The Joy of Bonsai – yes. It is the name of a great “show” put on by the Kawa Bonsai Society in Bunnell in mid-January where Orlando Bonsai is a vendor selling our tools and supplies. There are great speakers such as Sean Smith, Mike Rogers and others giving demonstrations and workshops, and there is an outstanding exhibit.
But the Joy of bonsai is also the great feeling one gets when working (playing) with bonsai. It’s a passion that evokes the emotions one feels when the tree responds with new growth, flowers, fruit or when the wire comes off and the desired movement is achieved. Or when a new root or branch grows in just the right place. Or when the newly repotted tree looks just perfect in its new pot. When new leaves burst out after winter, there is a certain joy that brings a smile to our lips. On days when it may be hard to find a little joy because of life getting in the way, it might be a good day to work with our bonsai and let a little joy in. Or maybe a lot! Find your passion and feel the joy — The Joy of Bonsai.
Today I travelled to Bunnel Florida to attend the 9th Annual Joy of Bonsai. They really do a great job setting this mini convention up. Every year it just gets better. Although I was definitely under the weather I was able to build this highlights video. Be sure to subscribe to OrlandoBonsaiTV after the video.
The Kawa Bonsai Club’s, Joy of Bonsai will be held in January and they are lining up a competition for those that participated in the Tokonoma building class last year. All of those that took the class can bring back their Tokonoma with a display set up to compete against each other. Sounds like fun.
Here’s the group from last year in a Photoshop project I did. If you haven’t seen these little displays, you really need to. They are really something special.
I participated in a Sean Smith workshop during the Joy of Bonsai for building a miniature Tokonoma. It was a lot of fun and a great price.
This was the first steps of constructing the Tokonoma. Sevrel types of woods were used, however I really can’t remember them at this time.
I love this picture! At first it looks like a computer course with people sitting around laptops, but they are only these wooden things. I like to think of it as an Amish Computer Training Class.
More supplies are shown here. It was put together with only glue. Really a great kit that Sean provided.
The side panel had a window that was later fitted with a bamboo treatment.
Here is the finished room with a tree from Louise Leister. Hard to tell the scale of it because it really looks like a full sized room.
I had a little bit of fun with Photoshop after the class by inserting pictures of all of the people that took the class. This photo actually became a bit famous and is used in newsletters and advertisments for all sorts of things.
