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Syllabus for the School at Bonsai West, Spring 2010:
Class 1
April 15
Pruning & Sculpting
Demonstration:
Recognizing tree forms and good branching
Developing classical styles of bonsai
Heavy pruning: vs. refinement/detail pruning, using a wide range of different species
Branch selection and tree development
Individual and group exercises:
Dealing with problem trees, and making better choices.
Pruning and refining either one of your trees or one of ours, paying close attention to branch placement and over all bonsai aesthetics
Class 2
May 14
Repotting and Roots
Demonstration: Repotting large bonsai and exposing better rootage
Learn about roots, soils and aftercare, placement and pot selection
Individual exercises:
Students will repot their trees or borrow one of ours
Class 3
June 18
Wiring
Demonstration: How to wire different types of trees
How to move large branches and good branch placement
Tips and tricks to make wiring easy
Individual exercises: Wiring and more wiring, plan to bring one of your trees or use one of ours...
Class 4
July 16
The "Bonsai Chopping Block"
Demonstration and group exercise:
Bring in one of your most challenging trees or stock plants and be prepared to restyle it completely.
Students will put their unworked trees up on a turn table and present their plan.
The group will challenge it with their own ideas and then you have only two options:
1: defend your plan
or
2:
adopt a new one.
In any case, every tree gets worked!
Class 5
August 20
The Tricks the Books Never Tell Us
Demonstration and exercises:
This class will consist of a demonstration reviewing some of the highlights of the bonsai work that was done this year at the nursery.
A
a tour will reveal results from pruning different specimen bonsai at different times, and students will get an up-close view of our results.
There is always something new and exciting this time of year to learn, just from observing.
Bring one of your works-in-progress so that we can spend some quality time working on it.
Class 6
September 17
Putting It All Together
Demonstration and exercises:
This class will be a group bonsai lesson. In this class, students will be given a piece of material to style using the lessons they have learned over the School Year to make the best tree they can.
You will be surprised at how creative and resourceful you will become when everyone is working together and watching with the clock ticking. . . .