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My interest in bonsai began as a teenager when I visited the bonsai exhibit at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. In 1977 while living in Florida my interest was re-kindled after seeing some Ficus bonsai. Since then I have been actively studying trees and how to grow them in containers and creating bonsai. I have been fortunate to have exposure to many excellent bonsai teachers. My knowledge increased as I traveled to foreign countries to study their bonsai and design concepts.
My interests in bonsai are varied but among my special interests are tropical/indoor bonsai and the use of native materials for bonsai. With indoor bonsai I can grow plants that I could not grow outdoors and have a year round hobby. I am also very interested in finding native and unusual materials and refining the bonsai art to be in tune with our own materials and culture. Over the years I have had the opportunity to teach and lecture about bonsai. I have also written and published two books, Ficus: The Exotic Bonsai and written a second book, Introduction To Indoor Bonsai, and was a major contributor to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens book, Growing Bonsai Indoors. I am active in writing articles on various bonsai topics. I am available to lecture, teach and demonstrate bonsai by appointment. I may be contacted at jerry@bonsaihunk.us |
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Jerry's Personal Bonsai History |
Honorary Life Member of Ann Arbor Bonsai Association
Life Member Ann Arbor Bonsai SocietyBoard of Directors American Bonsai Society - 1989-1995 Chairman of the ABS Journal Editorial Committee 1990-1996 Board of Directors National Bonsai Foundation 1993 Regional Editor of the National Bonsai Foundation Chair fundraising committee Matthaei Botanical Gardens Bonsai Collection 2012 Invited Exhibitor 2nd US National Bonsai Exhibition, 2010 Lecturer/Demonstrator American Bonsai Society Symposium, Columbus, Ohio
Instructor - Bonsai Courses
Ann Arbor Bonsai Society, Michigan Ann Arbor Public School Community Education Program University of Michigan, Matthaei Botanical Gardens Ann Arbor Bonsai Society Flathead Valley Community CollegeJudging Four Seasons Bonsai Society June 1994 Publications "The Problem Tree", Great Lakes Bonsai Magazine. Vol. 1, No. 2. March 1986, p. 6-9. "The Twin Tree Style", Great Lakes Bonsai Magazine. Vol. 1, No. 3. April 1986, p. 6-7. "Ficus: Ideal Indoor Bonsai", Bonsai Bulletin: Journal of the Bonsai Society of Greater New York, Inc. Vol. 24, No. 2. Summer 1986, p. 15. "Convention Report: Washington, DC ", Great Lakes Bonsai Magazine Vol. 2, No. 1. January 1987, p. 2-5. "Bonsai Inspiration", Bonsai Bulletin; Journal of the Bonsai Society of Greater New York, Inc. Vol. 25, No. 3. Fall 1988, p. 11-13. "Computers and Bonsai", Bonsai: Journal of the American Bonsai Society, Vol. 21, No. 4. Winter 1987, p. 2-6. "Ten Great Bonsai Myths", Bonsai: Journal of the American Bonsai Society. Vol. 24, No. 1. Spring 1990 , p. 8-11. "Superior Rootage- The Starting Point of Your Bonsai Masterpiece", Bonsai Clubs International, Vol. XXIX, No. 3. 1990, p.13-16. "Hollow Trunk Style", Bonsai: Journal of the American Bonsai Society. Vol. 24, No. 4. Winter 1990 "Pines In The Midwest", Bonsai Clubs International, Vol. XXXI, No. 2. 1992, p.18-22. "Snow Mold and Mulch Mold" , Bonsai Clubs International Vol. XXXI, No. 6. 1992, p.28-29. "Ten Great Bonsai Myths", Bonsai Bulletin, Vol. 29, No. 1. 1992, p. 11-13 "Introductory Bonsai Workshop", Bonsai: Journal of the ABS, Vol. 26, No. 3 , Fall 1992, pg. 22-24 "Highlights of the ABS Convention 1992", Bonsai: Journal of the ABS, Vol. 26, No. 3, Fall 1992, pg. 21 "Ficus- My Favorite Indoor Bonsai", Bonsai- Journal of the ABS, Vol. 27, No. 2, Summer 1993, pg. 55-58 "Materials For Indoor Bonsai", Bonsai - Journal of the ABS, Vol. 27, No. 3, Fall 1993, pg. 118-121 "Unwiring", Bonsai- Journal of the ABS, Vol. 27, No. 3, Fall 1993, pg. 122 "Before and After - Juniperus Procumbens", Bonsai- Journal of the ABS, Vol. 27, No. 4, Winter 1993, pg. 132 "Before and After - Wrightia Religiosa", Bonsai- Journal of the ABS, Vol. 28, No. 1, Spring 1994, pg. 17 "Before and After - Ficus salicifolia", Bonsai- Journal of the ABS, Vol. 28, No. 2, Summer 1994, pg. 57 "Before and After - Pinus Parviflora Group", Bonsai- Journal of the ABS, Vol. 28, No. 3, Fall 1994, pg. 88 "Before and After- Ponderosa Pine", Bonsai- Journal of the ABS, Vol. 28, No. 4, Winter 1994, pg. 156 "An Introduction to Water Jasmine, Wrightia Religiosa", Bonsai- Journal of the ABS, Vol. 29, No. 2, Summer 1995, pg. 62-64 "Pinus Parviflora", American Conifer Society, Vol. 12, No. 1, Winter 1995, pg. 49, "Yews" , Bonsai- Journal of the ABS, Vol. 29, No. 3, Fall 1995, pg. 110-112 "American Hornbeam - Carpinus caroliniana" , Bonsai- Journal of the ABS, Vol. 29, No. 4, Winter 1995, pg. 158 "American Elm - Ulmus Americana" , Bonsai- Journal of the ABS, Vol. 29, No. 4, Winter 1995, pg. 159 "Species Care Guide- Ficus" , Bonsai- Journal of the ABS, Vol. 29, No. 4, Winter 1995, pg. 160 "Ask the Directors" , Bonsai- Journal of the ABS, Vol. 30, No. 1, Spring 1996, pg. 28 "Bonsai in the Northwest" , Bonsai- Journal of the ABS, Vol. 31, No. 2, Summer 1997 pg. 81-83 "ABS Photo Gallery- Photo Display Bonsai Jerry Meislik", Bonsai- Journal of the ABS, Vol. 31, No. 3, Fall 1997 pg. 116-7 "Before and After- Euonymus", Bonsai- Journal of the ABS, Vol. 31, No. 4, Winter 1997, pg. 154-155156 "Adding Aerial Roots", Bonsai With Tropicals, November/December 1997, issue 8, pg. 4 "Bald Cypress", Bonsai With Tropicals, May-June 1998, issue 11, pg. 8-9 "Ten Bonsai Fallacies", Bonsai Journal of the ABS, Vol. 32, No. 4, Winter 1998, pg. 160-162 "Growing Fig Bonsai Under Lights", International Bonsai, Vol. 22, No.4, 2000, pg.14-18 "Ficus Retusa in the Banyan Style", Bonsai Clubs International Vol. 40, No. 4. 2001, p. 16-17 "Bonsai Impressions of Vietnam", Bonsai Enthusiast Online Magazine, April 2002, http://www.bonsaitodayonline.com/ "Giving Your Pine A More Mature Apex", Bonsai Journal of the ABS, Vol. 36, No. 1, Spring 2002, pg. 35-36 "Lighting for Indoor Cultivation", Bonsai Enthusiast Online Magazine, June 2002, http://www.bonsaitodayonline.com/ "The Leopard Tree- Caesalpinia Ferrea", Bonsai Clubs International Vol. 41, No. 4. 2002, p. 25-27 "Bulletproof Bonsai for Indoors, Bonsai Enthusiast Online Magazine", August 2002, http://www.bonsaitodayonline.com/ "Water Jasmine", Bonsai Enthusiast Online Magazine", January 2003, http://www.bonsaitodayonline.com/ "Master Chiu-Chang Chiang Visits Montana", Bonsai Clubs International Vol. 42, No. 1, 2003, p. 17-18 "Phyllanthus myrtifolius", Bonsai Enthusiast Online Magazine, May 2003, http://www.bonsaitodayonline.com/ "Defoliation of Figs", Bonsai Journal of the ABS, Vol. 37, No. 1, Spring 2003, pg. 26-30 "Scheffleras Indoors", Bonsai Enthusiast Online Magazine, July 2003, http://www.bonsaitodayonline.com/ "Tropical Root Over Rock", Bonsai Enthusiast Online Magazine, September 2003, http://www.bonsaitodayonline.com/ "Fukien Tea", Bonsai Enthusiast Online Magazine, November 2003, http://www.bonsaitodayonline.com/ "Texas Ebony", Bonsai Enthusiast Online Magazine, January 2004, http://www.bonsaitodayonline.com/ "Wintering Tropicals", Bonsai Journal of the ABS, Vol. 38, No. 4, Winter 2004, pg. 19-21 "My Visit To Taiwan 2004", Bonsai Clubs International Vol. 44, No. 1, 2005, p. 30-32 "Introduction To Indoor Bonsai", 2006, American Bonsai Society, West Charlton, New York, USA "Bonsai Masterclass", pgs. 190-193, 2006, Craig Coussins, D&S Books Linmited, Canada "The Goldilocks Fig", Gulfstream Bonsai Journal, Spring 2008, p. 12-14 "Growing Bonsai Indoors", pgs. 80-103, 2008, Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, Brooklyn, New York, USA "Breaking Up Is Easy To Do", Bonsai Clubs International, Vol. 48, No. 3, 2009, p. 38-45 "Bigfoot, The Largest Indoor Bonsai in the USA?" , Bonsai Journal of the ABS, Vol. 43, No. 4, Winter 2009, pg. 26-27 "Africa", Bonsai Clubs International, Vol. 51, No. 2, 2012, p. 24-31 "Update On A Fig In The Matthaei Botanical Gardens Bonsai Collection", Bonsai Clubs Inernational, Vol. 52, 2013, No 1, pgs 50-531 "Exposed Root Bonsai" , Bonsai Journal of the ABS, Vol. 50, No. 4, 2016, pg. 14-20 "Bed and Bonsai in Thailand", Bonsai Clubs Inernational, Vol. 52, 2017, No 2, pgs 54-60
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