Shohin Bonsai Association of Australia

[Mojo Moyogi]

I'll start by simply saying that I think Australia can sustain, needs and deserves it's very own Shohin Bonsai Association. There are dedicated Shohin organisations in Japan, the USA, UK and abundant high level Shohin growers in continetal Europe, so why not here?

Because we are not good enough? Oh we are every bit good enough.

I copied the content below from a previous thread.

1) Need space? = Grow Shohin
2) Don't have thousands of $ to buy stock? = Grow Shohin
3) Can't wait 10 years just to grow a trunk? = Grow Shohin
4) Like walking upright, without a sore back? = Grow Shohin
5) Want to fit your trees in the car to go to a club meeting? = Grow Shohin
6) Don't have a Ute to go tree shopping? = Grow Shohin
7) Don't want to spend thousands of $ on pots (conditions apply here )? = Grow Shohin
8) Started bonsai after retirement and want good trees before you go toes up? = discover the fountain of youth or Grow Shohin
9) Ever wanted to repot 50 bonsai in a weekend? = Grow Shohin
10) Yearning for the days of the old watering can? = Grow Shohin

and my favourite
11) Want the chance to grow World Class bonsai in your lifetime, but are unfortunate to have been born Australian and not Japanese? = Grow Shohin

I have an awful lot to say and a lot that I want to do regarding this subject, I can't hope to ever see it come to fruition without the assistance of people in the Australian bonsai community. For this idea to get off the ground there will need to be input and assistance from grassroots bonsai hobbyists, 20 year plus bonsai growing veterans, National Demonstrators and from the AABC, all of these groups are represented on this forum. I plan to contact the overseas shohin organisations, with the exception of the All Japan Shohin Bonsai Association and seek their guidance on how to go about making this a reality.

Incidentally, the 2015 target to have this Association up and running would be the date of the 1st National Show. It is reasonable to believe that if you began working on a new tree tomorrow that it could easily be showorthy by that deadline, indeed there are a couple of species that I can think of, with which you would have a shot a being able to start from scratch tomorrow and gain entry to the innaugural show.

This is not something that popped into my head overnight, I have been mulling this idea over in my head for a couple of years now. I can't imagine that I am the only person who has thought that having a shohin bonsai organisation in Australia is a good idea.

For the time being, I would like to get some feedback on whether the AusBonsai public think this concept is workable or not, any ideas on how we would go about achieving this would be greatly appreciated. By all means, if you think so, tell me that I am bloody mad, as I could well be. I would really like to hear from people who have been involved in either getting clubs up and running or that have been involved in organising exhibitions. Those involved in the APAB study group or Satsuki Society may want to have some input, I can see advantages in growing several natives and also Satsukis as shohin rather than larger bonsai.

In a few days to a week I will be adding some more information to this thread and discussing in more detail how I think we can go about bringing this all to life.

Cheers,
Mojo



All Japan Shohin Bonsai Association http://www.shohin-bonsai.org/index-e.htm
American Shohin Bonsai Association http://www.americanshohin.org/ and http://www.facebook.com/AmericanShohin# ... hin?v=wall
British Shohin Association http://www.willowbog-bonsai.co.uk/bsa/ and http://www.facebook.com/pages/British-S ... 2217962030

http://www.shohin-europe.com/index.html
http://www.shohinworld.com/
http://www.remus.dti.ne.jp/masumi-t/0index.html

[MattA]

Hey Mojo,

I think the idea is great, however, I am curious why shohin growers feel the need to set themselves apart from the rest of the already small bonsai community and to what aim/benefit? Granted most growers tend to grow mainly shohin size trees and alot of the general public only recognise trees of that size as bonsai (many have commented on some of my BIG trees that they are not bonsai because they are too big).

I look forward to seeing more info as you work thru it and will support the cause as much as I am able to. Think I might go out & start a new tree today, with the plan to be ready when you get your first show happening.

Matt

[bodhidharma]

I am watching this space with interest Moj. I support your idea and, as i observed, it is huge in Japan. It will be interesting to see the support. I personally like all sized Bonsai from mini's to maxi's but anything that promotes Bonsai in Australia is positive. We need to become more dedicated to the promotion of Bonsai.

[LLK]

Hi Mojo,

I also support the idea of an Australian shohin association, having had the same idea for a long time. I just thought that
it might be difficult to organise, and wondered whether it would be viable. For instance, we don't hear much from the Satsuki Society of Australia, another "specialty club", do we? Also, because our country is so big, it would be impossible for us to get together for national meetings and shows. Of course, we could always ask a club that is hosting an AABC Seminar whether we could rent a corner for a regional exhibition of shohin trees. Anyway, it's rather premature to think of such issues.
How about asking Steven if we can have a Shohin section on our forum here, and plan a competition? It might help us to find out how much interest there is in shohin, nation-wide. OK, so only a tiny percentage of Oz bonsai growers posts here reegularly, but we'd at least get some idea. By "we" I mean those in favour of starting a national shohin asssociation.

Part of the reason why I'd like to see an organised, increased interest in shohin is that so many bonsai growers labour under misapprehensions about what a good shohin really is. They think for ex. that any elegant little tree under 25 cm can count as a shohin, or else they have really good shohin and put it into too big a pot. etc. etc.

As for our bonsai community here in Oz being so small: Denmark's is smaller, yet look at what Morten Albek started.

I look forward to reading more about this proposal of yours, Mojo.

Lisa

[Pup]

Mojo, I am one of those interested in a Shohin association, my biggest problem is distance and quarantine. I do grow Shohin Mame and minis as you have seen posted here. With the right stock and design a good one can be attained in our growing conditions in less that 5 years.
I have done this.

The biggest problem with the visiting tutors doing demonstration's of Shohin, is the audience, when sitting in a hall being able to see what is happening with a shohin size.
I was in Brisbane for the Bimer club, my program was of three sized tree's a large, a medium, and a Shohin sized shimpaku.
While I was told every one enjoyed the demonstration's, some said the small was hard to see, even though you explained what you were doing.

Lisa when we first started here I asked for a shohin heading, I was told we did not need a specific space for them. Most of the people that were against it are not supporters of the site to the extent they were then so maybe Steven we can now have one.

I do have quite a few Natives as shohin and Mame and minis, the are just as rewarding as the exotics and with the material available in nurseries, should be easy to try.
Also layering like in other species.
I look forward to hearing more on this project.
For those that are coming to the AABC convention in May of next year, my presentation is on the development of Shohin and miniature trees. So again hope to see you here in May. Cheers Pup

[jamo]

Mojo, I totally agree. Would love to see a Shohin club or association in Australia. You can count me in as a future member. May also be interested in helping to organise as well. Jamo

[NathanM]

I would definitely be interested in being somehow involved While I do love the bigger trees, I really do enjoy small trees.
I would love to head to the convention next year, but I'm hoping to be going to Japan in May!!
PS - Pup, I had no problem with your shohin demo, and greatly enjoyed it

[Jamie]

hi mate

you know I am definately in!!

I have trees going now that I will be happy to get down for the show in five years too! but before we even think about that we need to get the association started! I will do whatever needs doing to get this going

jamie

[LLK]

....

we need to get the association started! I will do whatever needs doing to get this going

Whoa! Slow down, Jamie, and let's look/listen for a bit to what people have to say, how they visualise an Australian shohin assoc., and how they see setting it up.
I'd really love seeing a shohin section on the AusBonsai Forum, where we could start exchanging ideas about these matters. Is anyone going to join Pup and me to ask for it??
Pup, I've often admired your shohin, especially the native ones, but I'm no good at writing again and again and again "beautiful, well done" or s'thing like that. (Darn patronising anyway, if you ask me. Hm. Better not ask.) As for shohin demo's, I think that closed circuit TV is just about idispensable. Anyway, Bill Valavanis held a whole shohin symposium in '08 and it was a great success. You could also ask Tony Tickle on the IBC how they organise things at Burrs/Willowbog, in England.
As for Australian shohin displays at shows, there has recently been a very beautiful example at the annual ABS show, of which Steven took some good photos. Scroll down and look at the shohin display set up by Dorothy and Deborah Koreshoff. I visited that show and was bowled over! See viewtopic.php?f=25&t=5743

Lisa

[Jamie]

gday Lisa

when I said we gotta get an association started it was in reference to getting things ready for a show...

like I said before, am happy to do what is needed. Mojo and I have had breif discussion on it but havent had anything sorted apart from some ideas.

I have started a thread in feed back and suggestions regarding whether we need a shohin section to the forum so votes and ideas can be put there in regards to that.

jamie

[Mojo Moyogi]

Hi Guys and Gals,
A few notes:

1) Structure.
The association could comprise an online Australia wide m'ship (world wide is we work out a rate for international members) with access to a members area on the association website.
Members would have access to video tutorials, progressions, articles shohin specific technique etc, all of which I hope can be contributed by our members and if we are really lucky, maybe even overseas artists. Just a thought that could be built on. As for the exhibition itself, travelling from state to state as the AABC does each year is probably going to be the most viable option to make participating entering trees in the show possible for the most members.

2) Sponsors.
We have our first sponsor, this was in my inbox first thing this morning:

Mojo,

I'm really interested in your thoughts on the association. I've got a reasonably large printing company in Dandenong and I'd like to offer our services for the association if you'd like.

Obviously it's only early days but we can help with the graphic design for the logo and printing of any flyers or application forms. There wouldn't be any charge.

If you need any help getting this up and going please let me know as I'd love to help.

Cheers,

nitram72

Once again mate, thank you.
There are quite a few businesses that I have dealt with or that I know the owners of that may well be preared to kick some cash or donate a product or service that we can use to fundraise. I won't go into details but there are nurseries, both bonsai and regular plant, other horticultural suppliers, a resort/bed and breakfast, possibly 3 wineries and a convention venue in the Yarra Valley. The key message here is although it is very early days, everybody knows somebody .

3) In regards to setting shohin growers apart from the rest of the bonsai community, I think the concept of having a shohin association can work. The core aim of doing this should be for the benefit of Australian bonsai as a whole, working in unison with existing show and organisations. What I think is most attractive about growing shohin, with a view to producing show trees, is that it allows the grower to exhibit high quality trees in less time, world class shohin are not ancient yamadori with 100 years of cultivation behind them, they are for the most part, nursery grown in containers. For westerners, this is huge leg up, for Australians, who cannot easily import trees, shohin is even more of an attractive proposition. I'm not looking to replace the large 30+ yrs in development trees that we see at shows across the country, my aim would be to increase the quantity of show quality bonsai in those shows by promoting shohin, with an eventual aim of having an exhibition of purely mame and shohin bonsai. I am working on the start of what will be the goals of the proposed association, this can be used as a reference throughout the startup period and beyond.

As always, let me know what you think.

Cheers,
Mojo

[jarryd]

i think it i a great idea and would be happy to assist in anyway possible to see this up and running! great idea mojo

[jamo]

Mojo,

I've been putting more thought into the idea of a Shohin Association of Australia. Firstly, we (I use the term "we" but don't necessarily mean "you and I" but the entire prospective membership) would need to define the purpose of the Association by having a charter or constitution (in the case that we would become Incorporated in the future, e.g. current NSW legislation for Incorporation requires a formal constitution). I know you are working on some objectives and I would love to see them and give you my input to them. For my part, I see the Association as being an organisation with membership open to both individuals and clubs, and I also see that the Association would sit at level below the AABC rather than being at an equivalent level, as there are benefits to doing this There wouldn't be regular member meetings as such, and the Association would look to hold events like shows and workshop/demo events each year. There would be a newsletter, and a website with all the things you've mentioned like articles, videos, etc contributed my members and other contributors.

Some practicalities: We would need a good member base and there will need to be some cost associated with membership, as running shows and events will always incur some cost(s) that may not be recoverable by revenue alone. Websites also have naming and hosting costs. Insurance is indispensable - shows and events shouldn't be run without it, and it has a cost as well. The Association can make use of insurance offered by AABC or GCA if the Association is a member to these organisations. A financial plan should be drawn up so that the goal of making an exhibition can be achieved in the desired number of years. I would also say that the Association should be run like an incorporated association, even if it isn't in the early years. This means that there must be a committee, and the committee has certain obligations. Such as committee meetings, and an annual general meeting, which could be difficult if we have members from all over Oz. (The NSW requirements for incorporated associations is all at this web site: http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/Coope ... tions.html. This is just an example as the Association would be subject to the requirements of the state where it is based in).

This is not difficult to achieve and we could certainly make a Shohin Association a reality. The questions: what is the next step?

Jamo

[LLK]

It's great to see the thoughts and proposals of Mojo and Jamo coming together, it gives the whole idea
of an Australian Shohin Association much more solidity. More input is needed, but considering the rather
lukewarm follow-up evident on this thread, I wonder if it will really be forthcoming. Still, some 39 people
found their way to the poll on the Feedback thread, so all is not lost! BTW, why is that section only
accessible after login? I discovered it by accident, and many members may not know where and how to
find it. Anyway, I'd also like to thank Nitram72 for his generous offers of graphics and printing! In due course
they're sure to come in very handy.... with a little bit of luck.

What would people think of an Australian and New Zealand Shohin Association? Some 12 New Zealand clubs
belong to the AABC. As far as distances go, Auckland is 2153 km distant from Sydney while Perth is 3291 km.
(Really very sorry, Pup.) Gradually over the past years, more and more New Zealanders have attended the
AABC Seminars, and Australians have visited the annual national bonsai conventions in New Zealand. I think we
could all benefit from increased communication and sharing of experiences.

Lisa

[oscar1]

Hi there everybody,

I just wondered what is the latest with regard starting a Shohin Bonsai Association? I certainly would be interest in such an Association.
Although I guess most of you what call me an old fart, as I have been growing Bonsai for 50 years and have Shohin of that age, I did lose interest fora while but not for long. Nowdays my collection is much smaller in both height and quantity having sold off most of the bigger trees. I still have around 100 Shohin and Mini but don't start many new ones unless they result from Demos I do.
Obviously if I see something special, it's a different matter.
Anyway what is happening?

Trickie