Dear Members,
Our general meeting on August 7, 2024, was both informative and engaging. We had the pleasure of witnessing a captivating demonstration by Jennifer Price, who skillfully planted Chinese Elm trees on a feather rock. Larry Magee assisted her, meticulously preparing various elements, including gluing the rocks onto a round ceramic pot. The result was nothing short of impressive, with Jennifer expertly explaining each step of the process. We had a great turnout from PSBS members, and the arrangement was later raffled off. The raffle also included a petrified rock, books, and magazines, with the rock planting being won by Dennis Talag.
Special acknowledgment goes to Jennifer Price for her tremendous artistry, making the entire process look effortless. Thanks also to Larry Magee for his invaluable assistance both before and during the demonstration, especially for carving the rock ahead of time to streamline the process.
The Destination Asia (DA) Show at the Morton Arboretum, held on the weekend of August 9-11, 2024, attracted a record number of visitors. Thirty-seven trees were entered to be judged in the main section of the show, with twenty-two bonsai enthusiasts participating. Additionally, twenty-two trees were showcased in the “in-training” section. Jennifer Price once again played a key role, helping to arrange the trees beautifully. Chris Baker, the curator at the Chicago Botanic Garden, served as a judge, awarding the Best in Show and recognizing three other trees, along with three trees that received honorable mentions. Jennifer showed great integrity by recusing herself from the judging due to her involvement with PSBS. On Friday evening, Jennifer and Chris provided critiques that were recorded on video and will be shown at our February 2025 general meeting.
Participation in the workshops at the DA Show was a bit low this year. We need to assess which workshops interest participants and which ones do not so that we can adjust the schedule accordingly next year.
A special acknowledgment goes to Craig Cronquist for his hard work in arranging this show and making it a success.
Many of our members also attended and volunteered at the Midwest Bonsai Show on August 16-18, 2024. Several of our members entered their trees in the show.
Thank you all for your continued support and involvement. Let’s continue to nurture our passion for bonsai and share it with the world. Your enthusiasm and dedication make our events successful and enjoyable.
Best Regards,
Badar Zulqarni
President, Prairie State Bonsai Society
