PSBA's 10th annual auction was held at the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way Saturday June 6. The auction was a great success, thanks to the hard work of all the volunteers and chairman Jason Eider. The club also extends special thanks to new museum curator Aarin Packard and executive director Kathy McCabe for being our hosts. PSBA's 2015 auction featured trees created by such outstanding artists as Ryan Neil, the late Peter Adams, Scott Elser and Jack and Genieve Enright, as well as noted collectors of wild trees such as Randy Knight. This year's event again featured both a live auction of more than 80 bonsai and a silent auction with over 100 additional trees, pots, books and other bonsai related material. Photos of just a few of the many outstanding auction trees can be seen below. Many thanks to all of the participants who helped make this year's auction successful. .

Sharon Muth, one of the founding members of the Puget Sound Bonsai Association and a former president of the organization, passed away April 2 after a long battle with cancer. Sharon was the former owner of Bonsai Northwest in Tukwila, now owned by her son John Muth, and was well-known in American bonsai circles. In addition to serving as president of PSBA, over the years she remained active in positions ranging from the board of directors to auditing the club’s financial records. Earlier she was also well known for the bonsai pots that she created. In addition to her son John, she is survived by three other children, 10 grandchildren and countless bonsai that she grew and styled over the years. A private family gathering is planned at a later date. Those who wish may send cards to the family in care of Bonsai Northwest, 5021 S. 144th St., Tukwila, WA 98168.

Jim Gremel is a bonsai artist and an achiever. His trees are universally praised as beautiful and he has thousands of them in various states of progress at his home deep in the redwoods in California. One of his grafted Shimpaku Juniper bonsai won the top prize in the First National Bonsai Exhibit in New York in 2008. And Jim is a popular guy. When his award was announced he received three standing ovations! His classes and demonstrations are sold out wherever he is, whether it is in the West or in the South. From New York to California to Tennessee, when Jim Gremel speaks, people listen. Jim Gremel was chosen for the PSBA artist series because he has the ability to create a bonsai that transports the viewer to a different time and place. The workshops will be held at Bonsai NW with Jim during his series. In keeping with the investment strategy of the artist series, those who sign up are committing to all three workshops. Mark your calendar now for Jim Gremel's artist series. Demonstrations will be held on April 27, June 22, and November 23 at the Center for Urban Horticulture at 7pm. Workshops will be held on April 26, June 21 and November 22 at Bonsai NW.

The Spring Show was held May 2-3 at the Pacific Bonsai Museum. Thanks to all those members who exhibited trees and for the volunteers who help set up, break down and the docents. The show was well attended with over 300 people on Saturday and nearly that many Sunday. Special thanks to Pat Negron for organizing a beautiful and successful show.

The Viewing Stone Interest Group held their Stone Images VI exhibit from April 3 through May 3 at the Pacific Bonsai Museum. All stones in the show were of North American origin and had not been exhibited in a previous Stone Images show. Stones included in the show were judged by an expert group consisting of David De Groot, the retired founding curator of the museum; Aarin Packard, museum curator; and Joel Schwarz, one of the founders of the Viewing Stone Interest Group.

There is much conversation lately about American bonsai. This talk ranges from people who deny that such a thing exists, to people who talk as if the idea is something new and they just invented it. Arthur Joura, bonsai curator of the North Carolina Arboretum, is certain that American bonsai exists because the public collection he manages is entirely American. It is American in its origins, its philosophy and its presentation. But Arthur does not think the concept of American bonsai is anything new. Rather, he believes it is an idea that originated a long time ago but is still in the process of being defined, and is in need of better understanding by the very audience that should be most attracted to it. At this well-attended meeting, PSBA members were treated to an inspiring talk encouraging members to expand their thinking about American bonsai, the incorporation of Naturalism into American bonsai and how these concepts might influence their own collections. This visit to PSBA was Arthur's first foray into the west coast bonsai scene. Thanks to all those who came out in force and gave Arthur a warm welcome to the world of west coast bonsai!

Here's the first entry for 2015 from Ken Wassum's series, Now is the Time - It has been a warmer than usual winter and time is drawing short to complete repotting. Buds are swelling on maples, elms and other deciduous trees, and once they get to a certain point it is best to wait until the next year to repot. For this reason it is best to start repotting with deciduous trees, followed evergreens. Chinese junipers usually the most forgiving and can be done last.

At our Feb 23 meeting we presentied three artisans who brought you information you will not find elsewhere. There was a time when teaching bonsai was constrained - you had to be an associate or student to learn its secrets. This program breaks through all those restrictive approaches by providing you access to artists who are experienced and willing to share. Vickie Ridgeway demonstrated how to prepare your tree for a show, Eric Ridgeway showed us how to transform a shiny, new pot into a unique piece full of character that will enhance the beauty of your trees and Dan Robinson showed us the technique of air-layering which will allow you to create new trees from existing ones in your collection or even in your yard.

Thanks to all those new and renewing PSBA Members who have already paid their 2015 dues. For those renewing members who have not yet paid your dues, please take a few minutes and submit them now. You must pay your dues in order to be included in the 2015 Member Directory. This year you can pay with a credit card, check or cash. Please send checks by mail, pay with a credit card on the PSBA website or with cash at the Feb. 23 meeting. Click to read more below for details. Renewal dues remain $30 for individuals and $40 for couples. New members who joined PSBA on or after Sept. 1, 2014, do not have to pay dues in 2015. Your dues go toward defraying the costs of bringing guest artists to our meetings and workshops, room rental at CUH and for events such as our spring show, the annual auction and our displays at Aki Matsuri and Sakura Con.

At our Nov. 24 meeting, Larry Jackel, curator for the Bonsai Collection at the Denver Botanical Gardens presented a slide show of his collecting activities and his strategy for finding and successfully collecting wild trees. He then demonstrated his process for styling a collected ponderosa pine, creating an exciting semi-cascade which was taken home by a lucky PSBA member who won the raffle at the meeting. He also held a well-attended and, by all accounts, highly successful workshop on November 23.

Ted Matson, a master of shohin bonsai (trees no taller than 10-11 inches), returned to visit PSBA to conduct a shohin workshop on Sunday, Sept. 21. At our regular meeting on Monday Sept. 22, he also demonstrated his method for developing a bonsai based on the principles of design that he uses for all his trees. Mr. Matson created a beautiful semi-cascade juniper with techniques both bold and delicate. A real inspiration for us all. About Ted Matson: BONSAI AS FINE ART

Summary of April 28, 2014 meeting: Bonsai trailblazer Kathy Shaner was the guest speaker to a packed house at PSBA's April general meeting. Kathy shared tips, techniques, and her own philosophy of bonsai.