Newsletter

Dear Members,

June has arrived and Georgia is green and lush. The Annual ABS Show at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens was a raving success. There are a few people who really put in some extra effort to improve our displays this year. Thanks to Dennis McHugh who used his contacts to get 4' by 8' white backdrops, and gathered a crew of volunteers to install them. Wally Glasgow did a marvelous job getting restaurant quality black linen table clothes. Alice Dukes-Patton did fabulous calligraphy, of course maybe next year we will remember our genus and species guide books to help her out. I could go on and on, but let me say THANKS! to everyone. About 10 members entered trees, and Kathy Shaner did a marvelous job of walking through and giving advice and input on every tree. Her depth of knowledge is incredible. We enjoyed her whit and personality all weekend long, not to mention some fabulous demonstrations and workshop. If you missed this workshop you REALLY missed something worthwhile.

June 27th is our annual picnic at the Monastery in Conyers. Gary Marshal will once again provide entertainment as he demonstrates his skills. We are very lucky to have Gary move to our city, and become such a foundational Lifetime Member of our club. He brings so much knowledge, and is helping so many of our members grow in their skills. We always put on quite a luncheon with everyone's best covered dish, we can show off all your cooking talents as well. Everyone knows ABS loves to party, and this is one of our best occasions. The club will provide the meat and beverages, so bring something to share!

We are almost half way through the year, and time certainly continues to fly by. There are a couple of administrative items in this months newsletter I hope you will take the time to read. First, our policy and process for inviting our presenters, and scheduling travel and members workdays. Also, an update on our quest to build out an archive of our club. I ask everyone to begin to look through their collection of trees to earmark at least one nice tree, maybe two or three for the annual auction. This event funds everything we do all year long, it provides newcomers with their first trees to work and improve, and allows those with too many trees an opportunity to pass it forward! You just can't beat that.

****************************************************************************************************************************

Presenters Scheduling Process

The Atlanta Bonsai Society is one of the largest and oldest clubs in the eastern US. We pride ourselves on attracting the very top talents in bonsai to come to Atlanta and work with our club. The mission of the Atlanta Bonsai Society is to provide education and connections between members concerning all things bonsai. We often have to schedule our guest speakers a year or more in advance. Knowing they are coming allows us to shop airfares, and get great deals on advanced booking of airfare. When the club defines the exact monthly meeting an artist will join us, often times members request personal or small group sessions. While the club pays for the ticket, we ask every personal workshop to also chip in toward the airfare. The club typically uses members homes to house our guests. When personal sessions extend the stay, the group or person having the session becomes responsible for food and accommodations for them that day(s).The costs of personal or small group sessions is set by the artist, and is payable directly to the artist at the time of the session. The club does not manage that agreement other than the scheduling. Once the club buys the airline ticket, any changes to the scheduled personal sessions such as additions or cancellations do not burden the club with any additional expenses or obligations. It is the responsibility of the member driving the schedule change. We ask the person to look for their own substitutions for sessions and accommodations. If you have never invested in a personal session, I highly recommend it. You will never learn more than having someone walk through your collection and work on your trees one-on-one.

****************************************************************************************************************************

Building the Club Archives

This year we began to look for background information on the Atlanta Bonsai Society in an effort to capture a club history. So far several people have come forward knowing where boxes of old records, newsletters and other documents and pictures are stored. The volume appeared to be very large. The board discussed the scope of the project to determine what was our first round scope, and these things were all suggested:

• Club beginning date and annual snapshots of the board members for each year
• Major club events, with pictures and descipriptions
• Founding members interviews to develop a history

If you have documents showing any past years board membership please document and email to Mike Tsurutis. If you have pictures, documents and can scan them, please do so and either email them or store them on a CD for us. Our plan is to gather and organize this year. If you do not have access to a scanner contact Denise Beckmann.

Regards,

Denise denise@DeniseBeckmann.com

Gary Marchal at ABS annual Family picnic: On Saturday, June 27th at 1:30 pm. Club members and their families and friends, will gather under the chestnut trees at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers for fun, food, fellowship and bonsai.

Gary will be doing do a FREE lecture/demonstration/critique/workshop on club member trees. So please bring trees to discuss and or work on at the picnic. Gary expertise is with Bald Cypress trees so let's see how may of those we can have there. Gary can and will work on other trees but Bald cypress are preferred so club members please bring 1-2 trees.

The Monastery will provide some tables and chairs; however, you may wish to bring some lawn chairs and/ or a blanket or portable table for picnicking.

Please don't forget that the Monastery greenhouse and pot cellar will be open for you to make purchases for just about anything related to bonsai: pots, soil, tools, plant material, etc. They have offered to give club members a generous discount for anything purchased on the day of our picnic. So come early - way before the 1:30 pm picnic time - so you can load up on bonsai stuff.

If you have any questions or need directions, call Curt @ 770-650-0446 or email crh@bellsouth.net.

Remember:
Monastery of the Holy Spirit
2625 Hwy. 212, SW
Conyers, GA 30094

VISTORS ARE WELCOME!!!!!


Gary J. Marchal

BIOGRAPHY
Gary Marchal was born and raised in the New Orleans area. After the family Elevator business was sold in 1987, Gary, along with his brother Jim, founded Marchal Elevator Corporation. After 12 years in business, Marchal Elevator Corporation was sold and Gary moved to the Atlanta, Georgia area. Gary is now working for Otis Elevator Company in Marietta, Ga.

An avid gardener since 1973, Gary began his serious study of Bonsai in November, 1985 under the expert guidance of Vaughn L. Banting. Gary assisted Vaughn at the 1992 Florida Bonsai Societies convention in Orlando, Fla. with his Flat-Topped Cypress group planting presentation.
Gary was presented with a Certificate of Merit from Bonsai Clubs International for being a finalist in the 1993 Ben Oki International Design Competition for his Bald Cypress. In 1994, he was again presented with a Certificate of Merit from Bonsai Clubs International for being a finalist in the 1994 Ben Oki International Design Competition for his Water Elm. In 1997, Gary was honored to be the winner of the 1997 Ben Oki International Design Award Competition for another of his Bald Cypress Bonsai.
For the past 10 years, Gary has presented programs for many Bonsai Clubs and Societies throughout the United States, including Hawaii. This is a listing of the conventions / conferences / seminars that Gary has presented programs for:

In 1995, 1996, and 1997 Atlanta Bonsai Society's 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Annual Conventions.
In 1997, the Bonsai Societies of Florida 25th annual convention.
In 1999, the Mid-Atlantic Bonsai Societies Annual Conference, the Lone Star Bonsai Federation's Annual Conference, and the Golden State Bonsai Federation's Annual Convention.
In 2002, the American Bonsai Society Convention in Milwaukee, WI.
In 2003, the Joy of Bonsai in Bath, UK. for the Association of British Bonsai Artists. In 2004, The Shohin Convention of California, Bonsai Societies of Florida Annual, Convention New Zealand Bonsai Conference.
As an artist, Gary enjoys working on large collected specimens and all varieties of pines, but he emphasizes wiring as well as scale and proportion in design regardless of the material. Gary considers himself a serious student and enthusiast of the art of Bonsai. Gary states, "In what other hobby, art, sport, etc. are the 'greats' so approachable for help or advice?? This, and the special friendship that is shared by fellow artists, is what makes Bonsai so enjoyable!!"

The Atlanta Bonsai Society wishes Hetty Harrington a quick recovery from a recent fall. She reports her leg is healing nicely and we all hope she continues to recover so she can make it back soon!

Special Note to New Members: All new members (including youth) will receive a workshop FREE! Please contact Curt Howard for availability at 770-650-0446 or email crh@bellsouth.net for info and to reserve a space in the workshop.

BYOT: Note to all Members: Please bring trees and or suiseki (view stones) to the Sunday meeting for the Exhibit Table to share with other club members and more especially for new members and visitors to see. This is also a good opportunity to show off your "Workshop Tree" that you did last month or last year. Remember: Bring your own tree BYOT.

Do you have something that you would like to donate to the club to be given away FREE at any of our meetings? We usually have members that provide small items for a drawing at the meetings but it would be appreciated if any of our other members would like to bring something for the drawing. Remember someone's trash could be another's treasure, especially where bonsai-related items are concerned; however, the item does not have to be bonsai-related.

Consignment on Bonsai related items or trees: The Board members want to remind you that the club offers consignment for the sale of bonsai related items or trees at the Sunday monthly meeting. The club asks for 25% of the exchange for facilitating the sale.

Re: Workshop reservations... Please remember when you reserve a workshop that you are responsible for letting Curt know if you are unable to make it. If you are not able to cancel a full 72 hours before the workshop, you will be expected to pay for the spot. Letting Curt know ahead of time will allow him to fill the spot with someone else. Many times there is a waiting list.

The Atlanta Bonsai Society is pleased to welcome the following new members this year:
Frank Pinkston
Benjamin John Hatcher
Bill Hudgins
Luiz Fernando Culturato
Carlos Arosemena
Brenton Anderson
Jack Evans
Ron Foisia
Robert Gunn
Leo Ladefian
Nathan Dodson
David Howland

To join the Atlanta Bonsai Society or renew your membership, click here.