Several San Diego Bonsai Club members have offered to teach bonsai. Members offer their teaching services on their own and independent of the San Diego Bonsai Club. Instruction may be in small groups or one-on-one according to your needs. Fee arrangements and location are to be made with the teacher. Contact the teacher for further details.
Ken Bross (Oceanside/North County, [email protected])
Ken has been interested in bonsai most of his life but started growing bonsai seriously in 1995. He has grown his own bonsai from seed or cutting since the 1990’s. When grown from seed, Ken uses tiles to create root flare at the base, as well as inhibiting downward root growth. This makes transitioning to a bonsai pot very easy. Most of the trees in his current collection have been grown from seed or cutting using this method. He joined San Diego Bonsai Club in 1997. Over the past 2 decades, Ken has participated in numerous workshops with teachers including Harry Hirao, Kathy Shaner, Ted Matson, Kenji Miyata, and Fred Miyahara. Ken also studied and learned with Fred as one of his students for 4 years. Ken has conducted a number of workshops and demonstrations for SDBC and San Pu Kai Bonsai Club. Having been a teacher for 27 years, Ken presents his experience and knowledge with bonsai in skillful and individualized instruction.
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Nazim Colak (San Marcos, [email protected])
A graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in landscape architecture, Nazim studied botany, soil science and ornamental horticulture as part of his training. He has been a bonsai artist for more than 30 years and has owned a professional landscaping service since 1991. Nazim offers bonsai lessons and services, bonsai and pre-bonsai sales, artistic tree pruning, and the consultation, design and implementation of Japanese gardens.
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John Jackson (Lakeside, [email protected])
John has been involved in all facets of the bonsai world for more than 40 years. He studied with bonsai legend John Naka for 10 years and also worked with numerous other bonsai experts, including Harry Hirao and Kenji Miyata.
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Gary Jones (Clairemont, [email protected])
Gary has been an SDBC member for 30 years. He began his study of bonsai with the late Bill Murphy and still has some of his trees. Over the years, Gary has participated in workshops with experts and teachers such as Kenji Miyata, John Jackson and Fred Miyahara, and currently follows Ryan Neil. He has been an active participant in a variety of SDBC club functions, including chairing the spring and fall shows, and has served on the club’s board as vice president of education and first vice president. Gary has taught and assisted with numerous classes and workshops for SDBC and has collected, stored, cared for and prepared items for the club’s biannual shows.
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Fred Miyahara (SDSU area, [email protected])
Fred first joined the SDBC in 1989. Since then, he has studied with some of the most respected bonsai exerts in the U.S., including Mas Ishii, Ernie Kuo, Stan Childs, Boon Manakitivipart and, since 2002, Kenji Miyata. He also took part in a year-long study of black pines with Kathy Shaner at the Eldorado Bonsai School and was awarded a Golden State Bonsai Federation teacher’s grant to study with Dennis Makishima. He has conducted beginner and intermediate classes for SDBC members for 26 years and has taught at workshops for clubs throughout California and the U.S, including at the International Bonsai Symposium in Rochester, N.Y., the California Bonsai Society, the California Shohin Seminar, and Golden State Bonsai Federation.
More about Fred
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VanMoch Nguyen (Mira Mesa, [email protected])
VanMoch is an expert in the Vietnamese Hòn Non Bộ style of bonsai. He has experience as an instructor for this unique style, which involves planting bonsais among a rock setting in a tray, with sensei Phillip Tacktill during classes and workshops at the San Diego Botanic Garden and Japanese Zen Garden. He is a member of the San Diego Horticultural Society and San Diego Camellia Society and has appeared on the KPBS television show “A Growing Passion.” His creations have won awards at the San Diego County Fair and Coronado Flower Show.
More about VanMoch
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Christian Reha (Lemon Grove, [email protected])
An SDBC member for 15 years, Christian began studying bonsai under the supervision of Cindy Reed of Kuma Bonsai. As part of his duties, he assisted students taking classes and helped curate the collections of clients in the San Diego area. He gained additional experience through one-on-one interaction with bonsai experts such as Jim Barrett, Harry Hirao and Kathy Shaner. During his years an SDBC club member, he has participated in focus study groups, learning from experienced members such as John Jackson. He was awarded the club’s scholarship to attend the 2018 Golden State Bonsai Federation Convention, where he participated in a number of classes, including a workshop offered by Bjorn Bjornholm. He is especially interested in encouraging more young people to get involved in bonsai.
More about Christian
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’lyn Stevenson (Poway, [email protected])
’lyn first became involved with bonsai in 1970 while living in Tokyo, Japan, and has been involved ever since in teaching, lecturing, consulting, demonstrating and writing about bonsai techniques.
She studied with several renowned bonsai masters, including Toshio Kawamoto (the creator of saikei), Ben Suzuki, the late John Naka (considered the “father” of bonsai in the U.S.); and Warren Hill, curator of the Bonsai Pavilion at the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C.; Harry Hirao (known as Mr. California Bonsai,” and Ben Oki, curator of the bonsai collection at the Huntington Library and Botanic Garden in San Marino. She has participated in bonsai shows across California as well events in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and Spain and is a member of several bonsai organizations, including the California Bonsai Society, American Bonsai Society, Golden State Bonsai Federation and Descanso Bonsai Society. Her current collection includes about 100 trees, including a 21-tree forest that won first place in the Del Mar Flower and Garden show and is currently on display at the Bonsai Pavilion at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, where she serves as liaison between SDBC and the park.
More about ‘lyn
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Additional SDBC Bonsai Teachers
Abe Far (Santee, [email protected])
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Glenn Jensen (Encinitas, [email protected])
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John Voss (Vista, 442-224-4423)
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Ken has been interested in bonsai most of his life but started growing bonsai seriously in 1995. He has grown his own bonsai from seed or cutting since the 1990’s. When grown from seed, Ken uses tiles to create root flare at the base, as well as inhibiting downward root growth. This makes transitioning to a bonsai pot very easy. Most of the trees in his current collection have been grown from seed or cutting using this method. He joined San Diego Bonsai Club in 1997. Over the past 2 decades, Ken has participated in numerous workshops with teachers including Harry Hirao, Kathy Shaner, Ted Matson, Kenji Miyata, and Fred Miyahara. Ken also studied and learned with Fred as one of his students for 4 years. Ken has conducted a number of workshops and demonstrations for SDBC and San Pu Kai Bonsai Club. Having been a teacher for 27 years, Ken presents his experience and knowledge with bonsai in skillful and individualized instruction.
**************************************************************************
Nazim Colak (San Marcos, [email protected])
A graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in landscape architecture, Nazim studied botany, soil science and ornamental horticulture as part of his training. He has been a bonsai artist for more than 30 years and has owned a professional landscaping service since 1991. Nazim offers bonsai lessons and services, bonsai and pre-bonsai sales, artistic tree pruning, and the consultation, design and implementation of Japanese gardens.
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John Jackson (Lakeside, [email protected])
John has been involved in all facets of the bonsai world for more than 40 years. He studied with bonsai legend John Naka for 10 years and also worked with numerous other bonsai experts, including Harry Hirao and Kenji Miyata.
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Gary Jones (Clairemont, [email protected])
Gary has been an SDBC member for 30 years. He began his study of bonsai with the late Bill Murphy and still has some of his trees. Over the years, Gary has participated in workshops with experts and teachers such as Kenji Miyata, John Jackson and Fred Miyahara, and currently follows Ryan Neil. He has been an active participant in a variety of SDBC club functions, including chairing the spring and fall shows, and has served on the club’s board as vice president of education and first vice president. Gary has taught and assisted with numerous classes and workshops for SDBC and has collected, stored, cared for and prepared items for the club’s biannual shows.
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Fred Miyahara (SDSU area, [email protected])
Fred first joined the SDBC in 1989. Since then, he has studied with some of the most respected bonsai exerts in the U.S., including Mas Ishii, Ernie Kuo, Stan Childs, Boon Manakitivipart and, since 2002, Kenji Miyata. He also took part in a year-long study of black pines with Kathy Shaner at the Eldorado Bonsai School and was awarded a Golden State Bonsai Federation teacher’s grant to study with Dennis Makishima. He has conducted beginner and intermediate classes for SDBC members for 26 years and has taught at workshops for clubs throughout California and the U.S, including at the International Bonsai Symposium in Rochester, N.Y., the California Bonsai Society, the California Shohin Seminar, and Golden State Bonsai Federation.
More about Fred
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VanMoch Nguyen (Mira Mesa, [email protected])
VanMoch is an expert in the Vietnamese Hòn Non Bộ style of bonsai. He has experience as an instructor for this unique style, which involves planting bonsais among a rock setting in a tray, with sensei Phillip Tacktill during classes and workshops at the San Diego Botanic Garden and Japanese Zen Garden. He is a member of the San Diego Horticultural Society and San Diego Camellia Society and has appeared on the KPBS television show “A Growing Passion.” His creations have won awards at the San Diego County Fair and Coronado Flower Show.
More about VanMoch
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Christian Reha (Lemon Grove, [email protected])
An SDBC member for 15 years, Christian began studying bonsai under the supervision of Cindy Reed of Kuma Bonsai. As part of his duties, he assisted students taking classes and helped curate the collections of clients in the San Diego area. He gained additional experience through one-on-one interaction with bonsai experts such as Jim Barrett, Harry Hirao and Kathy Shaner. During his years an SDBC club member, he has participated in focus study groups, learning from experienced members such as John Jackson. He was awarded the club’s scholarship to attend the 2018 Golden State Bonsai Federation Convention, where he participated in a number of classes, including a workshop offered by Bjorn Bjornholm. He is especially interested in encouraging more young people to get involved in bonsai.
More about Christian
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’lyn Stevenson (Poway, [email protected])
’lyn first became involved with bonsai in 1970 while living in Tokyo, Japan, and has been involved ever since in teaching, lecturing, consulting, demonstrating and writing about bonsai techniques.
She studied with several renowned bonsai masters, including Toshio Kawamoto (the creator of saikei), Ben Suzuki, the late John Naka (considered the “father” of bonsai in the U.S.); and Warren Hill, curator of the Bonsai Pavilion at the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C.; Harry Hirao (known as Mr. California Bonsai,” and Ben Oki, curator of the bonsai collection at the Huntington Library and Botanic Garden in San Marino. She has participated in bonsai shows across California as well events in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and Spain and is a member of several bonsai organizations, including the California Bonsai Society, American Bonsai Society, Golden State Bonsai Federation and Descanso Bonsai Society. Her current collection includes about 100 trees, including a 21-tree forest that won first place in the Del Mar Flower and Garden show and is currently on display at the Bonsai Pavilion at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, where she serves as liaison between SDBC and the park.
More about ‘lyn
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Additional SDBC Bonsai Teachers
Abe Far (Santee, [email protected])
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Glenn Jensen (Encinitas, [email protected])
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John Voss (Vista, 442-224-4423)
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