while others carved bonsai, Ray Nesci and Clinton worked on a couple of superb old bonsai, a huge ancient looking Radiata and a Juniper. A 2 metre high very old cedar was bent down 90degrees to form a great dropped head Literati.Great fun night Friday ,involving blindfolds, fluffy handcuffs and soccer ball, ( eat your heart out Nick Lenz)
I actually managed to get 4 of my own trees wired and restyled while sitting out on lawn in an almost perfect weather.
Didn't get many photos, but I am sure Phillip will have some for you to see, if they let him on the plane with his crate of trees.
A few drinks at night and lots of stimulating conversation made for annother great Tops weekend.
Regards,
Jonden

[anttal63]

sounds a hoot guys thanks for sharing. and yes am looking forward to some photos.

[Grant Bowie]

I am sorry I missed this years event. I have been to every single one since it started except for this year and I really enjoy it.

[Lynette]

This is the first year I have missed since it started also. So where are the photos. I will make sure I am there next year. There have been so many exciting events this year and still one more to go.
Lynette

[Bretts]

Hey don't forget the other great event out at Cowra Lynette