TINY TREES FROM AROUND THE STATE

Clubs from all corners of the state to assemble in Central Ohio;

Franklin Park Conservatory will host the gathering as part of the "Bending Nature" exhibit.

Striking examples of bonsai from every corner of the state will be on view October 25 & 26 when the first ever Ohio Bonsai Exhibition is held in Columbus at Franklin Park Conservatory. Bonsai clubs from Akron, Canton, Chardon, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton and Newark have been invited to participate in the event, which is expected to showcase the participating clubs' best specimens of this ancient Japanese art that captures the essence of a tree in miniature.

In addition to a large display area, the event will feature 6 vendors who will offer a wide array of goods for sale: finished bonsai as well as plant stock, pottery, tools and other accessories need for the hobby. On both days of the Exhibition workshops and demonstrations will take place, allowing visitors to witness and learn first hand how the art is practiced.

Further information about Franklin Park Conservatory's Bending Nature Exhibit can be found here

http://www.fpconservatory.org/bendingnature.htm

The Ohio Bonsai Exhibition is organized by the Columbus Bonsai Society:

http://www.columbusbonsai.org/node/220

When: Saturday, October 25 and Sunday, October 26, 2008 Hours :10:00 AM until 5:00 PM

Where: Franklin Park Conservatory is located on the eastside of downtown Columbus at 1777 East Broad Street. Easy access is provided by a Broad Street exit on I-71 approximately one mile west of the Conservatory. Free parking is available on-site.

Admission: Admission to the Bonsai events is free and open to the public. General admission to the Conservatory exhibits has a modest cover charge.

Demonstrations and Workshops: Informal demos will take place all day during the event. This informative sessions are free to all Exhibition attendees. Workshops will have an admission charge that covers all needed supplies and expert instruction. Workshop payment and registration must been done by mail prior to the event.

Vendors: A full selection of finished bonsai, plant materials, pots, tools, supplies and books will be available to purchase from guest vendors.

Gardening is one of the most popular hobbies in America, and gardeners are becoming more and more sophisticated in the approach to the activity. Many gardeners choose to become very specialized in how they will spend their time and what precise branch of horticulture they will focus on. Bonsai, growing miniature trees in pots began in China more than a millennium ago, was refined to a high art in Japan several centuries later, and today enjoys tremendous popularity in most every part of the world.

Like many forms of art, it is not easy to learn from a book, good examples and helpful advice are always beneficial. The Columbus Bonsai Society has a long tradition of educating the public with an annual show. The Club's members would gather for a weekend in June and show off the their works for an admiring public.

That tradition will get a big change this year as the group shifts the time frame of the show to October, and invites other clubs from around the state to join in the festivities. The result is expected to be one of the largest assemblages of bonsai trees and bonsai hobbyists in the area.

Clubs devoted to the Japanese art are active all around the state, and in October they will gather in Columbus for the first ever Ohio Bonsai Exhibition

Ken Schultz, show chairman for the Columbus Club, says the concept of an all state or regional show has worked well in other places, and that Ohio has the number of clubs and interest in the subject to make such a show a reality. " Asheville, North Carolina does a show that has a very wide draw, both for participants and spectators, and our friends up north in Michigan do a really spectacular all-state show, so this idea is something that Ohio bonsai growers are going to jump on". Schultz expects at least 150 trees to be on display during the show, possibly many more, in addition to six vendors and a full slate of workshops and demonstrations making up a very active and exciting weekend.

Schultz's enthusiasm for the event was echoed by Dan Binder, the bonsai curator at Franklin Park Conservatory, the host site for the Exhibition. "Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Columbus all have pretty big, active clubs, and there are some smaller groups working around the state as well. We have put the word out and hope to see participation from all of those groups" Both Binder and Schultz are past Presidents of the Columbus group, and they made mention of the fact that though the show will be bonsai intensive, it is not just for devotees. "Some one with an interest in bonsai but no real previous experience will learn a lot. And some one whose interest is in trees, in horticultural or design in general will find the event very interesting" said Binder.

The current President of the organization, Mark Passerrello, said that a person with no real interest in plants could walk through the Exhibition and enjoy the displayed trees as works of art. "There is a great deal of care and thought that go into what a fine bonsai looks like, the grower is considering design ideas like use of space and proportion to make the most pleasing arrangement possible." He said that while a sculptor would use clay or stone, a bonsai artist has a trunk, roots and foliage to make an artistic statement. The additional dimension in bonsai is time since even though they are pampered and trained the subjects are still trees and they go through all the usual changes, season through season, that a full size tree would experience.

In addition to a viewing area, the Exhibition will have a large vendor's space, for those wishing to purchase ready to enjoy bonsai or the supplies and tools to create their own. Visitors seeking some hands on activities during the week end will have three different workshops each day to select from. All materials and resources will be provided as well as expert guidance provided by some of Ohio's most accomplished bonsai artists.