nathanbs
Thank you very much for the tip. I went over there and purchased 15 issues for $50.00  including shipping.
I wonder why some issues are so much more expensive than others. I guess they are more popular issues so the old supply and demand comes into play.

Dunn4,
Dont forget the big club....
http://www.gsbf-bonsai.org/

and this is freeeeeeeeeeeeee

 February 23 & 24, 2013: Oakland, California
Mammoth Fundraiser 2013: at Lakeside Garden Center, 666 Bellevue Ave, Lake Merritt. This is the annual fundraiser for the GSBF Collection Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt (BGLM). Auction of fabulous bonsai on Saturday. Preview items at 12 Noon; auction starts at 1 PM. RSVP Club Connection Event at BGLM 4 – 7 PM. Scheduled Sunday events: Vendor sales 9 AM – 4 PM. Bonsai and Pre-bonsai sales 10 AM – 4 PM. Demonstrations by Kathy Shaner and team 11:30 AM – 3 PM. Raffle drawings at 1 PM, 2 PM and 3 PM. BGLM Café open Saturday and Sunday. Contact Randi Keppeler 925-776-2342 or bonsailakemerritt@gmail.com.

Nathan
 Sorry I forgot that and you are correct I am no relation that I know of anyway. I do genealogy also and found you never know way back some where you may have had the same GGGGGGGG Grandparent.

I have recently taken on the task of rebuilding the Nashville Bonsai Society as the president.  NBS used to be a lot more active in regards to traveling to other clubs' events in numbers and has slowly devolved into more of a study group with a nice Regional Show.  This will change.  About 4-5 of us always travel to other shows.  Hopefully this number will increase.  NBS has issues involving meeting times and a lapse in leadership which are being resolved now.  Any members of this forum involved in clubs reasonably close to Nashville with upcoming shows please PM me. 

 People get what they want out of volunteer organizations.  Some of us bitten by the bonsai bug feel inclined to keep this artform going and even spreading.  These groups are great for socializing with others with a common interest and may not need to serve a higher purpose.   Bonsai clubs are in a way ambassadors for bonsai to the public. Some (like me) can also have economic reasons along with philosophical ones for nurturing a local bonsai scene.

Owen you better take good care of that club as it has the same initials as my name therefore it's a really special club

Thinking Aloud,

on our side, we have been wondering if it makes more sense to do like you guys, leave clubs for beginners and find enough cash to hire a teacher for 2 or 3 months as a Study Group.
These folk will have to come from abroad, since we all have the same books and have watched each other at work,

Will be looking into most probably a large source of money [ 1US = 6.35 TT ] and have someone down for that period of time.
Especially since we one day hope to have a Bonsai museum, as everyone gets older and these trees need to be protected.
Might even devote a few rooms to Northern / Southern winter resting trees.

Perhaps providing permanent employment for about 10 or so folk, and probably housing around the Museum.
Good Morning.
Anthony

Owen,

due to the amount of books, videos, word of mouth and so on, the world of mystery, Bonsai, is becoming firmly grounded in cement. Yes, you may meet a few new to the craft [ I think for this discussion I will leave the Art part to the professionals], but more and more folk will have a much greater awareness of the basics of Bonsai.

As an example, 2 or 3 years ago, some friends from India, went as club to a teaching event in a main city and they had to pay to attend. Sadly, the Japanese miscalculated on the amount of experience the Indians had with bonsai and the report back was, that they felt cheated and treated as ignoramuses.

The problem with the tropical situation, as far as I can see is, unlike the Japanese and Chinese who have had many years to study their trees and evolve the best ways to present their ideas. The tropics is an open field and it will probably take over q hundred years for designs to evolve into, other than Japanese or Chinese designs.

So the knowledge for wiring, pruning and repotting is very needed, and also the subtle points towards design.
BUT evolution has to take place in order for Tropical work to be best appreciated.As examples, both the buttonwood and the pemphis are good examples of Shimpaku envy.
Buttonwood actually matures into a beautifully multidoomed tree and has amazing bark, I cannot however speak for the pemphis as it does not naturally grow on my side.

Still you have to start somewhere, so for example, we use the training techniques [ not fully understood ] of the Japanese Black Pine on the timber pines on our side and the techniques of the Zelkova training on the Fustic.
So for a while our trees will look like northern trees and after a while hopefully, they will evolve.
[No insult is intended to anyone, just trying to a get a few points across as best as I can for Owen to understand.]
Good Afternoon.
Anthony

Hey Anthony, check out some of the Chinese tropicals, Taiwan in particular. When you guysfigurd iut what you want your trees to look like, post some pictures.

Don,

Although I have never had the pleasure to see the show, I have seen the photos of the trees in the past shows.  You will see exceptional bonsai at the BIB show.  It will be good for you to see such high quality bonsai early in your bonsai career, as you will see examples of the level refinement you should strive for.  It is a journey.  If, however, you see inferior examples of bonsai as a beginner, you don't know they are inferior.  But, they serve as your "model" of what you think bonsai should be.

So, seeing great bonsai as a beginner is absolutely the best thing you can do.  Inspiring.  And intimidating.  But, again, you have access to one of the great teachers of bonsai, Boon.  He likes to teach beginners.  No bad habits to break.  Us old guys have to be retrained!