California Bonsai Society
Visiting Artist’s Program: A unique opportunity for bonsai professionals, bonsai clubs, nurseries and local bonsai enthusiasts.
As part of the continuing effort of the California Bonsai Society to be a resource to the rest of the bonsai community and of promoting the appreciation and knowledge of the art of bonsai we are proud to announce our Visiting artists program.
In a nutshell here it is – California Bonsai Society meets the 3rd Wednesday of the month quarterly. There are also at least 5 or 6 clubs that also meet in the third week Which is why we have the time frame above. For each meeting CBS will bring in a world class bonsai professional guest artist as our demonstrator. Artist will be coming from around the globe and around the country. This year we have in May, Will Baddeley from England, an amazing artist and one of the world’s best carvers. In August Pedro Morales tropical bonsai wiz from Puerto Rico will be here and in November we’ll have deciduous tree and yamadori expert as well as acclaimed author Harry Harrington also from the UK. Next year we’ll be having even more exciting artists from around the world including Japan, Europe and the US.
Club opportunities and costs
We are inviting any clubs that have meeting schedules that are either in the third week of the month or even possibly that meet at the end of the second week- 2nd Friday/ Saturday to participate in our visiting artists program.
Any club that meets in the proper timeframe or the artists timeframe can schedule an artist as their demonstrator for that month as well as if they so choose, hold a club workshop as well.
California Bonsai Society is covering all the travel expenses to and from the artists home country or state, as well as housing, meals, local travel etc. while the artist is here.
Participating clubs will have to pay the artists demo fee ranging between $300 and $350 dollars for a typical meeting length demo on a tree provided by the club. Clubs will agree to provide an appropriate piece of material considering the skill level and specialty of the guest artists. I expect these trees will bring in much more than a typical raffle or club auction tree- another reason to provide good material. If for some reason the club cannot provide appropriate material than a tree for demo purposes will be provided but the club will not be able to retain the tree for its raffle or auction. We ask that in all promotion for the demos or workshops clubs acknowledge the CBS visiting artist program.
If they’d like, clubs will also be able to schedule a 5 hour workshop either on the day of their regular meeting or any other day the artist is not already booked for. For club workshops the artist fee will be generally $400 for up to 10 people and up to 5 hours. There will also be a $75 workshop fee paid to California Bonsai Society to help with expenses. This only applies to workshops not demos. This could be a good way for clubs to raise money for the demo material or for their bank account if they don’t have a meeting date that falls into the timeframe available. If for some reason clubs that want to schedule a workshop can’t get a space during the day to hold it in, Kimura Bonsai Nursery in Northridge will make its workshop space available free of charge for any club that needs a space, providing it doesn’t conflict with scheduled nursery activities.
Local bonsai nurseries opportunities and costs
If there is time in the scheduling CBS will also offer local bonsai nurseries the opportunity to hold a workshop with our visiting artist. Any bonsai business that make use of this opportunity will have to pay the artist fee of $450 for an up to 10 people and 5-hour workshop as well as a workshop fee of $150 to California Bonsai Society.
Individual bonsai club members opportunities and costs
As one more way to spread the knowledge we will also have available private one on one days with the artist either conducting a one on one workshop- limited to only one- or work on a private collection. These will be 6 hour days and the fee will be $500 to the artist and $50 to CBS.
Booking preference will be made to clubs that book all 4 dates in a year, since we have to have enough work scheduled to make it worthwhile to these professionals to come out and spend the time with us. After clubs have made their bookings, local nurseries will be able to book a workshop day, after the local nurseries have had a chance, individuals can book private days.
Artists opportunities and remuneration
California Bonsai Society as part of it mission to promote and educate about the art of bonsai
is inviting world class bonsai professionals to come to Los Angeles and conduct a number of demonstrations and workshop in the area over the course of 7-10 days. We will be doing these four times a year, basically the third week of the month in February, May, July and October in 2019.
CBS would provide round trip airfare from your home to Los Angeles. We ask that you be willing to be hosted in a member or member’s home. Your host will provide meals. We will also arrange transportation to and from all demos and workshops. Local bonsai clubs, of which at least 6 that meet in the third week, will you in the evenings as their monthly demonstrator. These meetings are generally 2-21/2 hours long. The club will provide a suitable demonstration tree and pay a fee of $300 for the demonstration. The clubs also will have the opportunity to schedule a 5 hour workshop with up to 10 people. Any club workshops will be $400 to the artist. If the schedule isn’t full and you, the artist is willing, we will give local bonsai nurseries an opportunity to have you teach a workshop for up to 10 and no more than 5 hours. Your fee for these workshops will be $450. Also if you are willing and scheduling allows we will encourage individuals to hire you for private sessions- either one on one teaching or working on a private collection. The fee for these 6 hour days will be $500.
At a bare minimum that there will be one demo, but we anticipate being able to fill the schedule as much as you’d like. All demo’s, workshops etc. will be promoted extensively on social media by CBS and the clubs, nurseries involved. Some of the clubs will live stream the demo’s on Facebook all resulting in great social media exposure for each artist involved. Considering the number of clubs, you’ll be sharing your skills and knowledge with a large and diverse group of bonsai enthusiasts.
