Educational Seminar Instructors
Jonas Dupuich
Jonas began his bonsai journey over twenty years ago and has studied with Boon MManakitivipar for 20 years. During that time, he became a founding member of Bay Island Bonsai, started Bonsai Tonight and has an active blog where he posts
weekly articles, interviews and how to videos. Jonas is co-founder of the Pacific Bonsai Expo and prides himself on bonsai display and styling techniques.
Jonas will conduct two educational seminars. The first seminar will focus on educating attendees on Understanding Bonsai Design. His second educational seminar, Bonsai Evaluation / Exhibit Critique, will start in the Cabrillo Wine Room and is open to all attendees. Following his PowerPoint presentation, those pre-registered to attend the exhibit critique portion of his presentation will move the Isabella Room
Aaron Hughes
Aaron began his professional plant career 10 years ago at the National Arboretum's Bonsai and Penjing Museum in Washington D.C. He then went on to complete a five-year Bonsai apprenticeship under 4th generation master Junichiro Tanaka, of Aichi-en Bonsai Nursery in Nagoya, Japan. After receiving certification from the Nippon Bonsai Association in 2022, Aaron returned to the states where he has served as Horticulture Curator for the Asian Gardens at the Huntington Botanical Gardens. He holds a BFA in sculpture from The Tyler School of Art at Temple University, and is originally from Arlington, Virginia. He currently resides in Monrovia, California with his wife Katrina, and has a particular interest in shohin size conifer bonsai.
Aaron’s education seminar Introduction and Initial Styling of Collected California Juniper will not only be informative but practical.
John Kim
John’s interest in bonsai began in 2010 when he started researching “little trees in
pots” on the Internet. By 2011 he was spending time visiting nurseries and purchasing a variety of junipers and deciduous trees to practice on using internet articles and YouTube videos as a guide. In 2017 John joined Baikoen, seeking hands-on techniques and tree care training. It was while he was listening to a bonsai podcast with Ryan Neil and the owner of Joshua Roth, Ken Carlson, that he heard Joshua Roth might be for sale to the right buyer. Over the next eighteen months John visited Ken many times and in January 2023, John and his wife, Michelle, became the proud owners of Joshua Roth Bonsai Tool Company.
John’s seminar will present information on Joshua Roth tool overview and care.
Peter Tea
Peter has actively studied and practiced the art of bonsai for over 20 years. He apprenticed with Mr. Junichiro Tanaka at Aichien Bonsai Garden in Nagoya, Japan in 2011. He was released from a 5-year apprenticeship after only 2 years and with Mr. Tanaka’s blessing returned to the U.S. He started his own business in Auburn, CA. and now creates, manages bonsai collections and provide instruction to individuals and groups. Peter is well respected throughout the U.S. as an instructor and artist. Many of Peter’s clients’ trees have won awards at the Pacific Bonsai Expo with the Peter Tea’s guidance and expertise.
Peter’s educational seminar will focus on Structural Development of Deciduous Bonsai and will be highly informative.
Adam Toth
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Adam started his bonsai journey over 10 years ago… In that time, he has apprenticed for 3 years with Taiga Urushibata at the Taisho-en bonsai garden in Shizuoka, returned to the U.S. It was during his apprenticeship in Japan, that he fell in love with small trees… Shohin and Mame to be exact. He received an official shohin certificate from the Japanese Shohin Bonsai Association. It is his love of small trees and his exacting understanding of the process as well as developing and maintaining them, that has attracted so many local artists. Adam has started a Shohin and Mame study group, focusing on, not only the development and strict process needed to maintain these small trees, but the beauty and love for them as well.
In the educational seminar led by Adam, he will instruct everyone on Mame Tree styling and Development.