Member Profiles
- a sampling of those you would
meet at our meetings
Submit a profile
Ed Graf - Chicago
I will probably always consider myself a
novice regarding Bonsai. I've been a member of the club since
1999. I really enjoy the meetings, the programs, the workshops,
the resources library and the the Growplot. Because of the "hands
on" information furnished by the many experienced members in the Club I
have a small but thriving collection. For me, the time spent
working on my trees is really a great form of relaxation.
Dahn Lindstrom - Joliet
I have studied Bonsai for 7 plus years and love to share and promote
the art and related topics. All cold hardy trees are what I
am working with now. My favorite is the Pine. I worked
at Brussels Bonsai during the winter of 2001/02 and was a finalist in
the ABS New Talent Competition in June 2002. More recently, I
spent a month working at Nature's Way in Pennsylvania with Jim Doyle.
During my stay I was fortunate to be able to attend the Stone
Appreciation Symposium in Hershey and to take a road trip to Ashville
for the North Carolina Bonsai Expo with Jim and Harry Tomlinson. I
studied fine arts at Southern Illinois University focusing on glass.
During that time I began learning West African percussion. During
the day you can catch my at Sid's Garden Center in Bolingbrook where I
am in charge of the aquatic plant department. A tip - some aquatic
plants make nice bonsai accent plants.
Roger D. Thompson - Near West Chicago Suburb
My interests are Bonsai styling and horticulture, making bonsai
stands, teaching bonsai techniques and styling, Suiseki (viewing
stones), carving bases for Suiseki. Other interests include
designing jewelry, practicing and teaching T'ai Chi Chuan & Chi Kung,
bicycling and fine arts.
Thomas L - Brookfield IL
I've been
practicing bonsai for a dozen / plus years, mostly on the East Coast.
Still learning quite a lot about growing temperate bonsai in the
Chicago-land area. I have found Prairie State Bonsai Society to be a
great source of bonsai culture information, extraordinary expertise,
quite valuable advice, and bonsai "fellowship". Thanks to our web
master -- I find the website to be a good resource for information
exchange, promoting bonsai, and dissemination of announcements and PSBS
information to the membership and the "electronic bonsai" community at
large.
Phil Malhiot - Chicago
Bonsai - I truly enjoy the peace doing Bonsai gives me. My
interest goes back 23 years. I have been studying for 12 years and
teaching Bonsai for 5 years. I hope to see you all at our monthly
meetings.
Dick Anderson - Downers Grove
I've been at Bonsai for about ten years. My favorite trees are
pines, bald cypress, and any tropical.
Stephen Lee - Brookfield
I started out with a few
indoor Bonsai plants years ago, such as serissa and kingsville boxwood,
but the last 3 years I have began collected native trees, especially
eastern white pine, spruce, larch, and balsam fir. I do most of my
collecting in northern Wisconsin. I have also collected a few trees in
Louisiana such as a bald cypress (I am originally from La). I am also a
rather fanatical cross-country skier and am training for a ski marathon
in Jan. (yes, that is 26 miles!). In the warmer months I also enjoy
birding and bicycling. I am on the board of directors of Chicago Audubon
Society and I am field trip co-chairperson.
Steve Denny - Naperville
I rekindled my interest in
Bonsai in June, 2001 and joined the Prairie State Bonsai Society that
fall. My experience and knowledge is a the neophyte level so
I learn a lot from the meetings, workshops and just talking with the
other members. I do not yet have a favorite species and have
tropical and winter hardy trees. This spring I will be
re-landscaping my front yard and hope to harvest some 20 plus year old
junipers for conversion to Bonsai.
Dan Kosta - Westchester
I was first exposed to bonsai in the early
1960's but had little luck with the trees. I gave up on it after high
school. In 1978 I attended the bonsai show at the Chicago Botanic
Garden and met Tony Mihalic from Wildwood Gardens in Chardon, Ohio. The
next summer I visited his nursery to get dwarf conifers for my rock
garden. Tony found out that I had tried
bonsai and gave me a couple of trees and pots. With his encouragement
and advice I became successful with growing bonsai.
I joined the Morton Arboretum Bonsai Society in 1986 and was its
president from 1991 to 1993. The club is now known as the Prairie State
Bonsai Society. At present I am the editor of the club newsletter
I now have a fairly large collection, mostly
outdoor types and particularly conifers. In 1999 one of my trees took
second place in the competition for Best In Show at the Mid America
Bonsai Exhibit at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
I have taught bonsai (adult education) at
Moraine Valley Community College and also do private bonsai tutoring.
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