Prairie State Bonsai Society

Midwest Bonsai Society - 43rd Annual Mid-America Bonsai Exhibition
2021-08-20 09:00 - 2021-08-22 17:00 (America/Chicago) | IL
Our sister club is having its annual show on the third weekend of this month. Please consider showing a tree and taking a workshop. All levels are welcome. The Midwest Show will be held the weekend of August 20- 22nd. at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
The exercise of prepping your tree by getting it ready for the show is a great learning experience within itself along with the advice, feedback, and compliments you will get during the show.
Our very own Phil Malhiot is this year’s guest artist. Congratulations to Phil who has been a longtime member and past president of our club. I look forward to the event and supporting Phil at the show. Hope to see you there.

Click here for the event page – https://www.midwestbonsai.org/august-exhibition

September General Meeting - Rock Plantings
2021-09-01 19:00 - 20:30 | IL
Join us on September 1 for a Rock Planting demonstration via Zoom by Rodney Clemons.

Rodney Clemons and his wife Charlie are the owners/operators of Allgood Bonsai, in Stone Mountain, Georgia. The nursery specializes in premier Bonsai of various kinds. Rodney is a well-known speaker/teacher and enjoys his travel opportunities in sharing his passion for bonsai as well as workshops and private sessions at Allgood Bonsai. He curates two public collections and strives to help elevate the quality and advancement of bonsai in the US.
Rodney Clemons studied with E. Felton Jones and enjoyed workshops with many visiting artists like John Naka and Yugi Yoshimura. His style has been formed by studying nature, drawing heavily on childhood memories of coastal Florida. Rodney excels in capturing the tension in nature and translating it to bonsai. He is best known for his unique “rock plantings” and his love of “Kingsville” boxwood.
​A few of the highlights are:
​-1993 World Bonsai Convention in Florida
-1997 International Bonsai Conference in England
-Returning guest artist at Brussel’s Rendezvous in Mississippi for nine years
-Returning artist at The Winter silhouette Show in North Carolina
-Bonsai curator at the Smith Gilbert Gardens
-Bonsai curator at The Monastery of the Holy Spirit
“I will always remember the first tree that I climbed and the first tree that I fell from. My initial glimpse of a bonsai evoked my childhood memories and relationships with trees. Bonsai teaches the nuances of all the needs and growth habits of each particular species of tree. Through a lot of time, dedication and heart a bonsai asks you to care for it in a relatively little bitty container for years on end forging a committed, symbiotic relationship. Many have said that trees are the best teachers of bonsai so then all the student needs to do is observe and listen to the silent yet potent language of trees. “
-Rodney Clemons

Allgood Bonsai’s Winged Elm was accepted into the Pacific Bonsai Museum Collection in Federal Way, WA. (September 2018)

Visit the Allgood Bonsai website to view a gallery of trees and educational videos. https://www.allgoodbonsai.com/

Examples of Rodney’s Rock Plantings from previous workshops.

PSBS & MBS – September 19th – Garden Walk Joint Venture with Midwest Bonsai Society
2021-09-19 10:00 - 16:00 | IL
2021 Bonsai Garden Walk
The Prairie State Bonsai Society is pleased to announce our second “Bonsai Garden Walk.” We have three gardens scheduled for September 19th. Gardens will be open from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Our one last garden can be visited on September 26th. See the Schedule below for more details.
This event is not open to the public, only our two clubs (MBS and PSBS). All club members in good standing are eligible to participate and to bring guests. You can choose to visit as many or as few gardens as you want. There is no formal registration, but you do need to call the hosts of the gardens you want to visit to get their street address and ensure there aren’t too many members all showing up simultaneously.
Our garden walk is the perfect way to enjoy a COVID-19 conscious opportunity to walk through and discuss these personal Bonsai Gardens. It’s an ideal opportunity for members to open their yards and fellow members to tour the environment where they grow and display their trees. In addition, there may be trees, pots, tools, and bonsai supplies for sale at some of these gardens. Please note you will need to ask the garden host if they would like you to wear a mask while visiting the garden. Also, all social distancing measures will be in effect.
Sunday, September 19th
Craig A. Cronquist, Carol Stream
Call to visit 630-244-0155
Larry Magee, Wayne
Call to visit 630-650-1285
Jim Beck & Linda Camp, Wheaton
Call to visit 630-690-0404

Sunday, September 26th
Victor Zurczak, Skokie
Call to visit 773-416-0493

Destination Asia Festival - The Morton Arboretum
2021-09-25 09:00 - 16:00 | IL
Destination Asia Festival
The Morton Arboretum

Explore the diverse cultures of Asia through music, dance, food, and more. Join us for a fun-filled day that will transport you across the globe.
On Saturday, September 25th, enjoy diverse cultural performances and demonstrations, various shopping and art vendors, and local food trucks.
PSBS is proud to host a booth this year in Arbor Court next to the main Visitors Center. This event attracts new members to our club and provides an opportunity for members to gather and work on their trees while engaging the Festival attendees.
We need club members to display a tree or two from their collections. You may drop off your trees upon arrival and pick them up at the end of your visit. If you cannot attend but would like to display your trees, we can arrange to transport your trees to and from the Arboretum.
Volunteers are needed to staff the tables. Bring a couple of trees you have wanted to work on but just haven’t found the time or are unsure how to proceed with styling. Expert and novice artists will be available to lend a hand and offer advice. The volunteer tables provide an excellent opportunity to engage with visitors interested in bonsai and grow our club.
If you are interested in volunteering time at the tables or need transport for your trees, please contact Nick DiBattista (nicholasd_1@yahoo.com or 630-479-2112).

Volunteers will be able to attend the Festival free of charge if prearranged with Nick DiBattista.

Timed-entry Admission: Passes for Members and Volunteers

The Morton Arboretum is open to the public with new guidelines (7:00 a.m. to sunset daily.) Timed-entry tickets are required for all visitors to help ensure paced arrivals and moderated attendance numbers. Please note: Once purchased, tickets are nonrefundable and nonexchangeable.

Click here to be directed to the website of the Arboretum for more information about the Destination Asia Festival and to request your timed-entry tickets.

PSBS & MBS – September 26th – Garden Walk Joint Venture with Midwest Bonsai Society
2021-09-26 10:00 - 16:00 | IL
2021 Bonsai Garden Walk
The Prairie State Bonsai Society is pleased to announce our second “Bonsai Garden Walk.” We have one last garden scheduled for September 26th. Victor Zurcazak’s garden will be open from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on the 26th. See below for Victor’s phone number to schedule your visit.
This event is not open to the public, only our two clubs (MBS and PSBS). All club members in good standing are eligible to participate and to bring guests. You can choose to visit as many or as few gardens as you want. There is no formal registration, but you do need to call the hosts of the gardens you want to visit to get their street address and ensure there aren’t too many members all showing up simultaneously.
Our garden walk is the perfect way to enjoy a COVID-19 conscious opportunity to walk through and discuss these personal Bonsai Gardens. It’s an ideal opportunity for members to open their yards and fellow members to tour the environment where they grow and display their trees. In addition, there may be trees, pots, tools, and bonsai supplies for sale at some of these gardens. Please note you will need to ask the garden host if they would like you to wear a mask while visiting the garden. Also, all social distancing measures will be in effect.
Sunday, September 26th
Victor Zurczak, Skokie
Call to visit 773-416-0493

October General Meeting
2021-10-06 19:00 - 20:30 | IL
Our October meeting will include a 101 presentation by Linda Camp on overwintering your tropicals via ZOOM. We will send the link a few days in advance.

Bonsia Tree & Bonsai Pot Sale
2021-10-17 10:30 - 14:30 | IL
Bonsai Tree Sale
6158 West Cornelia Ave Chicago, 60634
Sunday, October 17th from 10:30-2:30
As most of you know, Tony Welninski has passed away and Phyllis is selling the remainder of his trees and pots. Tony had many really nice trees, most of which are small to medium size. There are a variety of species including pines, junipers, spruce, and many deciduous trees to choose from in his garden. There is also a nice selection of pots in various sizes and shapes. Cash and check payments are accepted. Keep Tony’s memory alive by having one of the trees and pots from his prized collection.
Continue reading about Tony https://prairiestatebonsai.com/remembering-tony/

November General Meeting
2021-11-03 19:00 - 20:30 | IL
Our November meeting will be via ZOOM. We will send the link a few days in advance.
Our guest artist for our November meeting will be Mark Fields.

The information below was taken from Mark Fields’ website.
My passion for bonsai began at about age 9. I was born in 1959 and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. My dad was a landscape contractor, as I am today.
My dad used to purchase and dig nursery stock from a nursery, Line’s Nursery, down the street from where we lived. Occasionally, I would go with him and wandered around the nursery one day and found some little mugho pines that the nursery owner had lined out and was training in the ground. I asked the owner, Mr. Line, what he was doing with them, and he said he was training them as bonsai. I began asking him more about them and visited him more often. A few days later, he loaned me two books he owned from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, “Handbook on Bonsai: Special Techniques” and “Handbook on Dwarfed Potted Trees, The Bonsai of Japan” and told me that I would learn more if I read them. He showed me how to start and grow plants from cuttings, prune properly, and practice other skills as I grew older. He passed away in the early 1970s.
My dad used to bring home shrubs in the back of his truck which was removed from a job and discarded. When I saw an interesting-looking trunk or shape, I would remove it and pot it up from the truck. Most would die within days. Some would survive for at least that year’s growing season. It was great practice, and I learned a lot.
When I married and moved out of my parent’s house into a double in 1979, I moved my bonsai there. The neighbor next door noticed that I was growing bonsai and told me his father-in-law used to do bonsai. He went back to his house and got his wife and introduced me. I told her the story about how her father got me started in bonsai and that he had loaned me his two Brooklyn Botanic Garden handbooks more than a decade before. She told me to wait a minute and went back into the house. A few minutes later, she brought out those very same books and told me to keep them. I was stunned. They are now a part of my book collection, and I still use them as a reference to this day.
I discovered a bonsai nursery on the southeast side of Indy called Mendel Gardens about that same time. There I began a relationship with the owner, Max Mendel. He sold starter trees, supplies, offered free advice, and critiqued my trees when I asked him to. He became my second mentor and taught me much of what I know about bonsai today. I called him the father of bonsai in Indiana. I spent many weekends wandering around his nursery. He introduced me to the Indianapolis Bonsai Club, which I joined. I have been a member of that organization since 1979 and was president from 2009 – 2012. Max passed away in the mid-1990s, and I bought a few of his trees and his personal set of Masakuni tools I treasure.
In October of 2004, I traveled to Europe, where I met and befriended Danny Use and his wife Ingrid at their Ginkgo Bonsai Center in Laarne, Belgium. I went back there in October 2005 and worked for Danny for a couple of days. I talked them into traveling to the US in June of 2008 to headline the Mid-America Bonsai Alliance in Indianapolis, their first time here in the US. They invited me to their nursery in April of 2009, where I spent 2 weeks straight working side by side with Danny on many of his world-class bonsai specimens. It was truly an amazing experience, and I learned so much. I am a much better bonsai artist because of his teachings.
I worked for a major pharmaceutical company here in Indy from 1980 – 2010. I also owned and operated my own landscape business, Fields Landscape Concepts, LLC, founded in 1983 and closed in 2006. As part of the landscape business, I have sold bonsai, pre-bonsai, and supplies to club members and fellow enthusiasts since the early 1980s. In 2011, with a gentle push from friends such as bonsai artist and author Craig Coussins, and bonsai artist Warren Hill, I founded my own School of Bonsai.
For the second time, I am married with 2 grown children from my first marriage and a granddaughter and a grandson. My wife Allison delivered twins, a boy, and a girl, in November 2007. So I am experiencing sort of a second life, so to speak.
With the twins coming along, I looked for something to do at home rather than being gone every evening landscaping. In 2006, with some prompting from my wife and IBC club members, I decided to start a website and open a new business, Bonsai by Fields, LLC. I perform demonstrations, lectures, and workshops using a wide variety of trees. I also vend at a few major exhibitions throughout the US.
I recently updated a list of bonsai artists I have either seen in demonstrations, lectures, and workshops. They total more than 60 at this point. Names such as the great John Naka, Mas Ishi, Yuji Yoshimura, Danny Use, Ryan Neil, Masahiko Kimura, and Bjorn Bjorholm.
In 2013, I finally realized a dream I have always had of traveling to Japan to visit some of the bonsai nurseries there. I was also able to see one of the major exhibitions there, the Taikan-ten, held in November in Kyoto.
In early January 2015, I traveled to Osaka, Japan, to study at Kouka-en. A third-generation bonsai nursery owned by Keichi Fujikawa. It is the nursery where Bjorn apprenticed and is now a resident artist. I had secured a spot to study for a month there. What an amazing experience! It was 7 days a week, 8 – 9 hours a day of nothing but bonsai. I was also able to attend the 2015 Kokufu-ten Bonsai Exhibition and the famous Green Club Sale. While there, I met Italian bonsai artist Mauro Stemberger. He visited here in the fall of 2015, and I am now his midwest agent.
Mark Fields

Some of Mark Fields’s Bonsai trees

Acer Buergerianum

Pinus

Pyracantha
Contact information
Location: Greenwood, Indiana, USA
Email: maf71459(at)gmail.com
Website: www.bonsaibyfields.com

Bonsai Crossing Borders: Women in Bonsai - Jennifer Price
2022-01-27 17:30 - 19:00 | IL
ONLINE* Thursday, January 27, 2022, 6:30 – 8 p.m. EST
5:30 – 7 p.m. CST
$15 Adult** (PSBS members can join FREE – see link below to enter)
(**Arboretum Members receive a 10% discount on all classes. All proceeds go to support the Education and Bonsai Programs at The North Carolina Arboretum.)
Traverse centuries and philosophies, continents, and cultural boundaries in the company of acclaimed bonsai artists for an in-depth look at the sensibilities shaping timeless art in the present day.

Jennifer Price has prepared for “Women in Bonsai” by thinking over the questions she is often asked as an artist excelling in her chosen medium — one traditionally associated with male artists. Considering gender as a kind of border crossing, we talk with Jennifer about pushing through boundaries, her own or imposed by culture, to be poised where she is in her career.
And poise is something Jennifer, a former professional ballet dancer, knows a thing or two about. She understands instinctively how one art form influences the flow of creating in another: “As a ballerina, I had always looked at movement, so the line of the trees fascinated me. I saw the movement within the trees, within the trunk line… I think all trees kind of dance.”
Bonsai Crossing Borders: Women in Bonsai – Flyer
Click here to register
PSBS members click here to enter the ZOOM meeting for FREE!

February General Meeting - Pines Presentation by Mauro Stemberger via ZOOM
2022-02-02 19:00 - 20:30 | IL
Mauro Stemberg was born in Feltre, Italy, and works as an architect and Bonsai artist. At the age of 14, he became fascinated about the art of Bonsai and started his passion with the local Bonsai club. Join the club member meeting for an exceptional presentation and Q&A with Mauro! Mauro is a world-renowned bonsai artist who has given lectures, workshops, and demos throughout the EU and here in the States.
Please prepare and feel free to ask any questions during the Q&A session of this presentation.
Learn more about Mauro on his website. https://www.italianbonsaidream.com/

View Mauros’ latest YouTube video.

PSBS Winter Silhouette Exhibit
2022-02-12 10:00 - 16:00 | Cantigny Park, 1 S 151 Winfield Road, Wheaton, IL, 60189, United States
The 2nd annual PSBS Winter Silhouette Bonsai Exhibit is at Cantigny Park in Wheaton, IL.
Click here to see photos of the displayed trees
A Silhouette exhibit displays the bonsai without leaves and may seem a little strange, but it is a great time to see the trees’ structure and especially the ramification.
The exhibit will last one day on Saturday, February 12, 2022, from 10 am to 4 pm. Both members and non-members are welcome to display their deciduous trees in the natural winter stage of development. Everyone is welcome to visit the exhibit at no charge. There is a $5.00 charge for parking at the Park collect at the gate.
The setup for the event will begin on Friday, February 11, 2022. Contact Nick DiBattista with the number of trees you wish to display or how many tables you wish to reserve if you are considering vending at the exhibit. You may also email prairiestatebonsai@gmail.com with ‘Winter Silhouette‘ in the subject line.
You can also post a question on the Forum and a club member will promptly respond.

March General Meeting
2022-03-02 19:00 - 20:30 | IL
Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!

We are finally returning to in-person meetings, HOORAY! March 2nd will be our first get-together since 2019. This meeting will feature a workshop presented by BC Bonsai to make a mini bonsai (Mame or Mini Bonsai). Linda Camp and Jim Beck will present the class to all in attendance. There is a cost only if you wish to take a creation home, see below. As always, the club welcomes all bonsai enthusiasts, both members, and non-members to attend. Bring a friend or associate and enjoy a night of fun and learning about the art we so love.

Love bonsai gardening? How about super-mini bonsai just a few inches tall? It’s the charm of bonsai crossed with a love of miniature gardens. We will explore how to raise plants from seed or cuttings to create charming, thimble-sized potted bonsai. The cost will be $30 to $50 for the tree, pot soil, and class. Please bring potting tools if you are able.

Since we go back to in-person meetings, we will start collecting dues again to cover our expenses. Annual dues are $35 for a single membership and $40 for a family membership. You may pay at the meeting with cash or check or online with a credit card at our website, prairiestatebonsai.com.

Please note: The College requires all attendees to wear a mask regardless of their vaccine status.

Meetings are held on The College of Dupage campus in the TEC 1083b. The college address is 425 Fawell Boulevard Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

Click for the full campus map.

TREE ENTRY - MABA/Milwaukee 202Two
2022-04-01 08:00 - 2022-05-15 17:00 | IL
MABA 202Two EXHIBIT TREE ENTRY is NOW OPEN

Entries will be accepted only between April 1 and May 15, 2022
RegistrationTreePacket.pdf (milwaukeebonsai.org)
www.milwaukeebonsai.org/maba

MABA 2020 Committee

April General Meeting
2022-04-06 19:00 - 20:30 | IL
Our 2nd meeting of the year will feature a styling demonstration by local artist, past PSBS president, and board member Don Lindstrom. He will be styling an Austrian Black Pine provided by longtime member Jim Bailey. The tree will be raffled off after the meeting.

This is the tree Don will style for us.

If you are unable to attend the meeting, tap the button below to be directed to the Monthly Meeting Page where you will find a link to the ZOOM meeting.
https://prairiestatebonsai.com/monthly-meeting-page/

Don Lindstrom is an award-winning professional bonsai artist who focuses on growing show-quality trees and collecting urban landscape material. He began studying bonsai in 1994 and started as a glass artist the same year. Don is self-taught, studying Japanese periodicals religiously, and spent some time with a bonsai production and import business. A favorite material is Yew/Taxus, but he is well-rounded and loves sharing his experience and knowledge. Today he lives in Joliet with his wife and two young daughters.

Don Lindstrom 2020

Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at The College of Dupage campus in the TEC 1083b. The college address is 425 Fawell Boulevard Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

May General Meeting
2022-05-04 19:00 - 20:30 | IL
Meeting Highlights
⇒ Phil Malhiot will talk about matching your tree to its pot.
⇒ Larry Magee will discuss the fertilizing methods he uses on his plants.

Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at The College of Dupage campus in the TEC 1083b.
The college address is 425 Fawell Boulevard, Glen Ellyn, Illinois.
Members who are unable to attend in person may join via ZOOM.

May Board Meeting
2022-05-10 19:00 - 20:30 | IL
Board Meetings are currently held via ZOOM. The board meetings are open to current members as non-voting observers.
Click the Zoom button to join the meeting.
May 10, 2022
7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Rendezvous on the River
2022-05-26 08:00 - 2022-05-29 17:00 | IL
2022 ABS Rendezvous registration

June General Meeting
2022-06-08 19:00 - 21:00 | IL
NOTE: Due to scheduling conflicts, the meeting date has been changed to June 8.

Meeting Highlights
* * * * * An example of a styled boxwood * * * * *

This month’s meeting will feature a FREE styling/design workshop featuring up to 12 of the club’s mature boxwood trees. This is the meeting you don’t want to miss!
After a very brief business/announcement portion, Jennifer Price will run a workshop featuring 25-plus-year-old boxwoods the club has cared for from its grow plot and, more recently, Charlotte Field’s backyard. Everyone at the meeting will have the opportunity to get right up and personal with these gems while working on the initial styling. We will break up into small groups to begin styling with oversite from our senior members, who will assist with the progress. If you have tools, we encourage you to bring them, but tools will be available to borrow as needed. (Sorry, no power tools.)
Each of the boxwoods will be available for purchase for $30. Participants purchasing a tree will draw numbers and choose the tree they will work on and keep in that sequence. The trees will be on display for inspection before the meeting starts. To ensure that you will be taking one of these beauties home, email psbspresident@gmail.com to reserve yours today. If all are not reserved in advance, some may be available for purchase at the meeting.

Here is a sampling of the boxwoods available.

NOTE: Due to scheduling conflicts, the meeting date has been changed to June 8.
Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at The College of Dupage campus in the TEC 1038b.
The college address is 425 Fawell Boulevard, Glen Ellyn, Illinois.
This meeting will NOT be streamed due to the nature of the workshop.
Please try to attend if possible.

June 2022 Board Meeting
2022-06-14 19:00 - 20:30 | IL
Board Meetings are currently held via ZOOM. The board meetings are open to current members as non-voting observers.

Click the Zoom button to join the meeting.
June 14, 2022
7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

MABA/Milwaukee 202Two
2022-06-23 08:00 - 2022-06-26 17:00 | IL
On June 23-26, 2022, Bonsai artists and MABA members are heading to Milwaukee, WI for the MABA/Milwaukee Convention! In part to see headlining artist François Jeker from France or any of the other nine artists.
Following the unprecedented 2020 pandemic we postponed this convention twice. The safety and the well-being of all those that come together for this event will always come first. Now with the country starting to feel safe, our partner artist and vendors agree to go forward.
http://www.milwaukeebonsai.org/maba/

MABA
The Mid-America Bonsai Alliance (MABA) is an organization made up of local bonsai clubs and societies from nine Midwest U.S. states and Canadian provinces.

MBS
The Milwaukee Bonsai Society (MBS) mission is to create a rich and diverse community through its inspiring bonsai exhibits, education, and community engagement.

PSBS Annual Club Picnic 2022
2022-06-26 10:00 - 17:00 | Cantigny Park, 1 S 151 Winfield Road, Wheaton, IL, 60189, United States
This year’s summer picnic is Sunday, June 26, at Cantigny Park, 1s151 Winfield Rd. in Wheaton, IL 60189.
Cantigny is a beautiful park with gardens, the Robert R. McCormick House, and the First Division Museum.
Our club picnic is the perfect time to come together and enjoy bonsai. We should take this opportunity to bring a tree to show others and bring trees that we would like advice on. It is a great time to hang out together and work on trees. Nothing beats a summer day talking bonsai and wiring trees.
Our picnic will take place under the shelter at the First Division Pavilion. Lunch will take place around noon. The club will provide the burgers, hot dogs, and drinks; members are asked to bring their sides and share if they feel comfortable. Phil Maliot will give a demonstration at 2 pm.
Members, please plan on bringing a tree or two to work on. The club will have our wire box available if people need wire for their trees.
I would love to see people bring trees to show the public at this event. It is not a formal show, so the trees don’t need to be in perfect show shape. We want to let the public know about all the trees we are working on. However, please do if you are inclined to bring the tree you plan to show at the Midwest symposium. We would love to get a preview of the tree.
We will raffle off a couple of trees, so bring a little extra cash. A raffle will be open to the public with the tree Phil Maliot works on for the demonstration. A separate raffle will be held for club members only for a Jim Keith-Styled Shimpaku.
Win a beautiful Shimpaku juniper styled by former club president and member Jim Keith! Only members will be allowed to buy tickets for this tree’s raffle. Don’t miss your chance to add this fabulous piece to your personal collection at the club picnic!
So we hope to see you on June 26th!

Please be aware that while there is no entry fee to Cantigny, there is a $10 parking fee per car.
Please feel free to call me (Nick DiBattista 630-479-2112) should you have any questions.

Map of Cantigny with picnic area circled in red.

July General Meeting
2022-07-13 19:00 - 20:30 | IL
Meeting Highlights
⇒ Tree on a rock planting by Larry Magee
⇒ Muck demonstration by Linda Camp
⇒ Three raffles – Three trees

Phil Mahliot’s Demo Tree from the Club Picnic

Jim Keith’s Demo Tree

Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at The College of Dupage campus in the TEC 1038b.
The college address is 425 Fawell Boulevard, Glen Ellyn, Illinois.
Members who are unable to attend in person may join via ZOOM.

July 2022 Board Meeting
2022-07-19 19:00 - 20:30 | IL

August General Meeting
2022-08-03 19:00 - 20:30 | IL
Tropicals

Meeting Highlights
Jennifer Price will talk about how to enjoy summer color with flowering tropicals plus a few unusual species for your bonsai garden. We will also discuss the advantages of different soil blends.

Please bring some of your tropicals to the meeting for display and to get hints on improving your specimen or just showing off how beautiful it already is.

August Meeting raffle tree was potted this last Spring. Mountian Pine (Pinus mugo) styled by Phil Malhiot

Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at The College of Dupage campus in the TEC 1038b.
The college address is 425 Fawell Boulevard, Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

Members who are unable to attend in person may join via ZOOM.

PSBS Annual Fall Show
2022-08-06 09:00 - 2022-08-07 16:30 | IL
Destination Asia Festival – The Morton Arboretum
And the Winner is…

Lodgepole Pine – Best in Show
Jennifer Price

Japanese White Pine – Peoples Choice
Dan Turner
See all photos from the Show

Read the recap of all the happenings at the Show below
Click to read the recap of the Show
The results are in for the people’s choice awards.
Click here to see where your tree ranked with the public vote.

Destination Asia raffle tree winner was Jan G., who won a juniper styled by Dan Kosta of PSBS.
Click here to read an article from the Suburban Life Newspaper about Dan Kosta in 2001

Destination Asia Festival – The Morton Arboretum

August 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
August 6 and 7, 2022 @ 9:00 am – 4:30 pm

Destination Asia Festival
The Morton Arboretum

Explore the diverse cultures of Asia through music, dance, food, and more. Join us for a fun-filled weekend that will transport you across the globe. Starting with a member preview on Friday evening and all day on Saturday and Sunday, enjoy diverse cultural performances and demonstrations, various shopping and art vendors, and local food trucks.
This event attracts new members to our club and allows members to gather and interact with the Festival attendees and teach them about the art of bonsai.
PSBS is proud to be back in the Sycamore Room hosting our Annual PSBS Bonsai Exhibition. Our Bonsai Exhibition is where our club members can show their trees which they have spent so much time on. There will also be several “trees in training” tables where our new members can show their work and others can display interesting trees in progress. Please consider bringing as many of your trees as possible. As PSBS members, you are allowed up to three display trees for judging but unlimited “trees in training.”
We are lucky to have Mr. Chris Baker of the Chicago Botanic Garden as our judge for this year’s exhibition. Chris will also be on hand Saturday afternoon to do a Bonsai demonstration. When he was introduced to bonsai, Chris Baker’s journey began 15 years ago in Gainesville, Florida. After moving to Maryland in 2004 to work as a horticulturist at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, he joined the Baltimore Bonsai Club. In 2010 Baker, at an Open House at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, met Curator Jack Sustic and expressed an interest in curating a public bonsai collection one day. He began volunteering at the Museum in the spring of 2011. Then, thanks to an introduction from Sustic to Tohru Suzuki, a third-generation bonsai master in Japan, Baker spent six months in 2012 as an apprentice at the Daijuen Nursery. In 2013 he was chosen for the NBF-sponsored First Curators Apprenticeship position. In 2014 Baker’s dream to curate a public bonsai collection came true when he accepted a position as the first full-time curator at The Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, Illinois. There he has used the skills and knowledge gained in Japan and at the National Arboretum to raise the status and quality of the Chicago collection. See below for the criteria Chris will use while judging.

Bonsai Judging Criteria

Workshops are available with limited seating on both Saturday and Sunday.
(PSBS members, please call the registrar to receive the member rate
630-719-2468 (Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)

Please click the links below each Workshop to register for members and guests of the Morton Arboretum.

1) Brazilian rain tree (Chloroleucon tortum) Workshop

The Brazilian Rain Tree is a beautiful tropical tree. The bark is very smooth and tends to exfoliate, creating a striking image. A Raintree’s trunk will begin to twist and change shape as it matures. The tree has small compound leaves that will fold slightly shut at night. The primary focus of this workshop will be on styling the tree both with wire and branch selection. The instructor will provide seasonal tips so your tree will stay healthy for years. All skill levels are welcome.

Notes: Limit 8
Saturday, August 6, 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Thornhill Education Center
$55.00 members

Click here to Register online.

2) Procumbens Juniper Workshop
This beginner to intermediate class will feature Procumbens Juniper. The primary focus of this workshop will be what to look for in creating bonsai; design and wiring will all be covered. The trees featured are in 1-gallon pots and have ¾”-1 inch trunks. The goal of this class is to come away with a tree that has its first initial styling and is on its way to becoming a bonsai.

Notes: Limit 10
Saturday, August 6, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Thornhill Education Center
$80.00 members

Click here to register online.

3) Fukien Tea (Carmona retusa) Workshop
The Fukien Tea is a beautiful tropical tree originally from China. Its name is taken from the province Fukien (in Chinese Fuijan). The tree features small dark-green shiny leaves atop a trunk with an irregular surface that gives it the appearance of great age even after a few years.Small white flowers can appear all year round and sometimes produce small yellow-red to dark berries. The primary focus of this workshop will be on styling the tree both with wire and branch selection. The instructor will provide seasonal tips so that your tree will stay healthy for years to come. All skill levels welcome.

Notes: Limit 10
Sunday, August 7, 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
$83.00 members
Click here to register online.

4) Chinese Elm workshop (Ulmus parvifolia)

This workshop features a selection of Chinese Elm trees. This workshop will explore the many possibilities of “Chuhin” bonsai, its smaller size requiring less space and time for the overall design. Chinese Elms are strong, adaptable, fast-growing trees with small textured leaves perfect for the beginner or the experienced student. Students will learn design principles as well as how to select and prune branches to develop the desired shape for your tree. The instructor will provide seasonal tips so that your tree will stay healthy for years to come. All skill levels welcome.

Notes: Limit 10
Sunday 7, August , 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Thornhill Education Center
$83.00 members
Click here to register online.

(PSBS members, please call the registrar to receive the member rate
630-719-2468 (Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)

Please consider bringing a tree for display.
If you are interested in volunteering time at the show or need transport for your trees, please contact Nick DiBattista (nicholasd_1@yahoo.com or 630-479-2112).
Link to Parking information for volunteers
Link to Morton Arboretum for more information

August 2022 Board Meeting
2022-08-09 19:00 - 20:30 | IL
August 9, 2022 – Meeting of the Board
7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Click the link below to join the meeting

https://prairiestatebonsai.com/monthly-meeting-page/

44th Annual Mid-America Bonsai Exhibition
2022-08-19 08:00 - 2022-08-21 17:00 | IL
44th Annual Mid-America Bonsai Exhibition
August 19-21, 2022
About | Guest Master | Vendors | Schedule | Workshops | Volunteers Needed! | Dinner and Auction | Tree Registration

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August 2017 Best of Show & 1st Place Professional

Our August Exhibition has the longest history, going into its 44th year in 2022. It is one of the largest regional shows in the nation. Centered on the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Permanent Collection, featuring over 50 world-class trees, it’s a showplace of trees from across the Midwest and beyond. Enthusiasts from across the country bring their trees to be judged in the main hall at the Garden’s Regenstein Center.
A gallery of the 2018 41st Annual Mid-America Exhibition is available here. We have a review of the August 2017 Exhibition available here. We also have a review of the 2015 Exhibit available with that year’s winners.
The show is free, but regular parking rates apply for entry to the Chicago Botanic Garden.
Traveling from out of town? Many of the hotels near the Chicago Botanic Garden offer discounted rates.

September General Meeting
2022-09-14 19:00 - 20:30 | IL
IRON BONSAI COMPETITION
Our September meeting should bring back some fond memories for our longtime members. Our Iron Bonsai is a competition between three bonsai artists and one assistant who will each style a mature juniper in a 5-gallon container in one hour.
Attendees will wander around the room, observing the transformation of the raw plant material into a work of art. The audience is encouraged to ask questions of the artist, make suggestions, question, and comment as they work. Please allow the artist space to work and avoid any physical contact with the work site.
At the close of the competition, attendees be given a ticket to vote for their favorite tree. The artist with the most votes will be crowned Iron Bonsai Champ of 2022.
All three-styled trees will then be raffled individually. Raffle tickets are priced at 1 for $3.00, 3 for $5.00, 7 for $10.00, and 15 for $20.00.
In alphabetical order, the participating artists this year are; Jim Beck, Phil Malhiot, and Victor Zurczak.

This meeting will be held on the second Wednesday of the month due to the Holiday from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at The College of Dupage campus in the TEC 1038b.
The college address is 425 Fawell Boulevard, Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

Members who are unable to attend in person may join via ZOOM.

September 2022 Board Meeting
2022-09-20 19:00 - 20:30 | IL
https://prairiestatebonsai.com/monthly-meeting-page/

October General Meeting
2022-10-05 19:00 - 20:30 | IL
Penjing Demonstration

Jennifer Price will design a Penjing planting on a slab. She will be using approximately nine Chinese Elms, Muck, and a marble slab. Penjing, also known as penzai, is the ancient Chinese art of depicting artistically formed trees, other plants, and landscapes in miniature.
Using artificially dwarfed trees and shrubs, these arrangements are created in special trays or pots which are placed on ornately carved wooden stands. Often, rocks, miniature ceramic structures (like buildings and bridges), and figurines are added to give the proper scales as part of the natural scenery. These miniatures add to the symbolism of a penjing specimen by providing a social or historical context in which to interpret the overall penjing design.
These miniature landscapes include trees that are frequently over a hundred years old. Like the plants in the Chinese garden, they have been carefully selected and tended so that they develop into twisted and gnarled shapes reminiscent of their full-size counterparts in the wild. Like Chinese gardens, these miniature landscapes are designed to convey landscapes experienced from various viewpoints – a close-up view, a medium-range view, or a panorama.
As an art form, penjing is an extension of the garden since it enables an artist to recreate parts of the natural landscape in miniature. Penjing is often used indoors as part of a garden’s overall design since it reiterates the landscape features found outside. Penjing pots grace pavilions, private studies or living rooms, and public buildings. They are free-standing elements within the gardens or placed on furniture such as a table or bookshelf. A lattice display stand is sometimes built, which adds particular prominence to the penjing specimen and exemplifies the interplay between architecture and nature.
Photo of the quartz slab and elms to be used for the demonstration and raffle

There will also be a discussion on preparing Topicals for the upcoming winter season.

Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at The College of Dupage campus in the TEC 1038b.
The college address is 425 Fawell Boulevard, Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

Members who are unable to attend in person may join via ZOOM.
