“This is the end | Beautiful friend .”― Jim Morrison, The Doors
California has lost one of its bonsai clubs. After 20 years, the Amador Bonsai Society has disbanded. According to the club's website, which is not yet off the web,
During the Fall of 1996, two Bonsai enthusiasts, Miguel Chavoya and Frank Luiz, met over coffee and donuts at O’ Henry’s Donut Shop in Pine Grove. These two dedicated individuals spent a couple of hours getting to know each other’s interests and skills related to the living art of Bonsai.
They quickly found that they had both trained under the tutelage of Johnny Uchida, a Bonsai master and owner of the Grove Way Bonsai Nursery in Hayward, CA during the same time period some twenty years earlier. Miguel and Frank found a bond between them that has lasted to the present.
Both of these enthusiasts studied Bonsai under the direction of John Uchida, but both also had other prior trainers. During one of their meetings, Miguel mentioned that he had been thinking about forming a Bonsai group in Amador County, and of course, Frank was intrigued and fully supportive. They then discussed the purpose, goals and strategies for putting the group together.
At this point, Helen Kendall was brought into the picture, and the three of them agreed to move forward. Other people were contacted and soon they had a small group. Miguel suggested the name of Amador Bonsai Society, taken from his membership in the “International Bonsai Society.” Soon after Miguel wrote the Bylaws for the Amador Bonsai Society and presented them at the first meeting of the Amador Bonsai Society.
That all came to an end on December 31, 2015. Bonsai enthusiasts in Gold Country still have a couple of options.
Motherlode Bonsai Club meets the first Saturday of every month at 10 am at Oak Shadows Mobile Home Park
Clubhouse 1330 Calaveritas Road, San Andreas CA, 95249.
Gold Country Bonsai Club meets on the 4th Thursday of each month from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the
Cameron Park Community Center, 2502 Country Club Drive, Cameron Park, CA.
