NABF Newsletter #5

Feature #2

The History of the
Puget Sound Bonsai Association

By Jane Nelson

How it all began

Haru Nagasawa answered the telephone the night of Monday, May 21, 1973 and heard Dr. Bertram "Bert" Bruenner say "we did it" and with those words he announced the amalgamation of the several Seattle bonsai groups into one organization, the Puget Sound Bonsai Association. The main groups were the Kelly Nishitani Unit #73 of the Arboretum Foundation, the Mary Maki Unit of the Arboretum Foundation, the Bonsai Bums and the Broadmoor Women's Group, and other small groups and individuals in the Seattle-Tacoma area.

Hydgrangea anomala petiolaris (Climbing Hydrangea)
Styled by: Jerilyn Peterson
Source: Ground layering from nursery plant
In training: 10 years
Age: 10 years
Date of photo: 1973

The Kelly Nishitani Unit #73 of the Arboretum Foundation

It began in 1959 as Unit #73 of the Arboretum Foundation, identified as the Bonsai Culture Group. Mary Maki had just returned from a year in Japan where she had studied under Yuji Yoshimura. It was natural that she seek out Kelly Nishitani, the patriarch of bonsai in the Seattle area, who was acquainted with others of the same interest. This initial group rounded out a workable bonsai unit, with Kelly and Mary teaching.

Kelly and Mary were an excellent balance, he of the "I learned it at my father's knee" approach and Mary of the formal training and experience. High standards were set with a serious approach to the art. The following year, 1960, as a tribute to Kelly, the group became known as the Kelly Nishitani Unit.

Acer palmatum (Japanese Maple)
Styled by: James Nakahara
Source: Seeding
In training: 10 years
Age: 14 years
Date of Photo: 1965

By 1962 it was felt that the bonsai unit was sufficiently knowledgeable to teach a beginner's and an intermediate class. From this intermediate class evolved the Mary Maki Unit.

Kelly Nishitani, who had the dream of an active bonsai association in Seattle, was born in Japan and came to Seattle as a child and assumed the patriarchal assignment on the death of his father. Kelly suffered the indignities of internment during World War II but returned with no bitterness to rebuild his nursery business. He loved to teach bonsai, and he was a gentle man as well as a gentleman. Kelly's dream of an active association began in 1957 at the arboretum with the nucleus of about ten people and two goals; 1) a permanent collection of fine trees in the arboretum, and 2) a greenhouse to contain a collection.

Puget Sound Logo Tree
W. Hemlock
J. Nakahara
1980's

In 1961, with high hopes, much bravado and no money the Kelly Nishitani Unit undertook an exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum with support from the Bonsai Bums.

The Bonsai Bums

The Bonsai Bums were a small group of nuts who loved highballs, fine food and wines and above all trying to turn trees into bonsai. It had no name, no dues, no officers, no official meeting dates or places. It lasted over twenty years without bylaws, minutes, or treasurer's reports. It started when Bob Shields and Morris Graves went mountain climbing and Graves found and dug up a lovely dwarfed tree, which he gave to Bob. The group met in one another's homes, usually in the basements except when they met at Taki Nagasawa's nursery. Connie Raphael, the only woman, did the phoning and planning.

Japanese Larch Grove
Taki Nagasawa

Once each year the "Bums" had a collecting trip to some high, secret place. Mornings were devoted to the search for the ultimate tree. In the afternoons came the "Orgy". One memorable feast included Beluga caviar brought from Russia by Dr. Bruenner just for the occasion. Others were a whole filet of beef, lemon chicken, French wines and fabulous salads and desserts. Getting back down the mountain was sometimes an adventure in itself. Of course there was one unifying factor---Kelly who was their teacher. He never said much; he just pruned and wired trees. He was a dear and kind and inflexible when it came to good taste in bonsai.

As a special attraction to the 1961 show produced by the Nishitani Unit, Mr. Yoshimura was invited for demonstrations and workshops. These were successful in creating a greater interest in bonsai and in establishing a sound financial basis upon which to further that knowledge. On alternate years thereafter exhibits were held at the Art Museum, with Kelly’s and Mary's high standards of quality to guide them.

Flowering cherry
Leo Cunningham

In 1969 the Kelly Nishitani Unit became inactive as an arboretum unit. However the original purpose of furthering interest in bonsai was accomplished by the giving of financial contributions from the still available funds. The unit was also instrumental in the formation of PSBA in 1973 when the need for an all-inclusive centralized organization became obvious. The Nishitani Unit supported the Puget Sound Bonsai Association financially during its early years, giving $2,000 in 1974 in Kelly's memory, for the purpose of bringing qualified bonsai speakers to Seattle.

Kelly Nishitani died in 1969 just prior to the last of the unit's bonsai exhibits. Mary Maki moved from the area and continues her interest in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Perhaps the crowning achievement of the unit came in 1972 when the American Horticultural Society hosted a convention with international visitors at the Seattle Center. The Nishitani Unit was invited to present a bonsai exhibit in the Modern Art Pavilion. The show was a resounding success.

Japanese Larch
James Nakahara

The long awaited birth of the Puget Sound Bonsai Association

In the sixties and seventies interest in Bonsai was growing by leaps and bounds in the Pacific Northwest. Classes, clubs, and shows occurred regularly from Everett and Tacoma. Eventually the need for a centralized organization became apparent. Most of the bonsai units were small and financially unable to bring in the bonsai artists for demonstrations and workshops. It was felt that an amalgamation into a larger group would attract high level bonsai demonstrators from around the country as well as bringing together local people with an aptitude for teaching, demonstrating, and otherwise dispensing their accumulated knowledge. PSBA was to be the “umbrella" organization providing information about bonsai to members from all over the Puget Sound area as well as encouraging the formation of more localized study groups. Thus was the Puget Sound Bonsai Association born on May 21, 1973 from the Nishitani and Maki Units, the Bonsai Bums, and the Broadmoor Women's Club as the principal midwives.

The charter meeting was held and duties and functions vital to forming the organization were reviewed. The proposed bylaws were read to those present, and the only real question raised about the formation of the club was the name. The proposed bylaws used the name Puget Sound Bonsai Society. Connie Raphael objected to this name most vigorously, as only she could, stating that she would never belong to an organization with the initials PSBS. Society was changed to association and the vote was unanimous by vote of the sixty-eight people present.

The society continued to grow with John Naka and Toshio Suburomaru visiting each year for demonstrations and workshops. A Mother's Day show was established and other smaller shows were held. In 1984 a major convention was hosted and joined by ABS and BCI. It was a great success.

By 1985 the PSBA had 198 members and continued growing and bringing in many more expert visitors each year. By 1996 there were 305 members. The need to provide smaller study groups was met by financing the original meeting of each new study group. This resulted in creating many small local clubs through the region. This perversely also resulted in reducing the number of PSBA members, but alleviated the problem of finding an ever larger meeting place.

Pacific Northwest Bonsai Association

In 1989, Puget Sound Bonsai Association joined with several other area groups and created the Pacific Northwest Bonsai Clubs Association. This group is responsible for holding a yearly regional convention as well as coordinating speakers across the northwest region. The Pacific Northwest Bonsai Clubs Association is comprised of bonsai clubs from Washington, Oregon, Canada, Idaho, and Montana, and currently is comprised of 18 member clubs.

Some Key Members

James Nakahara was a charter member of Puget Sound and a special teacher to all. Jim was known for his large collection of trees. His trees were noted for apparent age and styling although he started them from seeds, grafts, and air layering. He has a windswept Western Hemlock in the John Naka Pavilion at the National Arboretum and a two trunk Western Hemlock in the Weyerhaeuser Pacific Rim Collection. Jim was honored to receive the Ben Oki Design Award in 1991.

James Nakahara holding a cotoneaster

Dr. Bertram “Bert” Bruenner was a dermatologist who was an associate clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Washington. Bert was noted for his teaching skill in both medicine and bonsai. His bonsai motto was “the Dr. is in” as he helped the members of the Puget Sound Bonsai Association with their problem trees before each meeting. He worked closely with James Nakahara to develop the programs for the club.

Leo Cunningham is a charter member of Puget Sound Bonsai and became its third president. In 1988 he served as president of the American Bonsai Society. He was a dedicated teacher of bonsai and groups met regularly with him for help. Weyerhaeuser appointed Leo to be one of three selectors of trees for the Pacific Rim Collection. He was honored to have one of his trees accepted there.

Leo Cunningham

Current activities of the PSBA

The current officers of the PSBA are Ken Wassum, president, Elsa Durham, vice-president, Pat Negron, secretary, and Ruth Fogata, treasurer.

From Ken Wassum is this summary of the PSBA activities.

• Puget Sound Bonsai Association's mission is to educate club members and the public in the art and culture of bonsai. The club fulfills its mission by hosting a program of activities which include demonstrations by guest artists, workshops, social events like the summer potluck, bonsai shows as well as responding to community requests for bonsai education.
  
  
• PSBA was founded in 1973 and is one of the largest bonsai clubs in the western U.S. Among its 250 plus members you will find novices, as well as established, nationally recognized bonsai artists.
  
  
• PSBA meets six times per year at the Center for Urban Horticulture near the University of Washington. In addition we have an annual summer potluck and a spring bonsai show also held at the center.
  
  
• PSBA web site is a focal point of the activities of the PSBA. Please be sure to check its website at http://psba.8m.com

Conclusion

The history of the PSBA is long and illustrious. The founding fathers and mothers would likely never have envisioned its many accomplishments including the ever increasing number of clubs it has spawned and the numerous programs it has developed to educate the public to bonsai. We look forward to PSBA’s next 30 years of accomplishments.