Page 50 - Tạp chí bonsai cây cảnh BCI 2015Q3

fill in an informational gap and provide some much
needed answers to those just getting their feet wet in
the art. The goal of the Beginners’ Bonsai Course is
not only to provide that information in a concise video
format, but it is also to enable folks in more remote
areas to become fully connected to the growing global
bonsai community.
BCI: You live on different continents separated by
time, distance and culture. How did you share the
workload to develop The Bonsai Beginner’s Course?
BJORN: I did most of the filming in Japan at the Kouka-
en nursery, while Oscar shot his clips in the Japanese
Garden in the Hague. We met once or twice during the
entire project, and spoke to each other almost weekly
through Skype.
BCI: Based on sales and reviews, the course is a big
success. Do you plan to add more courses in the
future?
OSCAR: To be honest with you, when we started work
on the Beginner’s course we had no idea what to
expect. Just before we finished the filming and editing
we launched an early bird campaign (providing
preregistration for the course at a discounted rate) and
that was when we found out the course was something
people were actually looking for. We had over a
thousand signups in just a couple of days! This first
course aims at motivating people to actually get started
and we take them step-by-step through the process of
creating their very first Bonsai. Several of our students
Ramification: excerpts OSCAR: Since we’re both pretty active on social media, asked for a more advanced (intermediate) course and
from Pruning and we knew each other’s work for a few years. We met a so we are thinking about creating one; though this will
Shaping lecture, The couple of times, in Japan and at the Generation Bonsai take a few months to complete.
Bonsai Beginner’s Course: event held in Germany.
BCI: Will other instructors join your ranks?
BCI: What inspired you to write, produce and launch
First image; On broadleaf OSCAR: The Beginner’s course was launched only a
evergreen and deciduous such an ambitious project? few weeks ago, so it is too early to tell where this will
trees with alternating leaf OSCAR: The bonsai community has a certain way of take us. But we’re open to suggestions!
patterns along the length doing things, and it is only slowly adjusting to the
of each shoot, allow each BCI: Although English is the second largest language
shoot to grow five to seven huge set of opportunities that the internet has to spoken, are there plans to offer courses in other
leaves and cut back to two offer. Ever since I started Bonsai Empire I believed
leaves on each. in the opportunities of education through an online languages?
Second image; On Opposite community. I started the website, but over the years BJORN: We have received several requests to offer the
Leaf Pattern broadleaf many people from the community helped to create course in other languages, especially Spanish, but we
evergreen and deciduous what has become a platform for Bonsai education. haven’t decided just yet. With Bonsai Empire being
trees where leaves grow
opposite one another, such Recently I published an e-book (a beginner’s guide to available in eight languages it would make sense to
as Japanese maple, prune Bonsai) and with the success of this venture, I started offer the course in those languages eventually.
back to one pair of leaves in thinking of a way to use film to create an online course. BCI: Materials required for the course include plants,
early spring as new shoots Working together with Bjorn on this big project
appear. Many broadleaf revealed a great synergy; his skills and experience at tools, wire and a potting medium. What advice do
trees can be defoliated in you have for students to help them find reputable
late spring or early summer teaching Bonsai are great and Bonsai Empire’s reach suppliers?
to induce a second flush of is quite big. We needed this scale to make it possible
growth and to expedite the to invest in a quality course. OSCAR: In the course we try to motivate students
ramification process. Do to get started with creating their own Bonsai out of
this only on healthy trees. BJORN: For the past several years, I have been young nursery stock. We explain them what to look
producing the Youtube series “The Bonsai Art of for in young plants and also provide a list of shops near
Japan,” which covers many aspects of bonsai culture them. In most countries they can even order starter
on a more intermediate/advanced level. When Oscar kits online, making it easy to get started.
approached me with the idea of an online beginners’
course, I thought it would be a great opportunity to BJORN: Throughout the entire course, we try to keep
things simple and we try to take away most of the

48 | BCI | July/August/September 2015