Hal Mahoney

Hal acquired an interest in oriental culture while serving in the military in Japan and Korea. He began actively teaching bonsai in 1976 when he introduced bonsai as a credit-earning course into the Science Curriculum of a local public high school. Hal now has over 35 years of bonsai experience, and his innovative techniques in bonsai are renowned.

In addition to classical bonsai, Hal's major areas of interest include Chinese Rock Penjing, Saikei, and Water and Land Penjing. One of his Chinese Rock Penjing is featured in the book, Outstanding American Bonsai, and an Hinoki Cypress that he designed is now residing in the Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection in Seattle. He has contributed a chapter on Water and Land Penjing to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden handbook on indoor bonsai. He is currently involved in developing techniques for CLAFT-style forest plantings and saikei.

He is a past-president of the Bonsai Society of Greater New York and of the Long Island Bonsai Society. He is also a founder of the regional MidAtlantic Bonsai Societies and of the Eastern Suffolk Bonsai Society. Hal has served as a Director, Recording Secretary, and as a Vice President of Bonsai Clubs International. He has served for several years on the Editorial Board of Bonsai Magazine. He has written and published many articles in various bonsai magazines.

Hal has been a demonstrator at bonsai clubs and at many major bonsai conventions across the United States.