Akron Canton Bonsai Society July 2021 Exhibit at Wolf Creek Winery

By Michael Rusnak

Strolling though bonsai trees while sipping a glass of wine on a gorgeous summer afternoon--that's just about perfect.

This year, the Winery at Wolf Creek in Norton, Ohio hosted our club's July exhibition.  In a picnic-like setting of wonderful overlooks across a valley and vineyard, the Akron-Canton Bonsai Society presented a display of trees.  It included pines, larch, yew, juniper, maple, as well as several tropical varieties.  

There were examples of several traditional bonsai styles as well by members of our club at all skill levels.

The idea for a bonsai exhibit at a winery was a stroke of genius by our club president during the long months of the last year's Covid19 pandemic lock-down. As there are no public conservatories or arboretums in our area, we were looking for venue for an outdoor exhibit where people stroll and want to enjoy beautiful things.  It was just about a perfect match.

While our original exhibition date in June was rescheduled due to storms in the area, this make up day turned out to be picture-perfect weather for the event. 

 The perfect weather brought out a steady stream of visitors, and we would suggest that other bonsai clubs might want to try a winery for a summer exhibit. Additionally, we had no problem getting club members to volunteer to work the exhibit.  The good weather, the setting and readily available refreshments were enough of a draw.

One of the things that I always enjoy about our club exhibits is seeing the trees and projects that other members create.  I enjoy seeing how their trees develop over time.  And unlike your own trees that you work with throughout the seasons, you mostly only see those of other members once a year.  The progress and refinement therefore is at once noticable.  That yearly progress is a genuine joy to discover.  In this way, the trees themselves have also become club members. 

In total we had more than half of our membership represented in the trees displayed. And it just felt soooo good to be out again with friends, visiting, enjoying the art of bonsai after the calamity that was last year.  Enjoying the event with  good glass of wine didn't hurt either. 

Also, enjoy this video tour of our July exhibit at Wolf Creek Winery our our club Youtube channel.