Page 19 - BSAM 2016 Q4

The Rise of Bonsai Empire
www.bonsaiempire.com
By Joe Grande, Canada
onsai Empire by Oscar Jonker, who started the website in 2000 when he was 15 years old, has developed into a popular destina- tion for bonsai enthusiasts from all over. Last year, Bonsai Empire launched the rst
formal bonsai courses online. It was a team e ort by Oscar and Bjorn Bjorholm. Bjorn has a huge follow- ing on You Tube where he created videos on vari- ous bonsai techniques while he was an apprentice at Koukaen Ten in Japan working with master Keiichi Fujikawa.
The format for the lectures is a proven model, featuring a live Table of Contents— nding what you want to watch again is easy and fast. Infographics, on- screen text and lecture summaries (takeaways), round out the presentation. Best of all, there is a questions- and-answer section associated with each lecture that allows students to ask question and make comments. The lectures are tightly scripted and viewers will bene t from watching them again and again.
e rst series of lectures, Bonsai for Beginners was a great start that attracted many subscribers, many of whom clamored for more. Oscar responded with an
Top; Shot entirely in Japan, the course is aptly named the Bonsai Fundamentals Course. The world-class trees in Shinji Suzuki’s garden add a rich element to the lecture series.
Middle; Michael Hagedorn delivers a course curriculum built around the fundamentals of Bonsai, focusing on plant physiology as well as on the aesthetics of Japanese Bonsai design.
Bottom; This o ering includes a special statement by Shinji Suzuki, Michael’s teacher.
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