My host at National Bonsai and Penjing Collection of Australia in Canberra have announced the program for my visit in March next year, looks like I have quite a busy week ahead of me. I am following in the footsteps of Pavel Slovak… Tough act to follow! It will be great to meet up with all the guys and girls I chat to on social media.

Bonsai Week this year will happen from 20 March till 26 March 2017 at the NBPCA in Canberra.

Our International guest this year is Mr Tony Tickle from the United Kingdom.

This years agenda will be as follows:

Monday 20 March

10:30 till 11:30am – Demonstration of Bonsai Techniques inside the Village Centre (Artists will range from Curators of the Collection to Senior Volunteers)

1:00 till 1:30pm – Curator’s Guided Tour of the NBPCA

Tuesday 21 March

10:30 till 11:30am – Demonstration of Bonsai Techniques inside the Village Centre (Artists will range from Curators of the Collection to Senior Volunteers)

1:00 till 1:30pm – Curator’s Guided Tour of the NBPCA

Wednesday 22 March

10:30 till 11:30am – Demonstration of Bonsai Techniques inside the Village Centre (Artists will range from Curators of the Collection to Senior Volunteers)

1:00 till 1:30pm – Curator’s Guided Tour of the NBPCA

Thursday 23 March

9:00 till 4:00pm – Masterclass with Tony for Club Nominated Participants & Club Nominated Observers (Not a public event)

10:30 till 11:30am – Demonstration of Bonsai Techniques inside the Village Centre (Artists will range from Curators of the Collection to Senior Volunteers)

1:00 till 1:30pm – Curator’s Guided Tour of the NBPCA

Friday 24 March

10:30 till 11:30am – Demonstration of Bonsai Techniques inside the Village Centre (Artists will range from Curators of the Collection to Senior Volunteers)

12:30 till 1:00pm – Curator’s Guided Tour of the NBPCA

1:30 till 3:30pm – Tony’s Presentation – A bonsai case study over 20 years “From Mountain To Exhibition”

5:30 till 9pm – Bonsai Demonstration – An Arboretum International Bonsai Experience plus auction (Ticketed event)

Saturday 25 March

9 till 4pm – Masterclass with Tony for Lenders and Donors & Lender/Donor Observers (Not a public event)

10:30 till 11:30am – Demonstration of Bonsai Techniques inside the Village Centre (Artists will range from Curators of the Collection to Senior Volunteers)

1:00 till 1:30pm – Curator’s Guided Tour of the NBPCA

Sunday 26 March

9 till 4pm – Masterclass with Tony for Volunteers & Volunteer Observers (Not a public event)

10:30 till 11:30am – Demonstration of Bonsai Techniques inside the Village Centre (Artists will range from Curators of the Collection to Senior Volunteers)

1:00 till 1:30pm – Curator’s Guided Tour of the NBPCA

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 Tony- 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 Tickle. From the list of nominees, 10 participants and 10 observers will be randomly and fairly selected to be involved. FREE for those who have been selected

Tony’s Presentation – Mr Tickle will present an audio-visual bonsai case study prepared over 20 years. FREE event – Please register your interest in this critique by emailing leigh.taafe@act.gov.au or calling 02 6207 8483.

Evening Bonsai Demonstration – An Arboretum International Bonsai Experience – This is the premier event of Bonsai Week. A Gala Cocktail Evening Demonstration by Mr Tickle. 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 Tony 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. Price and bookings information has yet to be determined. The bar will be available for cash purchases of further drink refreshments.