Is this something that can be learned or are some people just not able to do bonsai? ...
I think, broadly speaking, anyone can make good bonsai. Some will find it easier to produce beautiful, even world-class bonsai. I'm still very much relying on memory and old kokufu books, trying to mimic or interpret the better parts of trees that I've seen. I often spend hours pouring through books looking at high quality trees. I think exposure to really good trees helps improve your own eye.
To those new to bonsai I often recommend focusing on the horticulture (keep the tree alive) while learning the fundamentals (wiring, repotting, watering, fertilizing). That might mean that you miss important ground work (curve and twists to young junipers, etc.), but you've learned how to keep the tree alive. So, when it's time to apply technique that you now have mastered (hopefully), you can start over from a better starting point (new/better material).
I've turned over my collection of trees 2 or 3 times through the years, always having learned something with the prior batch of trees, replacing the old with better trees with more potential. If I had kept my original trees my collection would not be of the same quality that I have now. If I had started with what I have now I'm sure I would have killed or ruined some good trees.
Don't give up on the local club yet. Seek out those that have knowledge to share and suggest a small study group with those individuals. I've gotten far more out of my study group that I ever have from the club, but the study group members are direct recruits from the club.