The Bonsai Society of Upstate New York celebrated their 50th anniversary by presenting a singular program to the members on Tuesday, October 24, 2023. The assembly was held in Buckland Lodge in Rochester, New York, the place most of our members dwell, though we do have a superb variety of energetic members who repeatedly attend most conferences and help the group from Buffalo, Syracuse and Ithaca, New York in addition to Erie, Pennsylvania.
We wished to current a particular academic program in contrast to the rest we’ve got had throughout the previous 50 years. Present president Marc Arpag and long-time previous presidents Harvey Carapella and Wm. N. Valavanis collectively offered demonstrations on Creating and Refining Bonsai. Moreover, every formally displayed certainly one of their best bonsai. The society rented white curtains with pipe and drape to create an applicable environment for the three reveals. The skirting was darkish purple on the underside and had a darkish purple valance on prime of the eight-foot white curtains to visually decrease the huge white area and coordinate with the underside. Inexperienced and purple desk coverings have been used, with inexperienced on every finish of the bigger shows and purple within the center for the smaller exhibit, thus offering further colours and selection tastefully.
Every artist exhibited and demonstrated on certainly one of their favourite species they’re well-known for. Marc used Japanese White Cedar, Harvey labored on Sargents Juniper and Invoice used Japanese Maples to clarify the distinction between the developmental coaching and refining strategies. Bonsai have been from their private collections and every artist rigorously and lovingly defined and confirmed key factors. All questions have been answered and mentioned from the attentive members. All of them demonstrated subsequent to one another making feedback on one another’s bushes and work. This was NOT a “membership demo” the place a tree is rapidly formed to impress the viewers. Every artist respects and admires one another’s bushes and work effectively collectively. We even had “tip jars” subsequent to every artist for our members and visitors which have been inspired to insert folding cash because the artists labored. This was NOT a contest or judging. It was enjoyable and the society made just a few hundred {dollars} for the treasury.
Member’s feedback after the assembly have been effectively obtained. “Wow this system was magical and 100% gold.” “All three shows individually have been wonderful, fascinating, inventive, tasteful, and have been artistically consultant of every artist AND collectively mixed to what felt like a superbly harmonious composition!” “The shows have been seamless, extraordinarily academic, diverse in topics and informative and but not repetitive in any respect!” This program was a implausible method for the artists to pay tribute to the society they love and help and a beautiful reward to our loyal members. The distinctive program was gratifying and academic. Will probably be troublesome to prime this program after the subsequent 50 years….
