The Inaugural NBPCA BONSAI WEEK

[NBPCA]

Hi Everyone

I am excited to bring some great news about an event I have been working on for the NBPCA and Arboretum.
We will be hosting an annual event that will allow us to showcase our wonderful Collection to the Bonsai Community and visiting public in general.

The event will be held annually over the first week of March. This inaugural event will be held from 29 February till 6 March 2016.

A brief outline of events over the week include:

- Daily guided tours and demonstrations by volunteers and Curators every day of Bonsai Week - FREE to attend
- A critique of NBPCA owned trees by our international talent (Friday afternoon 4th March) FREE to attend (registration will be required - more info later)
- A Gala Cocktail Event including a demonstration by our international talent (Friday evening 4th March) Cost will be minimal to cover food and drink (approx. $35 - confirmation at a later date)
- An auction of the demonstration tree (Friday evening 4th March)

So, I bet you are all wondering, who the talent is that I have selected for this inaugural event?
Drum roll please...........Mr Pavel Slovak from the Czech Republic.

Pavel has a website here: http://www.bonsaivigi.cz/

Bonsai Empire Website has the following bio for Pavel:

Pavel Slovák was born in 1965 in Vigantice - Czech republic and he's living there whole his life. The first time he tried to grow and style Bonsai was in 1986. But only since 1998 he started to be more interested in bonsai and he started to work more on them. He met a lot of new people who were more experienced at that time. In 2006 he started organizing his own workshops and at that time Bonsai art also became his job. Mostly, he works with yamadori or field-grown yamadori.
He is very popular in the Bonsai world and he worked on internship in Mistral Bonsai in Spain. He has particpated in exhibitions and helped at workshops in Czech Republic, Slovakia, Spain, Latvia, France, Poland, Israel and the UK.


Mark your calendars and get involved !


Leigh Taafe | Curator - NBPCA | National Arboretum Canberra
T 02 6207 8483 | M1 - 0419 185 818| M2 - 0435 962 701| F 02 6207 7034
Parks and Territory Services | Territory and Municipal Services Directorate | ACT Government
National Arboretum Canberra, Forest Drive, off Tuggeranong Parkway, Weston Creek | GPO Box 158, Canberra ACT 2601
http://www.nationalarboretum.act.gov.au

[kcpoole]

Is there number of participant / limits?
Do we have to fill out form or just turn up?
I assume the Demo will be 4th March?

I have been watching Pavel's work for years and am dying to see him in person.

Ken

[dansai]

Looks like I know what I'm doing early March next year. Awesome idea.

[Paul W]

Can anyone answer Ken`s questions,as I would like to know as well.

[NBPCA]

Can anyone answer Ken`s questions,as I would like to know as well.

Hi Paul - as above:

A brief outline of events over the week include:

- Daily guided tours and demonstrations by volunteers and Curators every day of Bonsai Week - FREE to attend
- A critique of NBPCA owned trees by our international talent (Friday afternoon 4th March) FREE to attend (registration will be required - more info later)
- A Gala Cocktail Event including a demonstration by our international talent (Friday evening 4th March) Cost will be minimal to cover food and drink (approx. $35 - confirmation at a later date)
- An auction of the demonstration tree (Friday evening 4th March)

[NBPCA]

Hi Everyone

We have finalised details of our inaugural Bonsai Week agenda.
Bonsai Week this year will happen from 29 February till 6 March 2016 at the NBPCA in Canberra.
Our International guest this year is Mr Pavel Slovak from the Czech Republic.

This years agenda will be as follows:

Monday 29 February
10 till 11am - Demonstration of Bonsai Techniques inside the Village Centre (Artists will range from Curators of the Collection to Senior Volunteers)
11 till 11:30 - Curator's Guided Tour of the NBPCA
1 till 1:30pm - Curator's Guided Tour of the NBPCA
2 till 3pm - Demonstration of Bonsai Techniques inside the Village Centre (Artists will range from Curators of the Collection to Senior Volunteers)

Tuesday 1 March
10 till 11am - Demonstration of Bonsai Techniques inside the Village Centre (Artists will range from Curators of the Collection to Senior Volunteers)
11 till 11:30 - Curator's Guided Tour of the NBPCA
1 till 1:30pm - Curator's Guided Tour of the NBPCA
2 till 3pm - Demonstration of Bonsai Techniques inside the Village Centre (Artists will range from Curators of the Collection to Senior Volunteers)

Wednesday 2 March
10 till 11am - Demonstration of Bonsai Techniques inside the Village Centre (Artists will range from Curators of the Collection to Senior Volunteers)
11 till 11:30 - Curator's Guided Tour of the NBPCA
1 till 1:30pm - Curator's Guided Tour of the NBPCA
2 till 3pm - Demonstration of Bonsai Techniques inside the Village Centre (Artists will range from Curators of the Collection to Senior Volunteers)

Thursday 3 March
9 till 4pm - Masterclass with Pavel for Club Nominated Participants & Club Nominated Observers (Not a public event)
10 till 11am - Demonstration of Bonsai Techniques inside the Village Centre (Artists will range from Curators of the Collection to Senior Volunteers)
11 till 11:30 - Curator's Guided Tour of the NBPCA
1 till 1:30pm - Curator's Guided Tour of the NBPCA
2 till 3pm - Demonstration of Bonsai Techniques inside the Village Centre (Artists will range from Curators of the Collection to Senior Volunteers)

Friday 4 March
10 till 11am - Demonstration of Bonsai Techniques inside the Village Centre (Artists will range from Curators of the Collection to Senior Volunteers)
11 till 11:30 - Curator's Guided Tour of the NBPCA
2 till 3pm - Pavel's Critique - A selection of NBPCA owned bonsai will be discussed by Mr Slovak (Public event)
5:30 till 9pm - "Style With Pavel" An Arboretum International Bonsai Experience plus auction (Ticketed event)

Saturday 5 March
9 till 4pm - Masterclass with Pavel for Lenders and Donors & Lender/Donor Observers (Not a public event)
10 till 11am - Demonstration of Bonsai Techniques inside the Village Centre (Artists will range from Curators of the Collection to Senior Volunteers)
11 till 11:30 - Curator's Guided Tour of the NBPCA
1 till 1:30pm - Curator's Guided Tour of the NBPCA
2 till 3pm - Demonstration of Bonsai Techniques inside the Village Centre (Artists will range from Curators of the Collection to Senior Volunteers)

Sunday 6 March
9 till 4pm - Masterclass with Pavel for Volunteers & Volunteer Observers (Not a public event)
10 till 11am - Demonstration of Bonsai Techniques inside the Village Centre (Artists will range from Curators of the Collection to Senior Volunteers)
11 till 11:30 - Curator's Guided Tour of the NBPCA
1 till 1:30pm - Curator's Guided Tour of the NBPCA
2 till 3pm - Demonstration of Bonsai Techniques inside the Village Centre (Artists will range from Curators of the Collection to Senior Volunteers)


DESCRIPTIONS
Curator's Guided Tours - A guided tour of the NBPCA facility. Hear stories of bonsai and penjing within the NBPCA and see the working back of house facility. FREE - no booking required

Bonsai Technique Demonstrations - Various artists will be working on trees throughout each day of Bonsai Week. FREE - no booking required

Master-classes with Pavel - artists who have been involved with the NBPCA either as a Volunteer, Lender or Donor, or a Club Nominated Artist, have been invited to nominate for a participant or observer of these workshops with Mr Slovak. From the list of nominees, 12 participants and 10 observers will be randomly and fairly selected to be involved. FREE for those who have been selected

Pavel's Critique - Mr Slovak will select a number of trees from the NBPCA permanent Collection to discuss styling options and species specific horticultural tips. FREE event - Please register your interest in this critque by emailing leigh.taafe@act.gov.au or calling 02 6207 8483.

"Style With Pavel" - An Arboretum International Bonsai Experience - This is the premier event of Bonsai Week. A Gala Cocktail Evening Demonstration by Mr Slovak. An opportunity to dress up and socialise with good friends while experiencing the wonders of the Arboretum of an evening. Watch the sun setting from the award winning Village Centre Complex, see the Bonsai & Penjing Collection under lights, marvel Pavel as he transforms a stock tree into a bonsai masterpiece within a relaxed and comfortable setting, then have a chance to bid on that very tree at auction. (Other auctions will happen throughout the evening). This is a ticketed event, bookings can be made at the Visitor Services Desk within the Village Centre, or by calling 02 6207 8484 between 9am and 4pm. The price of tickets is $35 and includes a selection of 3 substantial canapes plus one drink voucher. The bar will be available for cash purchases of further drink refreshments. Bookings must be made prior to 26 February.

Pavel has a website here: http://www.bonsaivigi.cz/

Bonsai Empire Website has the following bio for Pavel:

Pavel Slovák was born in 1965 in Vigantice - Czech republic and he's living there whole his life. The first time he tried to grow and style Bonsai was in 1986. But only since 1998 he started to be more interested in bonsai and he started to work more on them. He met a lot of new people who were more experienced at that time. In 2006 he started organizing his own workshops and at that time Bonsai art also became his job. Mostly, he works with yamadori or field-grown yamadori.
He is very popular in the Bonsai world and he worked on internship in Mistral Bonsai in Spain. He has particpated in exhibitions and helped at workshops in Czech Republic, Slovakia, Spain, Latvia, France, Poland, Israel and the UK.

Bonsai Week is brought to you by the ACT Government & The Bonsai Trust Fund

Disclaimer: The ACT Government, NBPCA & their Stakeholders reserve the right to change any detail of this event without notice.

[kcpoole]

Suhhhweet!!!
Just been advised that I have been selected for a master cLass with Pavel !!!
Clinton Nesci for the School of Bonsai nominated me and I am have today received the Confirmation Email from Leigh

thank you to both Leigh, and Clinton

Happy as I am what an excellent time will be had by me and the other attendees
Already been asked to do a write up of the day for the Xchool and happy to do that and more:-) . Hope i just take it all in

All left to do now is book accommodation and the Friday evening function as well ( oh and go and see Ray to find another tree to workshop

Ken

[NBPCA]

Who has been invited to do a workshop with Pavel?
Have you got your workshop trees ready?
Post a pic of the trees you are going to bring - will be great to see a "before" shot, then follow up with an "after".

[Matthew]

leigh

Not sure if that includes me but i have 2 japanese pines i'm bringing . i actually have 3 that need a makeover but im still stuck between which 2 to bring ill get some pics up .

[NBPCA]

Yes Matt - that does include you - lets see your pics

[Gerard]

001 (3).jpg

This large juniper forest is quite old and has been badly neglected. Trees are mostly between 500 mm. and 800 mm., the pot about 800 mm. When I got it a year ago it had very little foliage and had not been re-potted for over 10 years.
Some trunks are a bit hidden which might mean some adjustment of planting angles using guy wires and possibly shortening of a few of them.
Some branches (especially at the top) are a bit thick and need to be removed or perhaps jinned.
Foliage will need to be set into position which will involve lots of fine wire as most of the foliage is quite new. I expect it will be an all day job!

[kcpoole]

I am going to be there and have a large Seargent juniper as one option and the other will be a JBP i am picking up ( hopefully) from Ray Nesci,
Booked in the hotel today so just about all set.

Will get some pics before hand most definitely

Ken

[NBPCA]

Awesome guys - I am very excited about the whole week.

[shibui]

Looking forward to a couple of days of great bonsai. thanks for the opportunity Leigh and NBPCA.

I have my eye on a few options for the workshop.
First choice is also a JBP that got out of hand before I learned enough about controlling pine growth. All the growth is at the ends of relatively long, bare branches. Hoping that Pavel's experience with collected trees can make something out of what remains.

workshop jbp A 1.JPG

Second tree is another black pine similar to A but I'm not sure if there is enough branches to work with on this one.

workshop jbp B 1.JPG

I also have this juniper that has reached the stage of needing some help from someone with experience in cascading style.

workshop juniper 1.JPG

There's also a Mugho pine that might be an option. Grant Bowie had a quick look at it at Wagga recently but we did not get very far with styling. More options with this one than the other I think and it is a European species.

workshop mugho 1.JPG

[bodhidharma]

I have my eye on a few options for the workshop.

Gotta go for the Mugo Neil