Pacific Bonsai Museum Entrusts Six Tropical Bonsai to Waterfront Botanical Gardens

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• Six meticulously crafted treehouses integrated into deceased bonsai
• Photographs documenting Creek’s life and creative journey
• Quotes highlighting his creativity and passion
• A representation of the mobile “van life” studio Creek created to work on his craft daily, even in remote locations.

• BonsaiFEST! (May 10-11, 2025)
• Summer Bonsai Solstice celebration (June 21, 2025)

1. Building Wonder Logo
2. Full Treehouse
3. Treehouse detail
4. Treehouse from below
5. Treehouse mobile studio
6. Treehouse window detail

• Open: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm
• Closed: Mondays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Tuesday, December 3, 2024 

MEDIA CONTACT: Katherine Wimble Fox 

Pacific Bonsai Museum 

katherine@pacificbonsaimuseum.org  

(206) 612-0026 

An Evening of Miniature Marvels: Winter Bonsai Solstice Awaits! 

Discover a Winter Wonderland of Living Art 

Imagine a winter evening where tiny trees come alive with twinkling lights, where nature’s delicate artistry meets seasonal enchantment. The Pacific Bonsai Museum invites the public to its 10th annual Winter Bonsai Solstice – a rare, must-experience evening that transforms our world-renowned bonsai collection into a luminous landscape of wonder. 

An Extraordinary Night 

Saturday, December 14 | 4 PM – 7 PM  

This is one of only two nights the Museum opens after dark, offering a truly magical experience not to be missed. As twilight descends, our meticulously cultivated bonsai will be illuminated in soft holiday lights – creating an enchanting landscape that bridges art, nature, and season. 

More Than an Event – A Community Gathering 

Handcrafted Holiday Market 

Discover unique, locally-crafted treasures from: 

• South King Clothing Co (Textiles) 

• Courtney Branam (Handblown Glass) 

• Deschampsia (Natural Body Botanicals) 

• Kandied Klay (Ceramics) 

• Andy Pham (Watercolors) 

• Jade & Co Succulent Boutique (Plants) 

• Sen Nen Design (Japanese Calligraphy) 

Festive Delights 

• FREE hot chocolate 

• Family-friendly atmosphere 

• Bring your own flashlight for an in-depth bonsai exploration 

Event Essentials 

• Location: Pacific Bonsai Museum 2515 S 336th Street, Federal Way, WA 98001 

• Cost: FREE entry (Suggested donation to support the bonsai collection: $12) 

• Parking: Free parking available at our ‘Garden Parking Lot’ a short walk . Wheelchair-accessible parking and passenger drop-off area available at the main entry. 

Special Memento 

The first 100 visitors who make a donation to the Museum at the Welcome Table will receive special glasses that turn any pinpoint of light into a snowflake. 

BYOF (Bring Your Own Flashlight) and prepare for an enchanting journey through miniature landscapes! 

Additional Information 

• High-resolution images available upon request 

• Media preview available – contact for details  

Photos attached 

1. Lighting displays at 2023 Winter Bonsai Solstice, courtesy Pacific Bonsai Museum. 

1. Family photo at 2023 Winter Bonsai Solstice; photo by Matthew Aimonetti. 

1. Juniper and visitors at 2023 Winter Bonsai Solstice; photo by Matthew Aimonetti. 

1. Firethorn and visitors at 2023 Winter Bonsai Solstice; photo by Matthew Aimonetti. 

Connect With Us 

• Phone: (253) 353-7345 

• Email: info@pacificbonsaimuseum.org 

• Website: Winter Bonsai Solstice Event Details 

ABOUT PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM 

Pacific Bonsai Museum inspires a closer look at nature through the living art of bonsai. Fifty of the Museum’s 150 bonsai are displayed at any given time in an outdoor fine art museum setting in the open air of a large forest in Federal Way, Washington. The Museum is poised at the forefront of an evolving art form that is transforming in a uniquely American fashion. ~55,000 people from across the globe visit the museum each year, with visitorship growing as people discover this gem of the Pacific Northwest. Admission by donation. Learn more at http://www.pacificbonsaimuseum.org/. 

MUSEUM WINTER HOURS 

Open Tuesday through Sunday, from 10 am to 4 pm.  

The Museum is closed every Monday as well as Thanksgiving Day.  

This year the Museum will be closed for Winter Holidays Monday December 23, 2024 through January 1, 2025. 

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PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM PRESS RELEASE

October 3, 2024

PRESS CONTACT

Katherine Wimble Fox

katherine@pacificbonsaimuseum.org

o:  (253) 353-7345

m: (206) 612-0026

PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM ANNOUNCES “STONE IMAGES XIV”: A CONTEMPLATIVE JOURNEY THROUGH THE ART OF VIEWING STONES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 3, 2024, Federal Way, Washington – Pacific Bonsai Museum is proud to announce the opening of “Stone Images XIV,” a captivating exhibition that invites visitors to explore the ancient and meditative art of viewing stones. This free, public exhibition will run from October 8 to December 15, 2024, featuring over 30 exquisite specimens carefully curated by the Northwest Viewing Stone Group of the Puget Sound Bonsai Association.

The Art of Viewing Stones: Where Nature Meets Imagination

Viewing stones—an art form with roots stretching back more than 1,500 years in China, Japan, and Korea—has now found a passionate following worldwide. This practice encourages observers to see beyond the physical form of a stone, allowing their imagination to reveal mountains, figures, animals, and even celestial bodies within its contours.

“Stones are shaped by water, wind, sand, and ice, but what we see in them is shaped by our minds,” explains a spokesperson for the Northwest Viewing Stone Group, affectionately known as ‘The Stoners’. “Viewing stones is a meditative art of the imagination, inviting us to discover entire worlds within a single rock.”

A Diverse Collection of Natural Wonders

The exhibition showcases a wide variety of viewing stones, such as:

• Mountain Vistas: Miniature landscapes complete with snow-capped peaks
• Shore Stones: Representations of islands and rugged coastlines
• Celestial Stones: Capturing images of the sun, moon, stars, and deep space
• Object Stones: Depicting human or animal figures
• Abstract Stones: Featuring fanciful shapes, patterns, and color combinations

Each stone is thoughtfully displayed on a custom-carved wooden base called a daiza, in sand-filled containers, or on fabric pillows, enhancing its natural beauty and inviting contemplation.

A Tactile Treat: Viewing Stones Show & Tell

As part of the exhibition, the Pacific Bonsai Museum invites visitors to attend a special Viewing Stones Show & Tell event during Fall Foliage Day on Saturday, October 26, from 10am to 3pm. This unique opportunity allows guests to:

• See naturally-collected stones up close
• Experience the various, remarkable textures of the stones
• Observe how stone bases are carved to fit each rock perfectly
• Interact with members of the Northwest Viewing Stone Group, who will be present to answer questions and guide the experience

This event is free and open to the public, offering a hands-on complement to the main exhibition.

A Continuing Tradition of Excellence

“Stone Images XIV” marks the 14th installment in a series of exhibitions organized by the Puget Sound Bonsai Association’s Northwest Viewing Stone Group at the Pacific Bonsai Museum. This ongoing collaboration highlights the museum’s commitment to showcasing diverse forms of natural art and meditative practices.

Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the tranquil beauty and imaginative potential of viewing stones. Visit “Stone Images XIV” at Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way, Washington, from October 8 to December 15, 2024. Admission is free.

Exhibition location:

Entrance courtyard Pavilion, Pacific Bonsai Museum, 2515 S 336th Street, Federal Way, WA 98001.

Hours:

Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm. 

Closed every Monday, as well as Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

Parking:

Free parking is available across from the Museum (follow signs to ‘Garden Parking’); wheelchair-accessible parking is available near the Museum entrance.

For more information, please contact:

info@pacificbonsaimuseum.org

(253) 353-7345

About Pacific Bonsai Museum:

Pacific Bonsai Museum inspires a closer look at nature through the living art of bonsai. 150 exquisite bonsai representing the finest examples of the art worldwide form a living repository of cultural heritage. Through the presentation of thought-provoking exhibitions, docent-led tours, educational programs, workshops, and more, Pacific Bonsai Museum engages a diverse community drawing over 55,000 visitors annually from around the world. Open six days a week, all year round, admission is available by donation, ensuring accessibility to all who wish to experience the powerful presence of bonsai and be moved to cultivate a more intentional relationship with nature. More at www.pacificbonsaimuseum.org.

About the Northwest Viewing Stone Group:

The Puget Sound Bonsai Association (PSBA) was formed in 1973 and is a non-profit organization dedicated to the education of its members and the general public in the art and culture of bonsai. The Northwest Viewing Stone Club was founded in 2006 to encourage appreciation of these nature-formed artworks and encourage appreciation of the qualities that make a stone art. More at: www.psba.us.

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PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM PRESS RELEASE

April 10, 2024

PRESS CONTACT

Katherine Wimble Fox

katherine@pacificbonsaimuseum.org

o:  (253) 353-7345

m: (206) 612-0026

An Unforgettable Weekend of Bonsai Bliss 

BonsaiFEST! returns to Federal Way, May 11 & 12, Mother’s Day Weekend

Saturday, May 11, and Sunday, May 12, Pacific Bonsai Museum welcomes the public to immerse themselves in the beauty and serenity of bonsai culture. Their family-friendly BonsaiFEST! features hundreds of living works of art, three bonsai exhibitions, bonsai-making demonstrations, guided tours, games, food trucks, shopping, and more, with free admission. 

See:

• The opening weekend debut of Pacific Bonsai Museum’s 2024 special exhibitions:
   

Small Talk: All the dirt on growing mini-but-mighty trees brings textbooks to life with 41 living bonsai trees. Through anime-inspired illustrations, emojis, and text-like exchanges, the exhibition bridges the gap between textbook STEM education and real-world fun. From “Thirst Alerts” to “Sunlight Status Updates,” Small Talk answers common, botanically-oriented questions about bonsai in the format of a chat. Visitors can also try their hand at bonsai wiring and sift through the bonsai’s special soil at interactive stations.

Skating the Edge: Exhibitions from Pacific Bonsai Museum’s First Ten Years

A retrospective journey celebrating ten years of innovative exhibitions that have captured the hearts of audiences worldwide. Featuring works from Decked Out: From Scroll to Skateboard (2016), Natives (2017), World War Bonsai: Remembrance & resilience (2020), and Avant-garden (2023).

• The Puget Sound Bonsai Association (PSBA) Spring Show with aisles of diverse bonsai created by local bonsai artists. 

• An incredible Mame (“ma-may”) display of the tiniest bonsai around.

• Azalea, wisteria, and other lovely flowering bonsai likely at ‘peak bloom.’ 

Watch, learn, and share:

• Live bonsai-making demonstrations — see how the bonsai are created and talk to bonsai artists who reveal the secrets behind their craft. Demos happen Saturday, May 11 at 10–11:30am; 12noon–1:30pm, and 2–3:30pm; and Sunday, May 12 at 10–11:30am and 12noon–1:30pm.

• Docent-led tours of the collection — ask questions and share insights; Tours start at 12 pm and 1 pm and last approximately 45 minutes, both days; Meet at the Conservatory. No prior sign-up is required.

Shop, eat, drink, and play:

• Shop for bonsai, pots, and more from Robert Cho’s Asia Pacific Gardening. Shop for hats, books, stickers, and gifts from Pacific Bonsai Museum’s pop-up shop, plus (new this year) Portulacaria pre-bonsai material grown from cuttings of the Museum’s famous tropical bonsai.

• Enjoy tantalizing treats from Whateke Mexican Food Truck and Village Perk Coffee.

• Games and Art Station, with free bonsai coloring sheets and bonsai learning activities, where kids came unleash their creativity.

• Book signing and bespoke poetry writing by local poet Alexandria Manalo, author of Butterfly Army Unite: A poetic presence poetry book.

WHEN:  

Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12 from 10 am to 4 pm each day.

WHERE:                    

The Pacific Bonsai Museum is located on the campus of the former Weyerhaeuser headquarters at 2515 S 336th Street, Federal Way, WA 98001. Visitors are advised to search ‘Pacific Bonsai Museum’ on their GPS-enabled devices to navigate to the Museum and should enter Weyerhaeuser Road from the West entry on Weyerhaeuser Way South.

PARKING:                 

Free parking is available across from the Museum at the Garden Parking Lot; wheelchair-accessible parking and passenger drop-off/pick-up is available at the Museum entrance.

COST:

Admission is free. There is a $12 suggested donation for those who can support the Museum. 

MUSEUM HOURS:

Tuesday through Sunday, from 10 am to 4 pm.

The Museum is closed: Every Monday as well as Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

MORE INFO:             

The public can call the Museum at (253) 353-7345 or email info@pacificbonsaimuseum.org.

————————————————–

ABOUT PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM:

Pacific Bonsai Museum inspires a closer look at nature through the living art of bonsai. Nestled amidst a sprawling forest, Pacific Bonsai Museum offers a peaceful and contemplative experience unlike any other. As one of the few public collections worldwide solely dedicated to bonsai, Pacific Bonsai Museum showcases contemporary exhibitions, hosts docent-led group tours, provides educational programs, workshops, and much more. Drawing over 54,000 visitors annually from around the world, the Museum’s popularity continues to soar as word spreads about this hidden treasure of the Pacific Northwest. Open six days a week, all year round, admission is available by donation, ensuring accessibility to all who wish to immerse themselves in the beauty and serenity of bonsai. Learn more at http://www.pacificbonsaimuseum.org/. 

PHOTOS:

BF 23 visitors 2.jpeg

Visitors at our 2023 BonsaiFEST! Photo courtesy Pacific Bonsai Museum.

BF 23 visitors.jpeg

Visitors at our 2023 BonsaiFEST! Photo courtesy Pacific Bonsai Museum.

BonsaiFEST 22 Westergard.jpg

Visitors at our 2023 BonsaiFEST! Photo courtesyWinifred Westergard.

Demonstrations.jpeg

BonsaiFEST features live bonsai-making demonstrations. Photo courtesy Pacific Bonsai Museum.

Japanese Wisteria.jpeg

Japanese Wisteria bonsai in flower. Wisteria floribunda; original artist, Percy Hampton; a bonsai since 1983;  Photo courtesy Pacific Bonsai Museum.

Mame display.jpeg

BonsaiFEST features a display of tiny bonsai classified as “Mame.” Photo courtesy Pacific Bonsai Museum.

Visitors to PSBA show.jpeg

BonsaiFEST features the Puget Sound Bonsai Association’s annual Spring Show. Photo courtesy Pacific Bonsai Museum.

HIGH-RESOLUTION VERSIONS AVAILABLE HERE: https://pacificrimbonsai.sharepoint.com/:f:/s/SharedFiles/EpNk3RgP5hxOgg06xR7CyqABZ_Ike9RyWW4C4a0N6NOe9Q?e=oUduDK

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PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Katherine Wimble Fox, Communications Director

Phone: 206 612 0026 (m)

Email: katherine@pacificbonsaimuseum.org

STEM Education with Real Stems

Small Talk: All the dirt on growing mini-but-mighty trees opens May 11

[FEDERAL WAY, WA, March 28, 2024] — At a time when youth are increasingly concerned about the environmental future of planet Earth, Small Talk, a new special exhibition by Pacific Bonsai Museum, encourages kids to ‘chat’ with bonsai to understand tree-needs and become better plant-allies.

Small Talk brings the material of textbooks to life with 41 living bonsai trees. Through anime-inspired illustrations of bonsai, emojis, and text-like exchanges, the exhibition bridges the gap between textbook STEM education and real-world fun. From “Thirst Alerts” to “Sunlight Status Updates” and “Pruning Notifications,” Small Talk answers common, botanically oriented questions about bonsai in the format of a chat. Visitors can also try their hand at bonsai wiring and sift through the bonsai’s special soil at interactive stations.

“This exhibition offers parents something different for the kids that is fun, educational, and gets them out into nature. But this is something that the whole family can enjoy and learn from. Anyone who comes to visit these amazing trees and takes time to understand a little about their needs will get something out of a visit,” said Pacific Bonsai Museum Executive Director Pat Bako.

By starting with two simple acts—observing and listening—visitors of Small Talk can engage in ‘conversations’ with bonsai, uncovering the secrets of these fascinating miniature trees. Visitors will gain insights into the essence of tree health as well as develop an appreciation for the meticulous care required for their maintenance.

Cultivation techniques—used in the art of bonsai since the 6th Century—have evolved around caretaking activities such as watering, pruning, wiring, and repotting; these techniques allow trained artists to grow in small pots for hundreds of years. Presented for their artful, aesthetic beauty, bonsai trees offer a unique vantage point on the intricate details of nature. 

“We believe that everyone, regardless of their prior plant knowledge or perceived ‘black thumbs’ can learn to decipher the subtle cues of trees and participate in a conversation with our green companions,” says Pacific Bonsai Museum Curator Aarin Packard, creator of the exhibition. “The art of bonsai is often described as a conversation between a person and a tree, because it centers around understanding nature’s subtle language,” added Packard. 

Small Talk is presented in Pacific Bonsai Museum’s outdoor, woodsy exhibition area. The exhibition space is punctuated with several vividly-colored, graphic, painted murals by local artist Judy Chia Hui Hsu. The subject matter of Hsu’s paintings is inspired by bonsai trees from the collection and underscores the sense of vibrant joy, awe, and fun the exhibition conveys.

“Bonsai represent the beauty that emerges when humans tune into the silent dialogue of trees,” explains Bako. “By nurturing these tiny ecosystems and sharing them with the community, we not only cultivate a deeper appreciation for the natural world but also contribute to a greener, more sustainable future for generations to come.”

Small Talk opens May 11 at BonsaiFEST!–an annual 2-day celebration of World Bonsai Day on Mother’s Day weekend, with 100s of live bonsai, bonsai demonstrations, food trucks, pop-up shopping, kids’ activities, and more. Admission is free ($12 suggested donation for adults). 

Small Talk will run through Nov 3, 2025.

PARKING:         

Free parking is available across from the Museum at the Garden Parking Lot; wheelchair-accessible parking and passenger drop-off/pick-up is available at the Museum entrance.

COST:

Admission is free. There is a $12 suggested donation for those who are able to support the Museum. 

MUSEUM HOURS:

Tuesday through Sunday, from 10 am to 4 pm.

The Museum is closed: Every Monday as well as Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Visitors are advised to check the Museum’s website (www.pacificbonsaimuseum.org) in the rare case of weather-related closures.

MORE INFO:     

The public can call the Museum at (253) 353-7345 or email info@pacificbonsaimuseum.org.

————————————————–

ABOUT PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM

Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way, Washington, is a charming oasis where nature and art converge through the exquisite practice of bonsai. Nestled amidst a sprawling forest, Pacific Bonsai Museum offers a peaceful and contemplative experience unlike any other. As one of the few public collections worldwide solely dedicated to bonsai, it showcases contemporary exhibitions, hosts docent-led group tours, provides educational programs, workshops, and much more.

Drawing over 54,000 visitors annually from around the world, the Museum’s popularity continues to soar as word spreads about this hidden treasure of the Pacific Northwest. Open six days a week, all year round, admission is available by donation, ensuring accessibility to all who wish to immerse themselves in the beauty and serenity of bonsai. Discover more at http://www.pacificbonsaimuseum.org/.

IMAGES ATTACHED

Small Talk header

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PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Katherine Wimble Fox, Communications Director

Phone: 206 612 0026 (m)

Email: katherine@pacificbonsaimuseum.org

A Silver Screen Lining: Bonsai Theft Leads to Family Reunion and Feature in Upcoming HBO Documentary

FEDERAL WAY, WA, December 12, 2023 — Pacific Bonsai Museum is thrilled to announce its inclusion in the upcoming HBO documentary, “Trees and Other Entanglements.” Pacific Bonsai Museum is featured in the documentary as caretakers of the 82-year-old Japanese Black Pine tree grown from seed by Japanese American Juzaburo Furuzawa when he was detained during WWII as a result of Executive Order 9066.

“Trees and Other Entanglements,” an HBO Original Documentary from filmmaker Irene Taylor, depicts the deeply human tale of our relationship with the natural world and one another. It premieres December 12, 2023, on StreamOnMax. The Furuzawa family’s story is one of a handful featured in the film to show how we are all connected by our roots.

See the HBO trailer and more at: Pacificbonsaimuseum.org/furuzawa-pine/.

Both the Furuzawa family and the filmmaker only became familiar with the bonsai after it made international news in February 2020. On February 9, 2020, thieves stole it from Pacific Bonsai Museum’s secure, public exhibition space, and then, less than 72 hours later, mysteriously, returned it to the Museum. The prompt return was likely due to pressure from the bonsai community and the media. The bonsai was returned without damage.

In 2021, three generations of Furuzawas traveled from San Francisco to Federal Way to see the bonsai for the first time and were joined by the film crew during their museum visit. Through engaging interviews with the Furuzawa family, viewers of the documentary will gain insights into the monumental losses that the Furuzawas and 120,000 other Japanese Americans suffered due to their three-year-long incarceration in WWII-era barbed-wire detention camps.

In Japanese culture, pine trees symbolize longevity, virtue, and youth. Furuzawa’s Japanese relatives would have been aware of this when they sent him the seeds, which he sowed in tin cans and nurtured one into a seedling that would become his bonsai. 

After he was allowed to return home in 1945, Furuzawa grew and trained this bonsai for many years. He went on to become an important San Francisco Bay-area bonsai practitioner and teacher. One of his former students, John Uchida, purchased this Japanese Black Pine from Furuzawa in 1981 and later donated it to Pacific Bonsai Museum. 

The Japanese Black Pine bonsai is an example of the “slanting style” of bonsai, with the top of the tree leaning well to one side of the base, suggesting a tree reaching for light.

The bonsai was the centerpiece of Pacific Bonsai Museum’s 2020-21 special exhibition: World War Bonsai: Remembrance & resilience. The groundbreaking exhibition traced the cultural practice of bonsai from the pre-WWII period, through wartime, amid incarceration, and at peace. With 34 bonsai, plus artifacts, documents, and photographs, the exhibition shared the little-known stories of the people who ingeniously and courageously cared for bonsai, shared their art, and spurred a flourishing global practice despite overwhelming hardships. An exhibition catalog is available on the Museum’s website. 

Pacific Bonsai Museum is a one-of-a-kind, open-air museum of living art in Federal Way, WA. It is one of only two museums in the United States solely dedicated to bonsai, and one of only a handful of bonsai museums worldwide. Pacific Bonsai Museum maintains a collection of 150 bonsai that are among the finest examples of bonsai anywhere in the world and is the most geographically diverse bonsai collection in the United States. In a grand outdoor setting with the elegance of a fine art museum, Pacific Bonsai Museum features sixty trees on exhibit at a given time, open to the public six days a week. This cultural gem offers contemporary and traditional bonsai exhibitions, group tours, education programs, and public events.

Photo caption: During the family’s visit in 2021, Jordan Furuzawa stands tall next to the Japanese Black Pine bonsai his great-grandpa, Juzaburo Furuzawa, grew. Photo courtesy Pacific Bonsai Museum.

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PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM MEDIA ALERT

November 28, 2023

PRESS CONTACT

Katherine Wimble Fox

katherine@pacificbonsaimuseum.org

o: (253) 353-7345

m: (206) 612-0026

Winter Bonsai Solstice returns December 16 

Explore intricate bonsai illuminated by soft lights

WHAT

For one night only, on Saturday, December 16 Pacific Bonsai Museum will illuminate its world-renowned collection in a serene display of holiday magic. Visitors can take a stroll and explore bonsai by night in a peaceful, woodsy setting.

50 bonsai will be on display. Select bonsai will have special lighting installations. Luminaria light the way and add to the festive atmosphere. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own flashlights to investigate all the bonsai in their remarkable detail.

While they are here, visitors can sip hot chocolate while they shop for holiday gifts at two pop-up shops: the Pacific Bonsai Museum pop-up shop–offering mugs, hats, books, pins, magnets, and more–and local glass artist Matt Fimiano’s pop-up shop–with blown glass ornaments, votives, tumblers, and more handmade treasures.

This is only one of two nights that Pacific Bonsai Museum is open at night. (The other occurs at Summer Solstice.) Winter Bonsai Solstice has been a favorite community tradition since 2015. Visitors return year after year to honor the solstice, celebrate the return of longer days, and embrace the generous spirit of the holidays and community.

WHO

Open to the whole community. Kid- and family-friendly. 

COST

Admission is free. (Suggested donations of $12 for adults to support the museum are always appreciated).

WHEN

Saturday, December 16 from 4 pm to 7 pm

WHERE

Pacific Bonsai Museum is located on the campus of the former Weyerhaeuser Company headquarters at 2515 S 336th Street, Federal Way, WA 98001. 

PARKING

Plentiful free parking is available across from the Museum at the Garden Parking lot. Follow the luminaria-lined trail to the Museum entrance. Wheelchair-accessible parking and a passenger drop-off/pick-up area is available at the Museum entrance.

MORE INFO

(253) 353-7345

info@pacificbonsaimuseum.org

SOCIAL

See event on Facebook: Winter Bonsai Solstice

On Instagram @pacificbonsaimuseum

ABOUT PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM

Pacific Bonsai Museum connects people to nature through the living art of bonsai. Fifty of the Museum’s 150 bonsai are displayed at any given time in an outdoor fine art museum setting in the open air of a large forest in Federal Way, Washington. The Museum is poised at the forefront of an evolving art form that is transforming in a uniquely American fashion. ~55,000 people from across the globe visit the museum each year. Admission is always offered free by donation so everyone can experience the beauty of bonsai. Learn more at https://www.pacificbonsaimuseum.org/.

MUSEUM HOURS

Tuesday through Sunday, from 10 am to 4 pm. The Museum is closed every Monday. This year we will be closed for a winter break from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day.

EVENT PHOTOS

bolded photos attached (high-resolution versions available at https://pacificrimbonsai.sharepoint.com/:f:/s/SharedFiles/EgZxjnpLWTNMkTJxyvBjYx8B6lBkk2Nfw2MVuC2uAOv2EQ?e=D8FV22

)

1. Creeping Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) raft bonsai planted on a ‘Wonder Rock’ originally created by John Naka in 1957; on display at Winter Bonsai Solstice 2022. Photo by Pacific Bonsai Museum.

2. Lighting display at Winter Bonsai Solstice 2022. Photo by Pacific Bonsai Museum.

3. Luminaria and visitors at Winter Bonsai Solstice 2022. Photo by Pacific Bonsai Museum.

4. Glass artist Matt Fimiano’s pop-up shop at Winter Bonsai Solstice 2022. Photo by Pacific Bonsai Museum.

5. Pyracantha (Pyracantha angustifolia) bonsai; In training as a bonsai since 1970; Original artist: Cheen Chong Yea; on display at Winter Bonsai Solstice 2022. Photo by Pacific Bonsai Museum.

6. Tall Stewartia (Stewartia monadelpha) bonsai; In training as a bonsai since 1965; Original artist: Yasuo Mitsuya; on display at Winter Bonsai Solstice 2022. Photo by Pacific Bonsai Museum.

7. Visitors at Winter Bonsai Solstice 2022. Photo by Pacific Bonsai Museum.

8. Visitors at Winter Bonsai Solstice 2022. Photo by Pacific Bonsai Museum.

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PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM PRESS RELEASE

May 2, 2023

PRESS CONTACT

Katherine Wimble Fox

katherine@pacificbonsaimuseum.org

o:  (253) 353-7345

m: (206) 612-0026

Innovative Art Exhibition Showcases Bonsai for a New Era

Avant-garden features daring works by eleven artists pushing horticulture to its limits

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Federal Way, WA – May 2, 2023 – A new art exhibition is set to captivate audiences with its breathtaking display of bonsai like you’ve never seen before. Titled “Avant-garden,” this exhibition showcases the works of several artists who have evolved their bonsai practice through experimentation, innovation, and a willingness to take risks.

The exhibition is a creation of Pacific Bonsai Museum and will run from May 13, 2023, to September 10, 2023. It features bonsai artworks that are the results of years of experimental techniques that have pushed horticulture to its limits to achieve radical designs.

The artists have challenged bonsai tradition in different ways, such as: planting bonsai trees in non-traditional vessels using repurposed material; altering planting orientations, such as flipping trees on their side; and exploring subject matter that evokes emotional expressions rarely encountered in traditional bonsai.

“Avant-garden” aims to inspire visitors to imagine a new bonsai-futurism and what lies ahead for an ancient art form. The exhibition calls on viewers to challenge their expectations of what a bonsai should look like and be inspired.

“I wanted to create an exhibition that highlights current trends in nontraditional bonsai and broadens the public’s perception of what bonsai can be,” said Aarin Packard, the Curator of the exhibition. “While the cultural and aesthetic traditions of bonsai are beautiful and worthy of honor, bonsai, like all art, cannot be kept static.”

Visitors to the exhibition can expect to see works from well-known bonsai artists, including Ryan Neil, Michael Hagedorn, Nick Lenz, and David Crust. Each artist was trained in the rigorous traditions of bonsai involving centuries of codified principles; but these artists chose to intentionally deviate from bonsai tradition in order to explore a practice that was a more authentic expression of themselves, their culture, and their time.

Accompanying the bonsai artworks will be an exhibition of 3D-printed porcelain pots by Seattle-based ceramicist Timea Tihanyi with Slip Rabbit Studio and 2D paintings and cyanotypes by Denver-based artist Christine Nguyen. “Porcelain was a commonly used material for bonsai pots centuries ago, but is rarely seen today,” Packard said, adding, “Tihanyi’s use of a 3D ceramic printer brings porcelain back into the conversation as a viable material for bonsai containers.” Nguyen’s work explores natural energetic processes such as photosynthesis and crystallization to highlight the fundamental interdependence of organic and inorganic things in the natural world.

“Avant-garden” is a must-see exhibition for anyone who loves nature or appreciates art. Come to the Avant-garden and be inspired.

Admission to the exhibition is free and open to the public. (A suggested donation of $12 per adult is gratefully accepted on-site or online.) Pacific Bonsai Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. For more information, visit pacificbonsaimuseum.org or contact info@pacificbonsaimuseum.org.

Photos:

High res photos available here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1WtO5Thv8QQRY4vXrmN5qZsTF_cphDnik?usp=sharing

1. Avant-garden exhibition poster created by designer John Mork.
2. Coastal Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) is a study in texture and a meditation on site; a bonsai since 2020, original artists Ryan Neil, Ron Lang, and Austin Heitzman. Photo courtesy Pacific Bonsai Museum.
3. “President Hoover,” American Larch (Larix laricina) planted in a repurposed Hoover vacuum, a bonsai since 2000, original artist David Crust. Photo courtesy Pacific Bonsai Museum.
4. “Frankenpine,” Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii) with nails and steel plate explores emotional turmoil, growth, and healing; in training since 2015; Bonsai and container by Aarin Packard. Photo courtesy Pacific Bonsai Museum.
5. Vessel for The Dearest, glazed, 3D-printed porcelain pot by Timea Tihanyi / Slip Rabbit Studio. Photo courtesy Timea Tihanyi.
6. Detail of “A Sound to the Mountain,” archival pigment inks on paper by Christine Nguyen.

[end]

PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM PRESS RELEASE

March 30, 2023

PRESS CONTACT

Katherine Wimble Fox

katherine@pacificbonsaimuseum.org

o:  (253) 353-7345

m: (206) 612-0026

Be Wowed by Hundreds of Bonsai and Watch Bonsai-making in Action

Come all bonsai-fans and bonsai-curious to be wowed and inspired at Pacific Bonsai Museum’s fourth BonsaiFEST! We invite the public to join us Saturday, May 13 and Sunday, May 14 (Mother’s Day weekend) at Pacific Bonsai Museum to see hundreds of beautiful bonsai in an enchanting, woodsy setting. BonsaiFEST! weekend, at the height of spring blooms, is a spectacular and refreshing time of year to visit the Museum and delight in community.

Events listed below occur from 10 am to 4 pm, both Saturday and Sunday unless otherwise noted.

See:

• Azalea, wisteria, and other lovely flowering bonsai likely to be at ‘peak-bloom.’ 

• Opening weekend debut of Pacific Bonsai Museum’s 2023 special exhibition, Avant-garden, showcasing bonsai artists pushing the botanic and artistic boundaries of bonsai like you’ve never seen before.

• The Puget Sound Bonsai Association (PSBA) Spring Show Aisles of diverse bonsai created by PSBA members. Also returning this year is PSBA’s remarkable mame (“ma-may”) exhibition — a collection of the tiniest bonsai around.

Watch, learn, and share:

• Live bonsai-making demonstrations — see how the bonsai are created and talk to bonsai artists about their craft; demonstrations will start at 10 am and 1 pm each day and will continue for up to three hours.

• Docent-led tours of the collection — ask questions and share insights; Tours start at 12 pm and 1 pm and last approximately 45 minutes, both days; Meet at the Conservatory. No prior sign-up is required.

• Take an independent audio tour of the collection with your smartphone; currently offered in both English and Chinese (Mandarin).

Shop, eat, drink, and play:

• Buy bonsai and bonsai merch from Robert Cho’s Asia Pacific Gardening and from Pacific Bonsai Museum’s pop-up shop featuring pins, stickers, books, cards, gifts, and more for the nature-lover.

• Fun food and beverages from Yummy Catch and The Village Perk.

• Art Station for kids and families; free bonsai coloring sheets and easy bonsai learning activities available.

• Complimentary bespoke poetry writing by Alexandria Manalo; Saturday, May 13 from 10 am to 2 pm.

WHEN:  

Saturday, May 13 and Sunday, May 14 from 10 am to 4 pm each day.

WHERE:         

The Pacific Bonsai Museum is located on the campus of the former Weyerhaeuser headquarters at 2515 S 336th Street, Federal Way, WA 98001. Visitors are advised to search ‘Pacific Bonsai Museum’ in google maps or on their GPS-enabled devices to navigate to the Museum and should enter Weyerhaeuser Road from the West entry from Weyerhaeuser Way South.

PARKING:       

Free parking is available across from the Museum at the Garden Parking Lot; wheelchair-accessible parking and passenger drop-off/pick-up is available at the Museum entrance.

COST:

Admission is free. There is a $12 suggested donation for those who are able to support the Museum. 

MUSEUM HOURS:

Tuesday through Sunday, from 10 am to 4 pm.

The Museum is closed: Every Monday as well as Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

MORE INFO:  

The public can call the Museum at (253) 353-7345 or email info@pacificbonsaimuseum.org.

————————————————–

ABOUT PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM:

Pacific Bonsai Museum connects people to nature through the living art of bonsai. Set in the open air of a large forest in Federal Way, Washington, Pacific Bonsai Museum offers a unique museum experience. It is one of only a handful of public bonsai collections in the world solely dedicated to bonsai. Offering contemporary exhibitions, docent-led group tours, education, workshops, and more. 50,000+ people from across the globe visit the museum each year, with visitorship growing as people discover this gem of the Pacific Northwest. Open six days a week, year-round; admission by donation. Learn more at http://www.pacificbonsaimuseum.org/. 

Photos:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1YWVW5so9GbdGJgCMqOFU9kHXCxaYK1Ac?usp=sharing

1. Coastal Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii), a bonsai since 2020, original artists Ryan Neil, Ron Lang, and Austin Heitzman. Photo courtesy Pacific Bonsai Museum.
2. “President Hoover,” American Larch (Larix laricina), a bonsai since 2000, original arist David Crust.  Photo courtesy Pacific Bonsai Museum.
3. Avant-garden exhibition poster created by designer John Mork.
4. Kirishima Azalea (Rhododendron obtusum ‘Amoenum’), a bonsai since: 1979, original artist: Leo Cunningham. Photo courtesy Pacific Bonsai Museum.
5. Bonsai demonstration at BonsaiFEST. Photo by Winifred Westergard.
6. BonsaiFEST! logo
7. Visitors at BonsaiFEST! 2022. Photo by Winifred Westergard.
8. Visitors view bonsai at BonsaiFEST! 2022. Photo by Winifred Westergard.
9. Chinese Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) originally created by Ikune Sawada in 1977. Photo courtesy Pacific Bonsai Museum.
10. Family-friendly activities at BonsaiFEST! 2022.  Photo courtesy Pacific Bonsai Museum.
11. Japanese Wisteria (Wisteria floribunda); In training as a bonsai since 1983; Original artist: Percy Hampton. Photo courtesy Pacific Bonsai Museum.
12. Mame display at BonsaiFEST! 2022. Photo by Winifred Westergard.
13. Pop-up shopping at BonsaiFEST! 2019. Photo courtesy Pacific Bonsai Museum.
14. PSBA Spring Show at BonsaiFEST! 2022. Photo courtesy Pacific Bonsai Museum.
15. PSBA Spring Show at BonsaiFEST! 2022. Photo by Winifred Westergard.
16. Spring blooms in the collection. Photo courtesy Pacific Bonsai Museum.
17. Tour-goers at BonsaiFEST! 2022. Photo by Winifred Westergard.

[end]

PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM PRESS RELEASE

August 18, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESS CONTACT

Katherine Wimble Fox

katherine@pacificbonsaimuseum.org

m: (206) 612-0026

Little Champions: Bonsai from the Evergreen State

The popularity of our country’s biggest, oldest trees can become their biggest threat, putting them in danger of being loved to death. One day, Washington’s biggest trees– our State’s “Champions”–may need protections and fines currently being enacted in California to protect ancient trees.

Washington’s giant, coniferous trees, towering over the Olympic Peninsula, are impressive individuals figuring the lush forest ecosystems that epitomize “The Evergreen State.” They are among the largest living trees on the planet.

From August 30 to October 7, 2022, visitors will have the opportunity to admire Washington’s Champion tree species without tromping through fragile ecosystems. Five, Washington-native coniferous bonsai from Pacific Bonsai Museum’s collection will be on view at Amazon’s Seattle Spheres where their grandeur can be taken in on a small scale. Pacific Bonsai Museum’s Curator, Aarin Packard, who conceived and organized the exhibition, explained,

“The point of bonsai is to observe, interpret and compress the oldness and largeness of trees and present them as a representation of nature in miniature. The art makes them relatable on a human scale and allows people to behold their grandeur from an otherwise impossible vantage point.”

The five bonsai on display on both the 4th floor (the “Sky Deck”) and the 3rd floor of the Seattle Spheres will be:

Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla); estimated year of germination from seed 1930; in training as a bonsai since 1965; originally created by bonsai artists James and Marsha Nakahara.

Subalpine Fir (Abies lasiocarpa); age, time in training, and original artist unknown.

Shore Pine (Pinus contorta var. Contorta), estimated year of germination from seed 1740 to 1760; originally created by bonsai artist Jack Sullivan.

Engelmann Spruce (Picea engelmannii); estimated year of germination from seed 1890 to 1900; in training as a bonsai since 1978; originally created by bonsai artist Ron Yasenchak.

Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis), estimated year of germination from seed 1955; in training as a bonsai since 1964; originally created by bonsai artist George Schenk.

Accompanying these five bonsai will be several small kusamono (commonly translated from Japanese as “weed thing”) displaying ferns and grasses representing the understory of a particular Champion’s environment. Kusamono is an allied art of bonsai in which various small plants are presented as if they had been scooped up in their natural assemblages and planted in a shallow, ceramic container. Presented together, bonsai and kusamono suggest a distillation of a larger landscape in miniature.

By presenting this exhibition to Amazon employees, their families and guests, and general visitors on public Saturdays, Pacific Bonsai Museum hopes to inspire wide appreciation for ancient-yet-fragile Champions, both big and small, and the ecosystems that support them. Pacific Bonsai Museum’s volunteer Docents will be present on public Saturdays to answer questions, share insights, and prompt conversations about the Little Champions.

We don’t know what the climatic future will hold for our State’s largest trees and their habitats. Poignantly, a future in which bonsai–with their extreme level of human care and devotion–could be the last living examples of these species is a real possibility. In his lifetime, legendary Western Washington bonsai artist Dan Robinson has witnessed the decline and disappearance of habitats where trees once grew so plentiful that he could collect a few; he now preserves the legacy of those places in his Elandan Gardens.

Little Champions is the second temporary exhibit Pacific Bonsai Museum has mounted in the Seattle Spheres. Four bonsai were displayed on the top level of the structure from February 3 to March 17, 2019. That year, Pacific Bonsai Museum was the first outside organization invited to hold a temporary exhibit in the Spheres. 

Amazon’s Spheres Real Estate & Facilities Manager Justin Schroeder said, 

“We appreciate the quality and botanic diversity of Pacific Bonsai Museum’s collection and wanted to help support their mission to connect people to nature by giving them an opportunity to exhibit pieces from their collection in front of new audiences. It is also valuable to our employees to introduce dynamism into the collection and give them an opportunity to experience bonsai in this unique setting.”

Pacific Bonsai Museum’s Executive Director Pat Bako echoed Schoeder’s collaborative support, adding,

“We are thrilled that Amazon invited us to display works from our collection at the Seattle  Spheres. The opportunity to exhibit there allows us to bring living art to new audiences. Plant caretakers from each of our organizations exchange ideas and knowledge, and our museum docents have even teamed up with the Spheres Ambassadors on public Saturdays, to offer insights to plant-lovers and art-lovers in our community.”

ABOUT PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM

Pacific Bonsai Museum connects people to nature through the living art of bonsai. Fifty to 60 of the Museum’s 150 bonsai are displayed at any given time in an outdoor fine art museum setting in the open air of a large forest in Federal Way, Washington. Pacific Bonsai Museum is one of only a handful of public bonsai collections in the world solely dedicated to bonsai and the only one in the United States. Offering contemporary exhibitions, docent-led group tours, education, workshops, and more, with a flair for PNW-style innovation, the Pacific Bonsai Museum at the forefront of an evolving art form that is transforming in a uniquely American fashion. 50,000+ people from across the globe visit the museum each year, with visitorship growing as people discover this best-kept secret of the Pacific Northwest. Open six days a week, year-round; admission by donation. Learn more at http://www.pacificbonsaimuseum.org/. 

ABOUT THE SEATTLE SPHERES

The Spheres were created to reconnect people to nature through biophilic design and provide a space to take in the positive effects of exposure to nature, like increasing creativity and reducing mental fatigue. Each plant inside The Spheres was chosen from the Amazon Plant Collection and is expertly cared for by members of Amazon Horticulture. The Spheres are open weekdays from 9 a.m.–6 p.m. and are accessible to all Amazon employees and their guests (up to six). Beginning August 2022, The Spheres will close at 5:30 p.m. The public is invited to visit The Spheres every first and third Saturday of the month from 10 a.m.–6 p.m. with confirmation of a reservation. 

[end]

PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM MEDIA ALERT

November 30, 2021

PRESS CONTACT

Katherine Wimble Fox

katherine@pacificbonsaimuseum.org

m: (206) 612-0026

A Bonsai Solstice is back! Enjoy a quiet stroll in the woods to explore bonsai illuminated by soft lights

WHAT

A community favorite tradition that embraces the generous spirit of the holidays and community. Pacific Bonsai Museum is opened at night just once a year and this is it! 

Visitors are encouraged to BYOF (Bring-Your-Own-Flashlight) to explore the bonsai by night in a quiet, contemplative, and peaceful, woodsy setting.

WHO

Open to the whole community. Kid- and family-friendly. 

COST

Admission is free. (Suggested donations of $0-10 for adults to support the museum are always appreciated).

WHEN

Saturday, December 18 from 4 pm to 7 pm

WHERE

Pacific Bonsai Museum is located on the campus of the former Weyerhaeuser headquarters at 2515 S 336th Street, Federal Way, WA 98001. 

PARKING

Free parking is available across from the Museum at the Garden Parking lot; handicapped parking and passenger drop-off is available at the Museum entrance.

COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS

The Museum is experienced entirely outdoors except for our heated conservatory (where we keep tropical bonsai) and restrooms; Visitors are asked to wear face coverings while visiting.

MORE INFO

(253) 353-7345

shayla@pacificbonsaimuseum.org

SOCIAL

See event on Facebook: https://fb.me/e/1TqlAKDGB

ABOUT PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM

Pacific Bonsai Museum connects people to nature through the living art of bonsai. Fifty of the Museum’s 150 bonsai are displayed at any given time in an outdoor fine art museum setting in the open air of a large forest in Federal Way, Washington. The Museum is poised at the forefront of an evolving art form that is transforming in a uniquely American fashion. ~50,000 people from across the globe visit the museum each year. Admission is always offered free by donation so everyone can experience the quiet magic of bonsai. Learn more at http://www.pacificbonsaimuseum.org/.

MUSEUM WINTER HOURS

Tuesday through Sunday, from 10 am to 4 pm. The Museum is closed every Monday as well as Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

[end]

Pat Bako Named Pacific Bonsai Museum’s new Executive Director
November 18, 2021

FEDERAL WAY, WA –

Pacific Bonsai Museum’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce today that Pat Bako (“BAY-ko”) will become the Museum’s Executive Director on January 3, 2022, replacing Kathy McCabe, who will be retiring at the end of this year after 7 years leading the Museum.

Bako comes to Pacific Bonsai Museum with over 15 years of wide-ranging experience in the arts encompassing everything from hands-on art-making to high-level arts administration. Adding the dimension of nature to the conversation around art is most compelling to her: “Connecting people to nature through living art is very special and very unique.”

“Being around the collection at Pacific Bonsai Museum,” she said, “one can’t help but contemplate life and nature, and take a moment to pause and reflect.”

Bako comes to Pacific Bonsai Museum from her most recent position as Director of Development and Alumni Relations at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA. Previously, she has served the local arts community in leadership roles in Development at both Bellevue Arts Museum and Artist Trust and as an arts administrator at both the Pilchuck Glass School and Pratt Fine Arts Center. Her personal art practice was built around glass sculpture and the PNW glassmaking community.

“I am excited to jump into the ancient traditions of bonsai, as I did with glass, and understand how the traditions are evolving, so I can gain a bigger picture of the new history Pacific Bonsai Museum is forging for the future,” Bako said.

For her first priorities, Bako said that she wants to take time to get to know the community, including the staff, Board, and other volunteers at the Museum, as well as the greater bonsai community. Then, she will dive into work in preparation to create a new strategic plan for the organization. She added, “I also love the Museum’s Youth Field Trip Program and want to increase community partnerships around them.”

Bako will continue the work of McCabe, who leaves the organization with a thriving, world-class bonsai collection among the most botanically- and aesthetically-diverse anywhere.  McCabe took the organization through a start-up phase as a new non-profit and will hand it off with a stable foundation, ready for its next stage.

As her departure draws closer, McCabe knows she will miss working closely with the collection and the staff but is excited about the next chapter to be written for Pacific Bonsai Museum. “Pat will be leading our creative and talented team to achieve even more. Together, they will widen our community circle of bonsai appreciators, and with more and different voices, will deepen the conversation around art, nature, and the human experience.”

Bako’s hiring is the culmination of a 6-month-long hiring process that involved a national search for a proven leader with a track record of developing partnerships and a genuine commitment to the Museum’s mission to connect people to nature through living art. Kit Severson and Grant Rauzi, Board members and co-leaders of the search committee said in a statement, “Pat is so collaborative and such a strong relationship builder, she is in a great position to lead Pacific Bonsai Museum to our ultimate goal of being the preeminent bonsai collection in the world, which is already well underway.”

ABOUT PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM

One of only two museums in the United States solely dedicated to bonsai, and one of only a handful of bonsai museums worldwide, Pacific Bonsai Museum maintains a collection of 150 bonsai that are among the finest examples of bonsai anywhere in the world. The collection is also the most geographically diverse bonsai collection in the United States, with trees from Canada, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and the United States.

A grand outdoor setting with the elegance of a fine art museum, Pacific Bonsai Museum features sixty trees on exhibit at a given time, open to the public six days a week. This cultural gem offers contemporary and traditional bonsai exhibitions, group tours, education programs, field trips, and public events.

[end]

Zen Out at Pacific Bonsai Museum

Stone Images XI exhibition on Nov 2, 2021 to January 9, 2022

October 26, 2021

Stones are shaped by water, wind, sand, and ice but what we see in them is shaped by our minds. A bit like cloud watching, viewing stones is an art of the imagination, in which we can see mountains, figures, animals, and even deep space.

Members of the local Northwest Viewing Stone Club (a study group of the Puget Sound Bonsai Association)–affectionately known as ‘The Stoners’–engage in a practice of collecting and displaying stones for the purposes of meditation. The practice of viewing and appreciating stones dates back more than 1,500 years. The art originated in China, Japan and Korea, but has spread during the past century and is now practiced worldwide.

More than 30 exquisite viewing stones will go on display in Stone Images XI, a free, public exhibition at Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way, Washington for 10 weeks starting November 2, 2021. Stones in the exhibition were collected in Washington, California, North and South Dakota, Oregon and New Mexico.

There are numerous categories or classifications of viewing stones. The most commonly found are miniatures of mountain vistas, some which are enhanced by waterfall, lakes, pools, snow and clouds. Shore stones represent islands and rugged coastlines. Celestial stones copy images found in the heavens including the sun, moon, stars and deep space. Object stones depict human or animal figures while abstract stones include fanciful shapes, patterns or color combinations.

Stones found in the deserts of the western United States are called ventifacts and they are shaped by wind-blown sand, frost and colored by chemical reactions in harsh desert environments.

When displayed, a viewing stone sits in a custom-carved wooden base called a daiza. Stones also can be set in sand-filled ceramic or metal containers, or on a fabric pillow.

The exhibit is the 11th in a series of shows organized by the Puget Sound Bonsai Association’s Northwest Viewing Stone Club at Pacific Bonsai Museum.

WHEN:
November 2, 2021 through January 9, 2022

WHERE:
Entrance courtyard Pavilion, Pacific Bonsai Museum, 2515 S 336th Street, Federal Way, WA 98001.

PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM HOURS:
Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm.
Closed every Monday, as well as Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

PARKING:
Free parking is available across from the Museum (follow signs to ‘Garden Parking’); handicapped parking is available near the Museum entrance.

ADMISSION:
Exhibition is free and open to the public. Admission to view bonsai on display at Pacific Bonsai Museum is by donation; suggested donation amount for adults $10.

COVID-19 INFORMATION:
Pacific Bonsai Museum is almost entirely an outdoor venue. Visitors are asked to maintain social distance and wear face coverings when entering our Conservatory (to see tropical bonsai) or our restroom building. We recommend that visitors wear face-covering on our trails and at other times while in the Museum to protect unvaccinated children.

ABOUT PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM:
The Pacific Bonsai Museum connects people to nature through the living art of bonsai. Fifty to 60 of the Museum’s 150 bonsai are displayed at any given time in an outdoor, fine-art-museum-setting in the open air of a large forest in Federal Way, Washington. One of only a handful of museums dedicated to bonsai worldwide, the Pacific Bonsai Museum is poised at the forefront of an ancient-yet-modern art form that is transforming in a uniquely American fashion. 50,000 people visit the museum each year. Learn more at http://www.pacificbonsaimuseum.org/.

ABOUT THE PUGET SOUND BONSAI ASSOCIATION:
The Puget Sound Bonsai Association (PSBA) was formed in 1973 and is a non-profit organization dedicated to the education of its members and the general public in the art and culture of bonsai. The Northwest Viewing Stone Club was founded in 2006 to encourage appreciation of these nature-formed artworks and encourage appreciation of the qualities that make a stone art. More at: http://www.psba.us.

[end]

Executive Director Kathy McCabe to Retire in 2021
June 29, 2021

FEDERAL WAY, WA – With deep gratitude and well wishes, the Pacific Bonsai Museum Board of Directors announced today that Kathy McCabe, Executive Director, will retire at the end of 2021 after seven years leading the non-profit organization.

Kit Severson, Pacific Bonsai Museum Board Chair, said, “It has been a pleasure to work closely with Kathy and see how the staff have gelled and thrived under her respectful and sensitive guidance. She built everything the organization needed as a start-up, and with such a stable foundation, she leaves the organization in a great position for its next stage of growth.”

Added George Weyerhaeuser, Honorary Director, “Pacific Bonsai Museum has flourished under Kathy’s leadership. I’m so proud of her for the excellent job she has done organizing the team that cares for and shares the collection. She has been a champion for bonsai and the museum. She will be greatly missed.”

The museum’s Board has initiated an extensive search to find McCabe’s replacement. Applications are currently being accepted.

McCabe joined the George Weyerhaeuser Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection–a new non-profit organization formed by the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation DBA Pacific Bonsai Museum–in August 2014. Soon after arriving, she immediately got to work on finding a new Curator to replace retiring Curator David De Groot. Her first hire was Aarin Packard who was recruited from the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the U.S. Arboretum in Washington, DC.

McCabe’s work has bolstered the museum’s mission to “connect people to nature through living art” and become a world-class bonsai institution. During McCabe’s time with Pacific Bonsai Museum, several groundbreaking special exhibitions have introduced new audiences to bonsai such as Decked Out (2016); Natives (2017), and World War Bonsai: Remembrance & Resilience (2020-21). Working with Packard and other staff, McCabe helped bring a new, multi-year program to life: The LAB (2018-20) that questioned bonsai traditions and innovated practices so that the art would remain relevant to contemporary life in the context of modern art. 

McCabe and the museum’s staff conceived and produced popular, annual public programs celebrating bonsai culture such as A Bonsai Solstice and BonsaiFest! Museum visitorship has continued to grow year after year and current attendance is on pace to break an all-time record this year, despite the pandemic.

During McCabe’s tenure, Pacific Bonsai Museum’s rich and diverse collection has been enhanced by significant acquisitions. The ‘Domoto Maple’–thought to be the oldest, living bonsai in America– transitioned from ‘on-loan’ to ‘formally donated’ to the Museum (2015); two works by “Father of American bonsai” John Naka donated by the Naka family (2020), a commissioned work by Ryan Neil (‘Captain Hook’ (2015), and three works commissioned as part of The LAB (2018-20) are among the many artworks that have added stylistic and botanic diversity to the collection.

Following the path charted by the Weyerhaeuser Company, McCabe championed the policy of offering admission by donation so that everyone would have the opportunity to experience living art regardless of ability to pay. Engaging young people and building new audiences has also been a top priority for McCabe. With her leadership, Pacific Bonsai Museum began offering a free, multi-curricular Field Trip program that has introduced hundreds of children to the living art of bonsai. She also oversaw the establishment of a brand new Docent program that has since doubled in size every year. These educational programs have created countless opportunities for people to learn about the art, science, and history of bonsai, as audiences have trended younger and more diverse since McCabe’s arrival. 

Under McCabe’s leadership, Pacific Bonsai Museum took on the role of serving as a crucial repository for bonsai history. Thanks to her and her staff, oral histories of bonsai artists in America have been recorded so that today’s and future generations can hear their important stories. Critical written and photographic documentation has also been added to the archival record through the World War Bonsai: Remembrance & Resilience Exhibition Catalog (2021), the Natives Exhibition Catalog (2017), and A Gallery of Trees: Living Art of Pacific Bonsai Museum (2020).

In the early days after her arrival, McCabe also worked with the museum’s staff and Board to articulate the new non-profit’s mission, vision, values, and audiences, asserting its leadership position in the bonsai community and defining key strategic directions moving forward. She has worked collaboratively with staff and the Board to conduct periodic revisioning sessions to include new priorities, such as a recent urgent focus on equity and inclusion driven by the organization’s deep commitment to being anti-racist. 

“It has been a tremendous honor to lead Pacific Bonsai Museum during a period of challenge and growth,” said McCabe. “I am so proud of growing a talented team of bonsai appreciators, including Board, staff, volunteers, members, donors, partners, friends, and fans locally, nationally, and internationally. With this underpinning of support, Pacific Bonsai Museum is poised to serve our community for many years to come. I’m excited to see what’s to come! This is clearly just the beginning.”

ABOUT PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM

One of only two museums in the United States solely dedicated to bonsai, and one of only a handful of bonsai museums worldwide, Pacific Bonsai Museum maintains a collection of 150 bonsai that are among the finest examples of bonsai anywhere in the world. The collection is also the most geographically diverse bonsai collection in the United States, with trees from Canada, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and the United States.

A grand outdoor setting with the elegance of a fine art museum, Pacific Bonsai Museum features sixty trees on exhibit at a given time, open to the public six days a week. This cultural gem offers contemporary and traditional bonsai exhibitions, group tours, education programs, field trips, and public events.

[end]

One Year Later: An Update on Stolen-then-Returned Bonsai

For Immediate Release

DATE: February 9, 2021

CONTACT: Kathy McCabe, Executive Director, 253-353-7356 or 206.409.0429, kathy@pacificbonsaimuseum.org

www.pacificbonsaimuseum.org

FEDERAL WAY, WA—One year ago today, Pacific Bonsai Museum staff awoke to the heartbreaking news that two bonsai had been stolen from the Museum’s collection. Then, less than 72 hours later, the elation that both trees had been mysteriously returned to the museum in the night, likely due to widespread public interest spurred by a flurry of media attention and the public statement made by Pacific Bonsai Museum’s Executive Director Kathy McCabe that there would be a ‘no-questions-asked’ return policy.

Another delightful outcome of media attention on the theft was a rekindled connection between one of the stolen bonsai and descendants of its original creator, Japanese American Juzaburo Furuzawa. Had the theft not made international news, Pacific Bonsai Museum staff may have heard from them. “Juzaburo’s grandson saw an article and wrote to us, letting us know that the family previously had no idea that the tree existed,” said McCabe, adding, “They thanked us for taking care of the tree and stated an intention to visit it in person one day. We feel honored to be connected to the Furuzawa family and look forward to meeting them.”

The bonsai, a Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii) originally grown from seed in a tin can by Furuzawa while he was incarcerated during WWII, is the centerpiece of Pacific Bonsai Museum’s current special exhibition, World War Bonsai: Remembrance & Resilience. In the exhibition, Furuzawa’s living legacy is displayed in an installation designed to evoke Camp Topaz, the Utah desert barbed-wire detention camp in which Furuzawa patiently nurtured the seedling for three years. Upon his release in 1945, he took the pine home with him to the San Francisco Bay area and went on to become an important Bay-area bonsai practitioner and teacher. One of his former students, John Uchida, purchased the Japanese Black Pine from Furuzawa in 1981 and donated it to the Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection (now Pacific Bonsai Museum) in 1990.

The other stolen bonsai, a Silverberry (Elaeagnus pungens) was mishandled by the thieves who broke one of its larger branches. Wire held the branch near the site of breakage, which meant that Curator Aarin Packard could work to put the pieces back together and apply cut-paste, which acts as a bandage for trees. (A video of the repair process is available on YouTube.) Staff nursed the tree over the past year and it is currently healthy. The once-broken branch is showing positive signs of bud activity and the site of the break is now hardly visible.

The Silverberry is currently off-display but the Japanese Black Pine is viewable to the public six days a week at the outdoor museum in Federal Way, WA with admission by donation. Visitors are urged to wear face coverings and maintain social distance when visiting. A video introducing the exhibition is available on Pacific Bonsai Museum’s YouTube channel. 

Due to pandemic-related travel restrictions, World War Bonsai: Remembrance & Resilience has been extended through October 10, 2021. The exhibition traces the cultural practice of bonsai in location and time—in Japan and in the United States, from the pre-WWII period, through wartime, amid incarceration, and at peace. With bonsai, artifacts, documents, paintings, and photographs, the exhibition shares the powerful and inspiring stories of the people who ingeniously and courageously cared for bonsai as displays of patriotic loyalty, subversive acts of defiance, and assertions of cultural identity. Because Japanese American bonsai masters overcame their loss, grief, humiliation, and despair to share their art with outsiders, bonsai became a bridge to greater cultural appreciation and reconciliation that inspired generations of bonsai artists all over the world.

Pacific Bonsai Museum, located in Woodbridge Corporate Park (formerly the Weyerhaeuser  Company Campus) in Federal Way, WA, is one of only two museums in the United States solely dedicated to bonsai, and one of only a handful of bonsai museums worldwide. Established by the Weyerhaeuser Company in 1989, the Museum is now a nonprofit organization connecting people to nature through the living art of bonsai. Pacific Bonsai Museum maintains a collection of more than 150 bonsai that are among the finest examples of bonsai anywhere in the world. The collection is also the most geographically diverse bonsai collection in the United States, with trees from Canada, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and the United States.

Photos:

FuruzawaPine2021.jpg

Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii) grown from seed in a tin can by Japanese American Juzaburo Furuzawa while he was incarcerated, set in a display that evokes the Topaz barbed-wire detention camp it which it was nurtured. Photo by Francesca Sarpola for Pacific Bonsai Museum.

Elaeagnus2021.jpg

Elaeagnus healed. Silverberry bonsai (Elaeagnus pungens) in Pacific Bonsai Museum’s cool house, February 2021. Photo by Pacific Bonsai Museum.

High res photos available at:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Cc4GUr9G-y4r5TGbLH6wGA-aeFgxZzFM?usp=sharing

[end]

PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM PRESS RELEASE

August 11, 2020

PRESS CONTACT

Katherine Wimble Fox

katherine@pacificbonsaimuseum.org

o:  (253) 353-7345

m: (206) 612-0026

A History Rooted in Racism Told through Living Art

World War Bonsai: Remembrance & Resilience on view now

Bonsai as evidence of patriotic loyalty. Bonsai as subversive acts of defiance. Bonsai as assertions of cultural identity. Bonsai as community. Bonsai as the manifestation of adaptability and resilience. Bonsai as a bridge to cultural appreciation and reconciliation. Bonsai that inspired generations of bonsai artists all over the world.

Bonsai are so much more than just beautiful, small trees; they are living biographical material telling stories of their makers and culture. Pacific Bonsai Museum’s special exhibition, World War Bonsai: Remembrance & Resilience, presents the powerful and inspiring untold history of bonsai artists working in the WWII-era and how they changed the course of bonsai art history forever.

With 32 bonsai, archival documents, and photographs, World War Bonsai shares the little-known stories of the people who ingeniously and courageously cared for bonsai, shared their art, and spurred a flourishing global practice despite the overwhelming hardships. The exhibition traces the cultural practice of bonsai in the United States and in Japan immediately before, during, and after World War II, amid incarceration, and at peace.  Bonsai created by artists from Washington’s South Puget Sound region, Seattle, California, Colorado, Hawaii, and Japan are featured. 

Pacific Bonsai Museum Curator Aarin Packard, who has been conducting research on this subject matter for more than a decade, explains the artists’ pivotal wartime role:

“Bonsai would not have become a global practice had it not been for the generosity of Japanese and Japanese American people who found it in themselves to put the resentment of incarceration behind them and share their art with the next generation of eager bonsai artists in America, many of whom were returning GI’s who had become fascinated with the art while they were stationed in Japan.”

A centerpiece of the exhibition is the Japanese Black Pine bonsai grown from seed in a tin can by Japanese American Juzaburo Furuzawa while he was incarcerated in the Topaz barbed-wire detention camp during World War II. This bonsai made international news in February 2020, when thieves stole it along with another bonsai from our public exhibition, and then, less than 72 hours later, mysteriously, returned it to the Museum, likely due to pressure from the community and the media.

Other remarkable stories of bonsai artists told in the exhibition include:

• Ben Oki — Survivor of both the Hiroshima bombing and a wartime shipwreck, and former Curator of the Bonsai Collection at the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, CA.

• The Domoto Family — Among the first Japanese immigrant families to own land in California and owners of a bonsai likely to be the oldest imported to the U.S. for the 1915 Panama Pacific Expo — the Domoto Maple–  now part of the Pacific Bonsai Museum collection.

• Kelly Nishitani — Owner of Oriental Gardens formerly at Ravenna Ave and 98th St NE in Seattle, incarceree at Minidoka barbed wire detention camp, and co-founder of the region’s first, interracial bonsai club (now the Puget Sound Bonsai Association).

• Kenny Hikogawa and Joe Asahara — Brothers-in-law incarcerated at the Minidoka barbed wire detention camp, where Hikogawa taught master woodworker George Nakashima traditional Japanese carpentry; later, proprietors of the Oriental Garden Center in Federal Way, WA.

• Ted Tsukiyama — Hawaiian bonsai master and member of the highly-decorated, all- Japanese American U.S. 442nd Regimental Combat Unit, and co-founder of the World Bonsai Friendship Federation.

• Mas Imazumi — Conscientious objector, bonsai master.

• Kyuzo Murata — Japanese bonsai master who saved the Imperial bonsai Collection during the firebombing of Tokyo.

• Yuji Yoshimura — The first person to teach bonsai classes to westerners in Japan.

Combined, these stories and more tell a compelling and inspiring history marked by extreme perseverance focusing on our shared humanity and the profound power of bonsai to ground and uplift.

“Bonsai is a peacetime activity. It requires a sense of mental peace, as well as time, space, and resources. In short, everything a bonsai artist needs becomes less predictable or impossible to procure in wartime. Yet, that bonsai has been practiced during wartime –sometimes even secretly — is a testament to the art and its artists.”

–Curator Aarin Packard

“Pacific Bonsai Museum’s pathbreaking exhibition explores the rich cultural meanings of bonsai and introduces, among many wondrous stories, little-known personal vignettes of Japanese American practitioners with their trees. It is a stunning and moving homage to the art of bonsai that heals, and is especially necessary at this moment.”  –Nancy Ukai, Writer/Researcher and Project Director of 50Objects.org.

The exhibition includes a site-specific artwork by Seattle artist Erin Shigaki. Shigaki was inspired by the Museum’s lush, forest setting representing an environment similar to what Pacific Northwest Nikkei lost when they were imprisoned in inhospitable desert camps. Her placement of wheat-pasted images of individuals who played a role in the incarceration of more than 120,000 Japanese Americans. Her work is a call to all of us to never let what happened during WWII happen to anyone else. Moving through the exhibit, after reading the stories of incarcerated Japanese American bonsai artists and encountering the beautiful bonsai that became their living biographies, she asks visitors, “What kind of ancestors do we want to be?” 

MORE INSIGHTS VIA LIVE, VIRTUAL EVENT

Our free, virtual, live event, Branch Out, on Wednesday, August 19th at 6 pm will present behind-the-scenes video and narration about this exhibition, plus commentary on bonsai and the Japanese American incarceration experience by famed architect George Suyama, FAIA. To register for the event, see the link to Branch Out on our homepage pacificbonsaimuseum.org. A post-event recording will be available on Pacific Bonsai Museum’s YouTube channel.

WHEN:  

The exhibition runs Aug 4, 2020, through Oct 10, 2021.

WHERE:         

The Pacific Bonsai Museum is located on the campus of the former Weyerhaeuser headquarters at 2515 S 336th Street, Federal Way, WA 98001. Visitors are advised to search ‘Pacific Bonsai Museum’ in google maps on their GPS-enabled devices to navigate to the Museum and should enter Weyerhaeuser Road from the East entry from Weyerhaeuser Way South.

PARKING:       

Free parking is available across from the Museum at the Garden Parking Lot; handicapped parking and passenger drop-off/pick-up is available at the museum entrance.

COST:

Admission is by donation. There is a $10 suggested donation for those who are able to support the Museum. 

MUSEUM HOURS:

Tuesday through Sunday, from 10 am to 4 pm.

The Museum is closed: Every Monday as well as Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

MORE INFO:  

The public can call the Museum at (253) 353-7345 or email info@pacificbonsaimuseum.org.

ABOUT PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM:

Pacific Bonsai Museum connects people to nature through the living art of bonsai. Forty to 60 of the Museum’s 150 bonsai are displayed at any given time in an outdoor fine art museum setting in the open air of a large forest in Federal Way, Washington. Pacific Bonsai Museum is one of only a handful of public bonsai collections in the world solely dedicated to bonsai and the only one in the United States. Offering contemporary exhibitions, docent-led group tours, education, workshops, and more. 40,000+ people from across the globe visit the museum each year, with visitorship growing as people discover this gem of the Pacific Northwest. Open six days a week, year-round; admission by donation. Learn more at http://www.pacificbonsaimuseum.org/. 

ABOUT ERIN SHIGAKI

Erin Shigaki is a yonsei (fourth generation) Japanese American artist born and raised in Seattle, WA. She is the descendant of WWII incarceration survivors on both sides of her family. In her work, Shigaki pays homage to her ancestors’ resilience and highlights similarities between that history, and the outsized systemic injustices Black and Brown people continue to face in the United States. She is keen to explore intergenerational trauma and the emergence of beauty and intimacy despite harsh circumstances. Shigaki’s work also examines the act of reclamation: of land, language, and culture. She believes that using art to tell stories about these moments can educate, redress wrongs, and incrementally heal. Among Shigaki’s body of work is the mural she created at Bellevue College, WA defaced earlier this year by a Bellevue College administrator which led to the firing of the College’s President and Vice President.

@purplegatedesign

COVID-19-RELATED POLICIES

Visitors are asked to:

Wear face coverings. As consistent with current WA State and King County guidelines, we recommend that visitors wear face-covering on our trails and while in the Museum to protect one another from covid-19. Staff and volunteers will be wearing masks.

Follow one-way paths, social distancing, and one closed space signage. To ensure adequate social distancing, the flow through our exhibit space is one-way. We ask that only one-household-at-a-time occupy each alcove space. If an alcove is occupied, visitors should wait to enter, maintaining at least 6 feet of social distance. Our Conservatory will remain temporarily closed and group tours are temporarily suspended.

Added Personal Safety Measures. So that our restrooms remain well-ventilated, exterior doors will be propped open. One household can occupy each restroom at a time. Our restrooms are equipped with touchless faucets, touchless soap dispensers, and touchless paper towel dispensers for visitor safety. Hand sanitizer stations have been installed in the Museum for visitor use.

—

PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

DATE: February 12, 2020
CONTACT: Kathy McCabe, Executive Director, 253-353-7356 or 206.409.0429, kathy@pacificbonsaimuseum.org

FEDERAL WAY, WA—Pacific Bonsai Museum is pleased to report that the two bonsai stolen from our secure, public exhibition space on Sunday, February 9, have both been mysteriously returned to the Museum.

Security guards discovered the pair of bonsai sitting on the road leading to the Museum at approximately 11 pm, Tuesday, February 11. They alerted Museum staff, who responded to the scene along with Federal Way police.

Museum Curator Aarin Packard has examined the trees and has declared them in fairly good shape. “The Silverberry suffered some damage. It has some broken branches, probably due to improper transportation and handling, but both bonsai trees and their pots appear to be intact, which means they can return to being on public display.”

The bonsai will be further examined this morning and placed back on public display by 12:00 noon today. The Japanese Black Pine, originally grown from seed by Japanese American Juzaburo Furuzawa while he was incarcerated during WWII, will resume its position as the centerpiece of Pacific Bonsai Museum’s upcoming special exhibition, World War Bonsai: Remembrance & Resilience, opening May 8, 2020.

“We are deeply grateful for the tremendous outpouring of support from the community and from the media who raised awareness of the bonsai’s disappearance,” said Pacific Bonsai Museum Executive Director Kathy McCabe, who previously promised “no questions asked” if the bonsai were returned. No details are known about who returned the bonsai or why the thieves took them.

The Pacific Bonsai Museum, located in Woodbridge Corporate Park (formerly the Weyerhaeuser Company Campus) in Federal Way, WA, is one of the top bonsai collections in the world. Established by the Weyerhaeuser Company in 1989, the Museum is now a nonprofit organization connecting people to nature through the living art of bonsai.

PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

DATE: February 9, 2020

CONTACT: Kathy McCabe, Executive Director, 253-353-7356 or 206.409.0429, kathy@pacificbonsaimuseum.org

FEDERAL WAY, WA—On Sunday, February 9, 2020, at approximately 7:00 am, two bonsai, estimated to be worth thousands of dollars, were stolen from the public display at Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way, Washington. One of the missing trees, a Japanese Black Pine was grown from seed in a tin can by Japanese American Juzaburo Furuzawa while he was incarcerated during World War II. The other bonsai, a Silverberry, was an exquisite example of the species. It has been in training as a bonsai since 1946 and was created by a woman bonsai artist, Kiyoko Hatanaka: a pioneer in her time.

“This is a tremendous loss, not only to our collection but there is a strong likelihood that the trees will perish. These trees have been cared for every day for more than 70 years, and if that daily care doesn’t continue the trees will die. These historic, living works of art are the result of the care provided by multiple generations.” Aarin Packard, Curator, Pacific Bonsai Museum.

The Pacific Bonsai Museum, located in Woodbridge Corporate Park (formerly the Weyerhaeuser Company Campus) in Federal Way, WA, is one of the top bonsai collections in the world. Established by the Weyerhaeuser Company in 1989, the Museum is now a nonprofit organization connecting people to nature through the living art of bonsai.

The stolen bonsai were part of the collection on display to the public. The theft took place inside the secure exhibit area. The loss will be greatest for the tens of thousands of fans and supporters in our community, as well as visitors from around the world, who come to the museum to learn about the stories of these venerable trees.

It’s not too late for these bonsai to be returned, no questions asked, so we can make sure these trees will be around for another 70 years.

Information leading to the recovery of these valuable bonsai should be forwarded to kathy@pacificbonsaimuseum.org.

PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM PRESS RELEASE

December 3, 2019

PRESS CONTACT

Katherine Wimble Fox

katherine@pacificbonsaimuseum.org

m: (206) 612-0026

A Bonsai Solstice: Small trees offer quiet magic in the spirit of the season

A community favorite! On December 21, Pacific Bonsai Museum illuminates its world-renowned bonsai collection with soft holiday lights for its 6th annual A Bonsai Solstice.  Visitors are invited to take an evening stroll to enjoy the bonsai and then to stay to enjoy local talents, treats, and community.

Live acoustic music from acclaimed local guitarist Leon Christian will add to the magical atmosphere.

Local poet Alexandria Maureen Beget-Manalo will write complimentary, custom poems for visitors to keep or give as gifts.

Hot cocoa and coffee will be served compliments of local roasters Caffé D’Arte. Warm and light bites will be available for purchase.

Visitors are encouraged to BYOF (Bring-Your-Own-Flashlight) to explore and discover the beauty of the bonsai by night.

Open to the whole community; kid- and family-friendly. 

Admission to the event and the Museum is free. (Donations to support the museum are always appreciated). For those who would like to take home a memento, commemorative mugs will be available with a $10 donation to support the care of the collection.

HOSPITALITY SPONSOR

Caffé D’arte

WHEN

Saturday, December 21 from 4 pm to 7 pm

WHERE

Pacific Bonsai Museum is located on the campus of the former Weyerhaeuser headquarters at 2515 S 336th Street, Federal Way, WA 98001. 

PARKING

Free parking is available across from the Museum at the Garden Parking lot; handicapped parking and passenger drop off is available at the Museum entrance.

MORE INFO

(253) 353-7345

shayla@pacificbonsaimuseum.org

ABOUT THE PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM

The Pacific Bonsai Museum connects people to nature through the living art of bonsai. Fifty of the Museum’s 150 bonsai are displayed at any given time in an outdoor fine art museum setting in the open air of a large forest in Federal Way, Washington. The Museum is poised at the forefront of an evolving art form that is transforming in a uniquely American fashion. ~40,000 people from across the globe visit the museum each year, with visitorship growing as people discover this gem of the Pacific Northwest. Admission by donation. Learn more at http://www.pacificbonsaimuseum.org/.

MUSEUM WINTER HOURS

Tuesday through Sunday, from 10 am to 4 pm. The Museum is closed every Monday as well as Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM PRESS RELEASE

November 19, 2019

PRESS CONTACT

Katherine Wimble Fox

katherine@pacificbonsaimuseum.org

m: (206) 612-0026

“A Gallery of Trees: Living Art of Pacific Bonsai Museum” Tells the Life Stories of Trees

Unique book for nature-, art-, and design-lovers 

FEDERAL WAY, WA.  Bonsai are works of art that are never done. They live hundreds of years in cultivation, passed from generation to generation of artists. In the 30 years since Pacific Bonsai Museum’s collection of 150 bonsai was established, each tree has been through (sometimes dramatic) changes as Museum Curators participate in an ongoing collaboration with nature.

Pacific Bonsai Museum wants to share its deep design histories and extensive archival photographs for artists, designers, and nature-lovers to take inspiration from, learn from, and enjoy. Curators’ provide insights into the intentions of the artists who first created the bonsai, along with sharing their own artistic process and vision for what the bonsai will become:

“I am usually thinking five years ahead, to what I imagine a tree will look like when its current design peaks and then requires advancement,” Pacific Bonsai Museum Curator Aarin Packard explained. “Collaborating with nature this long-term way, I not only feel connected to each tree but to each person who has cared for them in the past and even to those who will care for them in the future after I’m gone.”

Pacific Bonsai Museum invites backers to join one of Kickstarter’s “Projects We Love” to print A Gallery of Trees: Living Art of Pacific Bonsai Museum: a ~200 page, hardcover, full-color book following the journeys of 30 bonsai in their world-renowned collection representing the best in bonsai. The book would be unlike any bonsai, art, or design book currently in print; it is a unique combination of all three genres. Packed with photographs and histories, this kind of information, at this level of detail, doesn’t exist anywhere else.

“This book is a rare look into the history of living beings,” says Kathy McCabe, Pacific Bonsai Museum Executive Director. “It is quite unexpected. You learn where the trees and artists came from, and their stories draw you in.”

Bonsai is an art that can be appreciated by anyone; therefore, this book is written for a wide audience of nature lovers, art and design-minded people, and bonsai appreciators and enthusiasts.

The campaign to fund A Gallery of Trees launched on Kickstarter on October 29, 2019, and runs through December 12 at 11:59 pm PST. To date, the campaign has 136 backers who have pledged $15,504 (64% of their total goal of $24,000, which is the amount they need to print a run of 500 books). Backers who pledge $79 or more will get a copy of the book should the campaign be successful.

On October 30, 2019, Kickstarter named A Gallery of Trees one of their “Projects We Love.”

A Gallery of Trees is designed by Graphic Designer Will Hays of Paper Crane Factory in Seattle, Washington and edited by Katherine Wimble Fox of Pacific Bonsai Museum.

Kickstarter Link

ABOUT PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM

The Pacific Bonsai Museum connects people to nature through the living art of bonsai. Fifty of the Museum’s 150 bonsai are displayed at any given time in an outdoor fine art museum setting in the open air of a large forest in Federal Way, Washington. The Museum is poised at the forefront of an evolving art form that is transforming in a uniquely American fashion. ~40,000 people from across the globe visit the museum each year, with visitorship growing as people discover this gem of the Pacific Northwest. Admission by donation. Learn more at http://www.pacificbonsaimuseum.org/.

PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM PRESS RELEASE

October 9, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESS CONTACT

Katherine Wimble Fox

katherine@pacificbonsaimuseum.org

m: (206) 612-0026

30 Years of Bonsai in Federal Way

Pacific Bonsai Museum Celebrates Major Anniversary this October

This month, Pacific Bonsai Museum celebrates the 30th Anniversary of its bonsai collection that opened to public view as the Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection on October 7, 1989. 

Initially a garden opened by the Weyerhaeuser Company on the campus of their former headquarters, the Collection was amassed to meet the combined goals of commemorating Washington State’s 100th anniversary; demonstrating an awareness of, and appreciation for the cultures of its Asian business partners; and providing a cultural asset for the community. In 2014, as Weyerhaeuser prepared to move its headquarters to Seattle, the entire collection was gifted to a newly-created, independent, non-profit Museum: Pacific Bonsai Museum.

The bonsai now cared for, exhibited, and evolved as living artworks by the Museum are among the finest examples of bonsai anywhere in the world. It is one of only two museums in the United States solely dedicated to bonsai, and one of only a handful of bonsai museums worldwide. The collection is also the most geographically diverse public bonsai collection in the United States, with trees from Canada, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and the United States.

Among the first bonsai in place in the collection on opening day in 1989 was this Japanese White Pine (Pinus parviflora) (photos attached). Before it was imported to Federal Way, this tree had been raised in a bonsai nursery in Japan, and later Japanese bonsai artist Ken Sugimoto gave it its initial styling. The desirable process of thinning, shortening and refining branches continued over the years, as it became more compact with finer growth, tighter form, and shorter needles. Decades of care and the application of proven bonsai techniques over time have produced textbook results: an excellent example of how a bonsai can be refined over time.

This and many more photos from our archive along with stories and Curatorial insights will be featured in our upcoming book, A Gallery of Trees: Living Art of Pacific Bonsai Museum, currently in production with book designer Will Hays. Our online, Kickstarter campaign will launch later this month where the public can back the book and get a copy of their own.

ANNIVERSARY OPEN HOUSE

The public is invited to have cake and sparkling cider with us at our Open House in our Pavilion, Saturday, October 12, from 10 am to 12 pm as we celebrate 30 YEARS of our Collection. All are welcome! Free. While refreshments last. No RSVP necessary. CHEERS!

WHERE:

Pacific Bonsai Museum is located on the campus of the former Weyerhaeuser headquarters, 2515 S 336th Street, Federal Way, WA 98001.

PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM HOURS:

Tuesday through Sunday, from 10 am to 4 pm. We are closed every Monday, as well as Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

PARKING:

Free parking is available across from the Museum (follow signs to ‘Garden Parking’); handicapped parking is available at the museum entrance.

ABOUT THE PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM:

The Pacific Bonsai Museum connects people to nature through the living art of bonsai. Fifty to 60 bonsai are displayed in an outdoor, fine-art-museum-setting in the open air of a large forest in Federal Way, Washington. One of only a handful of museums dedicated to bonsai worldwide, the Pacific Bonsai Museum is poised at the forefront of an ancient-yet-modern art form that is transforming in a uniquely American fashion. Approximately 40,000 people from across the globe visit the museum each year, with visitorship growing as people discover this gem of the Pacific Northwest. Admission by donation. Learn more at https://pacificbonsaimuseum.org/.

PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM PRESS RELEASE

October 8, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESS CONTACT

Katherine Wimble Fox

katherine@pacificbonsaimuseum.org

m: (206) 612-0026

Fall Foliage and Artful Stones

‘Stone Images X’ exhibit featured in Fall Foliage Festival October 19-20

Pacific Bonsai Museum and the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden (RSBG) welcome visitors to their free, annual Fall Foliage Festival, October 19 and 20, 2019. The magic of Autumn is celebrated with a Viewing Stones exhibition, tours, shopping for bonsai and other plants and gifts, plant talks, a photo station, food, and activities for kids and families.

Saturday, October 19

9 am – 10 am | Shopping: Early Plant Sales for RSBG members. RSBG.

10 am – 4 pm | Exhibit: Stone Images X presented by Puget Sound Bonsai Association. Pacific Bonsai Museum Pavilion.

10 am – 2 pm |Activity: ‘Viewing Stones Petting Zoo‘ with the Puget Sound Bonsai Association. Pacific Bonsai Museum Pavilion.

10 am – 4 pm | FREE Admission to the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden (RSBG). (Pacific Bonsai Museum is always free by donation.)

10 am – 4 pm | Shopping: Windcliff Plants; Bryan’s Rare Japanese Maples; Degro Flower & Garden (RSBG Terrace.) Robert Cho’s Asia Pacific Gardening (Courtyard). Free hot cider at the Plant Sales Pavilion (while supplies last).

10 am – 4 pm | Kid & family activities: Paint your own mini pot, explore the science station, and more. RSBG.

11 am | Talk: Rhody Care 101. RSBG.

1 pm | Tour: Fall Color. RSBG.

2 pm | Tour: Docent-led tour. Pacific Bonsai Museum

3 pm | Talk: Rhody Care 101. RSBG.

11 am to 3 pm | Alaskan Dumplings food truck. RSBG along the Main Loop Path.

Sunday, October 20

10 am – 4 pm | FREE Admission to the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden (RSBG). (Pacific Bonsai Museum is always free by donation.) 

10 am – 4 pm | Exhibit: Stone Images X presented by Puget Sound Bonsai Association. Pacific Bonsai Museum Pavilion.

10 am – 4 pm | Shopping: Degro Flower & Garden (RSBG Terrace); Robert Cho’s Asia Pacific Gardening (Courtyard). Free hot cider at the Plant Sales Pavilion (while supplies last).

10 am – 4 pm | BeanWater coffee truck. RSBG along the Main Loop Path.

10 am – 4 pm | Stacks Burgers food truck. RSBG along the Main Loop Path.

10 am – 4 pm | Kid & family Activities: Paint your own mini pot, science station. RSBG.

11 am | Tour: Native Plants. RSBG.

12 pm | Talk: Rhody Care 101. RSBG.

1 pm | Tour: Fall Color. RSBG.

3 pm | Talk: Rhody Care 101. RSBG.

WHEN:

October 19 and 20, 2019

WHERE:

Pacific Bonsai Museum and the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden are neighboring organizations located on the campus of the former Weyerhaeuser headquarters, 2515 S 336th Street, Federal Way, WA 98001.

PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM / RSBG HOURS:

Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm. We are closed every Monday, as well as Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

PARKING:

Free parking is available across from the Museum (follow signs to ‘Garden Parking’); handicapped parking is available at the museum entrance.

ABOUT THE PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM:

The Pacific Bonsai Museum connects people to nature through the living art of bonsai. Fifty to 60 of the Museum’s 150 bonsai are displayed at any given time in an outdoor, fine-art-museum-setting in the open air of a large forest in Federal Way, Washington. One of only a handful of museums dedicated to bonsai worldwide, the Pacific Bonsai Museum is poised at the forefront of an ancient-yet-modern art form that is transforming in a uniquely American fashion. Approximately 40,000 people from across the globe visit the museum each year, with visitorship growing as people discover this gem of the Pacific Northwest. Admission by donation. Learn more at https://pacificbonsaimuseum.org/.

ABOUT THE RHODODENDRON SPECIES BOTANICAL GARDEN:

The Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden (RSBG) is a woodland garden and living plant museum with the largest collection of species rhododendrons in the world. The RSBG conserves species rhododendrons and champions environmental stewardship through educational programs and collaboration with the global scientific community. Open year-round Tuesday through Sunday, the RSBG also sells rare and remarkable plants at our onsite nursery. Plan your visit and learn about the garden at www.RhodyGarden.org.  

ABOUT STONE IMAGES X EXHIBIT

Stone Images X is a free, visual art exhibit open to the public featuring 33 Viewing Stones. Most were collected in Washington, although several found in Japan and Canada by members of the Puget Sound Bonsai Association’s Viewing Stone Study Group. Information about each stone–including viewing stone classification, place of origin, name of the collector, and (in many cases) the poetic name given to the stone by its collector–will be displayed beside each stone in the exhibit. The entire exhibit will be displayed in two, glass-fronted cabinets lining the interior of the Pavilion at Pacific Bonsai Museum. 

Bonsai is an art form that uses trees to represent nature in miniature; a companion art form, called “Viewing Stones” (“suiseki” in Japan or “Scholar Stones” in China) does the same, in rock. Viewing Stones are naturally formed stones valued for their shape, color, beauty, pattern, and/or for what they can be seen to represent. Some collectors choose certain stones because of their shape or because they see in them natural scenes, such as scenic vistas or animals, or naturalistic imagery within the face of the stone.

After being collected, Viewing Stones are cleaned and typically displayed on custom-carved, wooden stands called daiza, and some stones are polished. The practice of collecting and viewing stones originated in China about 2,000 years ago; it was introduced to Japan in the sixth century CE, and now is practiced worldwide.

Stone Images X is the tenth exhibit organized by the Puget Sound Bonsai Association’s Viewing Stone Study Group. Since the exhibit series’ inception in 2010, 300 Viewing Stones collected from countries around the Pacific Rim have been displayed at the Pacific Bonsai Museum.  This includes stones from the Pacific Northwest,  California, New Mexico, Arizona, Wyoming, and Alaska.

Presented by the Viewing Stones Study Group of the Puget Sound Bonsai Association at Pacific Bonsai Museum. Exhibit runs October 15, 2019 through January 5, 2020. 10 am to 4 pm, Tuesday through Sunday. (Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Day, and New Year’s Day.) Free.

VIEWING STONES PETTING ZOO:
On October 19, 2019, Joel Schwarz–a member of the PSBA Viewing Stone Study Group and exhibitor in Stone Images X–will be at Pacific Bonsai Museum to answer questions about the exhibit and demonstrate stone polishing. This is a hands-on activity where the public can pet, polish, and sandstones, see daizas (viewing stone stands), and learn about viewing stone displays. 10 am to 2 pm.

ABOUT THE PUGET SOUND BONSAI ASSOCIATION:

The Puget Sound Bonsai Association (PSBA) was formed in 1973 and is a non-profit organization dedicated to the education of its members and the general public in the art and culture of bonsai. The Viewing Stones Study Group was founded in 2006 to encourage appreciation of these nature-formed artworks and encourage appreciation of the qualities that make a stone art. More at: http://www.psba.us.

PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM PRESS RELEASE
March 14, 2019

Bonsai Fest! returns to Federal Way

A two-day celebration over World Bonsai Day- / Mother’s Day-weekend

May 11-12, 2019, Pacific Bonsai Museum hosts its second annual Bonsai Fest!: its biggest, public event on its most crowd-drawing weekend of the year. This year, Bonsai Fest! features: the Puget Sound Bonsai Association’s (PBSA) annual spring show; opening day for two, Pacific Bonsai Museum special exhibits; bonsai-making demonstrations; gifts for plant-loving moms; plus festive food and beverages, pop-up shops, entertainment, and art activities for all ages.

World Bonsai Day is commemorated by bonsai-fans worldwide on the second Saturday of May as a gesture of international friendship, cooperation, and peace. May is also typically peak-bloom month at the Museum, making it the best time to see azaleas and other flowering bonsai in the Museum’s collection.

Bonsai Fest! activities:

Puget Sound Bonsai Association (PBSA) Annual Spring Show

In the Pavilion; all weekend

PSBA club members display dozens of their best bonsai and vie for Best in Show. Club members’ will demonstrate how they make bonsai and will answer general questions about their artworks and practices. Visitors can vote on their favorite bonsai to win the ‘People’s Choice Award.’ Voting ends at 3 pm Sunday, May 12.

Visitors can vote on their favorite bonsai to win the ‘People’s Choice Award.’ Voting ends at 3 pm Sunday, May 12.

PSBA member Eric Ridgeway will do a bonsai-making demonstration on Sunday, May 12 from 12 to 2pm.

Opening Day: Special Exhibit–Living Art of Bonsai: Principles of Design

Main display area; through September 29

This exhibit picks up where our 2018 exhibit, Elements of Design, left off. One-by-one, the exhibit breaks-down design elements and principles used by bonsai artists to make extraordinary works of art. A curated subset of the Museum’s collection demonstrates each design element and principle and shows how these are found in trees and in other works of art. As visitors explore the exhibit, they will gain a deeper appreciation for and understanding of bonsai and unlock the keys to designing stunning works of living art.

Opening Day: Special Exhibit–Gnarly: The Dan Robinson Retrospective

Pinwheel display area, through September 29

Gnarly honors a lifetime of work by local, international legend Dan Robinson, proprietor of Elandan Gardens, Bremerton, WA. As Robinson turns 80-years-old, Pacific Bonsai Museum looks back on his still-flourishing career as an American bonsai renegade who pioneered unorthodox techniques and champions the gnarly, twisted forms of aged trees in nature. From his days with the ‘Bonsai Bums’–who helped establish the Pacific Northwest bonsai scene–to the groundbreaking of his unique local attraction, Elandan Gardens, see a slice of Robinson’s world displayed in installations of bonsai, rock, and wood representing each decade of his career.

Dan Robinson will demonstrate the unique style of deadwood carving that he has developed over his whole career which gives his bonsai that ancient, gnarly look. Saturday, May 11 from 12 to 2 pm near his exhibit.

Dan Robinson and Will Hiltz will be signing their book “Gnarly Branches, Ancient Trees” at 2:30 pm, Saturday, May 11 and 2:30 pm, Sunday, May 12. This book will be for sale at the PBM pop-up shop.

KusaMama Kits

on sale all weekend / demonstrations on 5/12 (Mother’s Day)

For Mother’s Day, we are offering kits to make ‘KusaMama’–Kusamono for moms. Kusamono (translated as ‘grass thing’) are small, informal, potted compositions displayed alone or as an accent planting in bonsai presentations. DYI-KusaMama-kits will be on sale and on Sunday, May 12, 11:30am to 1:00pm Assistant Curator Scarlet Gore will demonstrate how to make these beautiful gifts.

Food & Beverages

May 11 & 12 / 11am – 4pm

Sirius Wood Fired Pizza’s truck will be serving something for everyone. Vegetarian, Vegan, and Gluten Free options available.

May 11 & 12 / 11am – 4pm

Bliss Small Batch Creamery will be scooping their delicious locally-made ice cream.

May 11 / 11am – 3:30pm

Wine & Beer Garden: Join us in a special beer, wine & picnicking space.

May 12 / 10am – 4pm

Parisian Picnic Boxes: Treat yourself! Pick up a special picnic lunch, perfect to enjoy for Mother’s Day. (Pre-order on Pacificbonsaimuseum.org by May 9).

More Fun Activities

Art Station (May 11 and 12, 10am -4pm)

Make a card for Mom

Mother’s Day Selfie-Station (May 12, 10am-4pm)

Take your photo with a bonsai and a flowery backdrop to share on Mother’s Day.

Exhibit Tours (May 11 & 12, starting at 12 noon)

Meet at the Welcome Table for a ~45 min docent-led tour.

Poetic Presence (May 11 & 12, 12 noon to 3pm)

Poet Alexandria Beget-Manalo will write a complimentary poem for a special mom in your life.0

Trail Walks (May 11 & 12, 10am  to 4pm)

Pick up a map of nearby trails and take yourself on a rejuvenating walk in the woods.

Enter to Win (May 11 & 12, 10am to 4pm)

Drawing to win a complimentary Bonsai Basics Course and a Complimentary Membership to Pacific Bonsai Museum. Enter at the Welcome Table

Pop-Up Shopping (May 11 & 12, 10am to 4pm)

Books and gifts for nature and art lovers.

BONSAI FEST! HAPPENS OVER TWO DAYS:

2 days: Saturday, May 11, 2019 (World Bonsai Day), 10 am to 4 pm; and Sunday, May 12, 2019 (Mother’s Day), 10 am to 4 pm.

WHERE:                     

The Pacific Bonsai Museum is located on the campus of the former Weyerhaeuser headquarters at 2515 S 336th Street, Federal Way, WA 98001. Visitors are advised to search ‘Pacific Bonsai Museum’ in google maps on their GPS-enabled devices to navigate to the Museum.

PARKING:                 

Free parking is available across from the Museum at the West/Garden Parking Lot; handicapped parking is available at the museum entrance.

COST:

Admission to Bonsai Fest! is free; there is a $10 suggested donation for those who are able to support the Museum.

MUSEUM HOURS 2018

Tuesday through Sunday, from 10 am to 4 pm.

March 21 to Sept 19:   Extended 3rd Thursday hours, 10 am to 7 pm. (Other days the same as above.)

The Museum is closed:          Every Monday as well as Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

MORE INFO:             

The public can call the Museum with any questions in advance at (253) 353-7345 or email info@pacificbonsaimuseum.org.

————————————————–

ABOUT THE PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM:

Pacific Bonsai Museum connects people to nature through the living art of bonsai. Fifty to 60 of the Museum’s 150 bonsai are displayed at any given time in an outdoor fine art museum setting in the open air of a large forest in Federal Way, Washington. Pacific Bonsai Museum is one of only a handful of public bonsai collections in the world solely dedicated to bonsai and the only one in the United States. Offering contemporary exhibitions, docent-led group tours, education, workshops and more, with a flair for PNW-style innovation, the Pacific Bonsai Museum at the forefront of an evolving art form that is transforming in a uniquely American fashion. 38,000+ people from across the globe visit the museum each year, with visitorship growing as people discover this gem of the Pacific Northwest. Open six days a week, year-round; admission by donation. Learn more at https://pacificbonsaimuseum.org/.

ABOUT THE PUGET SOUND BONSAI ASSOCIATION (PSBA):

The Puget Sound Bonsai Association (PSBA) was formed in 1973 and is a non-profit organization dedicated to the education of its members and the general public in the art and culture of bonsai. More at http://www.psba.us.

ABOUT THE WORLD BONSAI FRIENDSHIP FEDERATION (WBFF):

The Pacific Bonsai Museum is designated a World Bonsai Friendship Federation (WBFF) Cooperation Center, one of 14 such Centers worldwide. WBFF exists to exchange knowledge, technology, and information on the art of bonsai among countries of the world, in order to promote appreciation of bonsai as living art and advance international friendship and goodwill. WBFF hosts the World Bonsai Convention once every four years (occurring next in 2021) and promotes World Bonsai Day. More at http://wbffbonsai.com/.

PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM PRESS RELEASE
March 5, 2019

The Pot Takes the Lead in Next Bonsai Experiment

The LAB Session 2: The Site of Bonsai | Focus: The Vessel & Tree-potting

Session 2, happening Saturday, April 6, 2019, shifts the focus of Pacific Bonsai Museum’s LAB experiments to the bonsai container and spring potting season. The LAB artists will reconvene at the Mary Lund Davis-design Wollochet Bay house in Gig Harbor, WA to reveal new works in the experiments. Ceramicist Ron Lang will present two new pots: one in response to Austin Heitzman’s stand from Session I and one for Ryan Neil’s styled tree from Session 1 (which Neil will pot on site). Heitzman will reveal a new stand made in response to Lang’s container from Session 1. A select group of art- and design-minded luminaries will be gathered to examine and discuss the new LAB works.

Live video streaming will be available to the public from 2 to 4 pm PDT so they may watch the artists reveal their work, listen to the group discussion, and ask questions via moderated chat. Viewers can get their tickets ($25 USD) to watch the live stream in advance at https://pacificbonsaimuseum.cleeng.com.

WHAT IS THE LAB?

The LAB is Pacific Bonsai Museum’s four-part, multi-year-long experiment investigating

1) the influence of inspired architectural settings and 2) the effect of collaboration resequencing on the art of bonsai. The overall goal of the project is to advance innovation and artistic expression in bonsai.

Key participants in the project are prominent artists Ryan Neil (bonsai artist, Bonsai Mirai), Austin Heitzman (stand maker, Austin Heitzman Furniture), Ron Lang (ceramicist, Lang Bonsai Containers), and Aarin Packard (moderator, Pacific Bonsai Museum). Tests in the experiment are being run concurrently in the studios of the three artists and at a series of live events held at architecturally-significant homes of the Pacific Northwest.

WHAT’S HAPPENED TO DATE?

At the LAB Session 1, Spaces of Liminality: Enter the LAB, August 2018, the artists and guests converged on the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Chauncey L. and Johanna Griggs House in Lakewood, WA. Before a live audience, they revealed a pot and a stand made in response to the house, and bonsai material was live-styled under the influence of the architectural setting. Dr. Kevin Nute, a subject expert in the influence of Japanese culture on Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs, gave a presentation on Wright’s life and design sensibilities. The audience and artists participated in a thought-provoking, moderated discussion around design innovation, collaboration, and the tectonics of bonsai.

UPCOMING SESSIONS

Session 3, August 17, 2019 | Focus: Tree styling (architectural location TBA)

Session 4, Spring 2020 | Focus: Display and final reveal (architectural location TBA)

ABOUT PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM

Pacific Bonsai Museum connects people to nature through the living art of bonsai. Fifty to 60 of the Museum’s 150 bonsai are displayed at any given time in an outdoor fine art museum setting in the open air of a large forest in Federal Way, Washington. Pacific Bonsai Museum is one of only a handful of public bonsai collections in the world solely dedicated to bonsai and the only one in the United States. Offering innovative programs, contemporary exhibitions, docent-led group tours, education, workshops and more, with a flair for PNW-style innovation, the Pacific Bonsai Museum at the forefront of an evolving art form that is transforming in a uniquely American fashion. 38,000+ people from across the globe visit the museum each year, with visitorship growing as people discover this gem of the Pacific Northwest. Open six days a week, year-round; admission by donation. Learn more at https://pacificbonsaimuseum.org/.

ABOUT THE WOLLOCHET BAY HOUSE

Mary Lund Davis (1922–2008) was a trailblazing woman architect of 20th-century who practiced in the Pacific Northwest and was the first female architect in Washington to become licensed after WWII. She designed both commercial buildings and residential homes and experimented extensively with furniture design, developing a specialty around cabinets and storage spaces. In the 1950s, she created DIY-designs for MCM furniture that were distributed nationwide. In 1969–70, Davis designed a large hexagonal house for herself on Wollochet Bay near Gig Harbor: the site of the LAB Session 2. With extensive gardens with English and Japanese landscape design aesthetics, the house design is based on 120-degree angles, triangles, and circles that create patterns radiating out from a central hearth and echoing into the siting of the house on a promontory in the bay. The selection of the Wollochet Bay home as the site of LAB Session 2 continues a trajectory in PNW architecture inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright–the designer of the Lakewood, WA home which was the site of the LAB Session One.

Finding Art in Stones

Contemplative Viewing Stone Exhibit ‘Stone Images IX’ Opens October 16

Stone Images IX is a free exhibit open to the public featuring 28 stones collected from Washington, California, New Mexico, and Alaska by members of the Puget Sound Bonsai Association’s Viewing Stone Study Group. Viewing stones, as they are known in the United States (a.k.a. suiseki in Japan, or scholar stones in China) are naturally formed stones valued for their shape, color, beauty, pattern, and/or for what they can been seen to represent. Some collectors choose certain stones because they see in them natural scenes, such as scenic vistas or animals, or naturalistic imagery within the face of the stone.

After being collected, viewing stones are typically displayed on wooden stands (daiza); some stones are polished. When paired with bonsai, the viewing stone and bonsai tree each enhance the qualities of the other, and together, create a scene that might be found in nature. The practice of collecting and viewing stones originated in China about 2,000 years ago; it was introduced to Japan in the sixth century CE, and is now practiced worldwide.

Stone Images IX is the ninth in a series of exhibits organized by the Puget Sound Bonsai Association’s Viewing Stone Study Group. Since the exhibit series’ inception in 2010, 250 viewing stones collected from countries around the Pacific Rim, including the Pacific Northwest, Wyoming and Alaska have been displayed at Pacific Bonsai Museum.

Information about each stone–including viewing stone classification, place of origin, name of the collector, and (in many cases) the poetic title given to the stone by its collector–will be displayed beside each stone in the exhibit. The entire exhibit will be displayed in two, glass-fronted cabinets lining the interior of the Pavilion at Pacific Bonsai Museum.

WHEN:

Opens: Tuesday, October 16, 2018 / Closes: Sunday, December 9, 2018

PUBLIC EVENT–VIEWING STONES PETTING ZOO:
On October 21, 2018, Joel Schwarz, a member of the PSBA Viewing Stone Study Group and exhibitor in Stone Images IX, will be at Pacific Bonsai Museum for this free, public event. This is a hands-on activity where the public can pet, polish, and sand stones, see daizas (viewing stone stands) in progress, and learn about viewing stone displays. Schwarz will answer questions about the exhibit and demonstrate stone polishing. 10am to 2pm.

WHERE:

The Pacific Bonsai Museum is located on the campus of the former Weyerhaeuser headquarters at 2515 S 336th Street, Federal Way, WA 98001.

MUSEUM HOURS:

Tuesday through Sunday, 10am to 4pm. The Museum is closed every Monday, as well as Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

PARKING:

Free parking is available across from the Museum (follow signs to ‘Garden Parking’); handicapped parking is available at the museum entrance.

PRESENTED BY:

Viewing Stones Study Group of the Puget Sound Bonsai Association

ABOUT THE PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM:

The Pacific Bonsai Museum connects people to nature through the living art of bonsai. Fifty to 60 of the Museum’s 150 bonsai are displayed at any given time in an outdoor, fine-art-museum-setting in the open air of a large forest in Federal Way, Washington. One of only a handful of museums dedicated to bonsai worldwide, the Pacific Bonsai Museum is poised at the forefront of an ancient-yet-modern art form that is transforming in a uniquely American fashion. Approximately 35,000 people from across the globe visit the museum each year, with visitorship growing as people discover this gem of the Pacific Northwest. Admission by donation. Learn more at: https://pacificbonsaimuseum.org/.

ABOUT THE PUGET SOUND BONSAI ASSOCIATION:

The Puget Sound Bonsai Association (PSBA) was formed in 1973 and is a non-profit organization dedicated to the education of its members and the general public in the art and culture of bonsai. The Viewing Stones Study Group was founded in 2006 to encourage appreciation of these nature-formed artworks and encourage appreciation of the qualities that make a stone art. More at: http://www.psba.us.

Visitors can tour Pacific Bonsai Museum’s groundbreaking 2018 special exhibit ‘Living Art of Bonsai: Elements of Design’ that compares bonsai with other works of art and reveals the secrets of good bonsai design, breaking-down how exactly bonsai artists make tiny trees appear big, old, and interesting. Free, docent-led tours of the exhibit begin at 12 noon and 2:00 pm, both days. (Advance registration is not required.)

Bonsai Fest! offers visitors a pop-up shop where the inspired can buy their own bonsai to practice the art at home, as well as bonsai pots, bonsai books, and other gift items. Visitors can also enter a free drawing to win a bonsai tree. (The drawing winner will be chosen at 3:30pm Sunday.) An art station will be available to kids and adults who want to get creative and make cards for mom.

On Mother’s Day–May 13–local poet Alexandria Manalo will be on-site from 11am to 2pm to writing complimentary, personalized poems for moms and other loved ones. Visitors can also pose at a bonsai selfie-station to take a photo with mom or snap a pic to share with her.

Main Street Gyro food truck will be onsite Saturday, May 12 and Chebogz food truck will be here Sunday, May 13.

Admission is free; $5 suggested donation for those who are able to support the Museum.

WHEN:

Saturday, May 12, 2018 (World Bonsai Day), 10am to 4pm; and Sunday, May 13, 2018 (Mother’s Day), 10am to 4pm.

WHERE:           

The Pacific Bonsai Museum is located on the campus of the former Weyerhaeuser headquarters at 2515 S 336th Street, Federal Way, WA 98001. Visitors are advised to search ‘Pacific Bonsai Museum’ in google maps on their gps-enabled devices to navigate to the Museum.

PARKING:        

Free parking is available across from the Museum at the West Parking Lot; handicapped parking is available at the museum entrance.

MUSEUM HOURS 2018

Tuesday through Sunday, 10am to 4pm.

March 22 to Sept 20: Extended Thursday hours, 10am to 7pm. (Other days the same as above.)

The Museum is closed: Every Monday as well as Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

MORE INFO:   

The public can call the Museum with any questions in advance at (253) 353-7345 or email info@pacificbonsaimuseum.org.

————————————————–

ABOUT THE PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM:

Pacific Bonsai Museum connects people to nature through the living art of bonsai. Fifty to 60 of the Museum’s 150 bonsai are displayed at any given time in an outdoor fine art museum setting in the open air of a large forest in Federal Way, Washington. Pacific Bonsai Museum is one of only a handful of public museums in the world solely dedicated to bonsai and the only one in the western United States. Offering contemporary exhibitions, docent-led group tours, education, workshops and more, with a flair for PNW-style innovation, the Pacific Bonsai Museum is poised at the forefront of an evolving art form that is transforming in a uniquely American fashion. 33,000+ people from across the globe visit the museum each year, with visitorship growing as people discover this gem of the Pacific Northwest. Open six days a week, year-round; admission by donation. Learn more at https://pacificbonsaimuseum.org/.

ABOUT THE PUGET SOUND BONSAI ASSOCIATION (PSBA):

The Puget Sound Bonsai Association (PSBA) was formed in 1973 and is a non-profit organization dedicated to the education of its members and the general public in the art and culture of bonsai. More at: http://www.psba.us.

ABOUT THE WORLD BONSAI FRIENDSHIP FEDERATION (WBFF):

The Pacific Bonsai Museum is designated a World Bonsai Friendship Federation (WBFF) Cooperation Center, one of 14 such Centers worldwide. WBFF exists to exchange knowledge, technology, and information on the art of bonsai among countries of the world, in order to promote appreciation of bonsai as a living art and advance international friendship and goodwill. WBFF hosts the World Bonsai Convention once every four years (occurring next in 2021) and promotes World Bonsai Day (occurring every year on the second Saturday of May).

Through Pacific Bonsai Museum’s 2018 exhibition, Living Art of Bonsai: Elements of Design, visitors will be able to study bonsai trees and describe what they see. The exhibit will break down major design elements of bonsai art — line, shape, form, space, color, and texture — exploring each element in detail. It will demonstrate, with trees from Pacific Bonsai Museum’s collection, how these design elements are used in bonsai.

As visitors enter and move through the exhibit, they will find bonsai trees that elegantly express design elements, displayed alongside images of artworks and interpretive text offering insights into the bonsai design process. As they explore the exhibit, visitors will be prompted by provocative questions to help them discover things they hadn’t seen before and put into words what they are learning. In the end, after experiencing all six elements, they will have become savvy about bonsai design, appreciative of the craft, and empowered to draw new connections between bonsai and other works of art.

WHEN:

Exhibit opens Saturday, April 21, 2018 and runs through Sunday, Sept 30, 2018.

OPENING DAY PUBLIC PROGRAMS:

Schedule for Saturday, April 21

Throughout the Day

• Art Station
• Kids activities
• Pop-up Shop
• Food Truck

• 9:00 am: Pacific Bonsai Museum Members’ Preview & Curator-led Tour (by invitation)

• 10:00 am: Exhibit opens to the public

• 10:30 am: Presentation, The LAB: Experimenting with a 1000-year-old art form, with Aarin Packard and Austin Heitzman, in the Pavilion

• 11:30 am: Public Tour of the Exhibit (led by a Pacific Bonsai Museum docent; gather in the Courtyard by 11:25 am)

• 12:00 pm: Presentation, Printing in trees: Fostering a healthier relationship between humans and nature through art, with linocut printmaker Kelli MacConnell, in the Pavilion

• 1:00 pm: Presentation, American bonsai display: The Japanese influence on American furniture through the lens of bonsai, with furniture maker Austin Heitzman, in the Pavilion
• 2:00 pm: Dance Performance by Khambatta Dance Company in the exhibit display area
• 2:30 pm: Public Tour of the Exhibit (led by a Pacific Bonsai Museum docent; gather in the Courtyard by 2:25 pm)
• 3:00 pm: Dance Performance by Khambatta Dance Company in the exhibit display area
• 4:00 pm: Opening day ends

MUSEUM HOURS 2018

Tuesday through Sunday, 10am to 4pm.

March 22 to Sept 20: Extended Thursday hours, 10am to 7pm. (Other days the same as above.)

The Museum is closed: Every Monday as well as Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

WHERE:           

The Pacific Bonsai Museum is located on the campus of the former Weyerhaeuser headquarters at 2515 S 336th Street, Federal Way, WA 98001. Visitors are advised to search ‘Pacific Bonsai Museum’ in google maps on their gps-enabled devices to navigate to the Museum.

PARKING:        

Free parking is available across from the Museum at the West Parking Lot; handicapped parking is available at the museum entrance.

EXHIBIT SPONSOR:

4Culture

MORE INFO:   

The public can call the Museum with any questions in advance at (253) 353-7345 or email info@pacificbonsaimuseum.org.

————————————————–

RELATED PROGRAMS:

Living Art of Bonsai: Elements of Design complements two adjacent Pacific Bonsai Museum programs: Youth Education and the LAB (Living Art of Bonsai Project).

This year, Pacific Bonsai Museum launched a youth education school Field Trip Program. Field Trips include pre-tour and post-tour classroom lessons about bonsai history and design, a self-guided tour, a bonsai-inspired art activity, and their own living bonsai to take home. The exhibit will make abstract art concepts tangible for the students and provide a memorable, sensorial experience. Interested teachers, parents and students can learn more at: https://pacificbonsaimuseum.org/learn/fieldtrips/.

Living Art of Bonsai: Elements of Design sets the baseline in bonsai art from which the LAB departs. The LAB is an advanced, experimental collaborative that will reimagine traditional bonsai practices by resequencing the order of influence between the bonsai artist, ceramicist, and standmaker. Products of this resequencing will be created (in some cases, before a live audience) and revealed to patrons of the project through gatherings both live and online. Details will be announced this spring on https://pacificbonsaimuseum.org/.

ABOUT THE PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM:

Pacific Bonsai Museum connects people to nature through the living art of bonsai. Fifty to 60 of the Museum’s 150 bonsai are displayed at any given time in an outdoor fine art museum setting in the open air of a large forest in Federal Way, Washington. Pacific Bonsai Museum is one of only a handful of public museums in the world solely dedicated to bonsai and the only one in the western United States. Offering contemporary exhibitions, docent-led group tours, education, workshops and more, with a flair for PNW-style innovation, the Pacific Bonsai Museum is poised at the forefront of an evolving art form that is transforming in a uniquely American fashion. 33,000+ people from across the globe visit the museum each year, with visitorship growing as people discover this gem of the Pacific Northwest. Open six days a week, year-round; admission by donation. Learn more at https://pacificbonsaimuseum.org/.

Pacific Bonsai Museum’s LAB (Living Art of Bonsai) is an experimental collaborative for bonsai design innovation.

This multiyear endeavor kicks off in 2018 with its inaugural LAB project investigating sequence. The project will reimagine traditional bonsai practices by resequencing the order of influence between the bonsai artist, ceramicist, and standmaker.

Rather than starting with a styled tree and asking both the pot and the standmaker to respond to it (as is traditionally practiced), the LAB asks: what if the stand comes first?; or the pot?; where can these makers take the art of bonsai if they allow themselves to influenced by each other in an entirely new way?

The LAB is a multi-year project consisting of collaborative working sessions and presentation sessions that will produce three, one-of-a-kind works of living art. These works will be created (in some portions, before a live audience) and revealed to patrons of the project through gatherings both live and online. All members of the design team will be present for each gathering to answer audience questions and discuss their work philosophies and design decisions in detail.

WHO:

The 2018 inaugural LAB design team will include three renowned artisans and a facilitator:

Standmaker: Austin Heitzman, Austin Heitzman Furniture, Portland, OR

Ceramic Artist: Ron Lang, Lang Bonsai Containers, Southport, NC

Bonsai Artist: Ryan Neil, Bonsai Mirai, St. Helens, OR

Facilitator:  Aarin Packard, Curator, Pacific Bonsai Museum, Federal Way, WA

WHEN & WHERE:

The project kicks off in 2018 and continues through 2020. The artists will each work in their respective studios and then come together in presentation sessions scheduled as follows:

Session I August 4, 2018 at the Chauncey L. and Johanna Griggs Residence, Lakewood, Washington; home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Session II March 2019 (day and location TBA)

Session III August 4-5, 2019 (location TBA)

Session IV Reveal & Artist’s Reflection (date and location TBA)

TRAILER & DOCUMENTARY

A three minute video trailer to the forthcoming documentary is available for viewing and sharing here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS8dUUeWF8o

An episodic documentary of the LAB project will feature excerpts from each LAB Session and in-process interviews with the artists while they work. Episodes will be released on at a time starting after the first LAB session (August 2018).

HOW THE PUBLIC CAN BE INVOLVED

In addition to following the project on social media (@pacificbonsaimuseum), the public may become involved with the project as patrons. The Museum is currently seeking individuals and organizations who would like to support the project financially and, as a thank you, be invited to attend live styling sessions among other benefits. Benefits and patrons levels are detailed in full: https://pacificbonsaimuseum.org/lab/

ABOUT THE PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM:

Pacific Bonsai Museum connects people to nature through the living art of bonsai. Fifty to 60 of the Museum’s 150 bonsai are displayed at any given time in an outdoor fine art museum setting in the open air of a large forest in Federal Way, Washington. Pacific Bonsai Museum is one of only a handful of public museums in the world solely dedicated to bonsai and the only one in the western United States. Offering contemporary exhibitions, docent-led group tours, education, workshops and more, with a flair for PNW-style innovation, the Pacific Bonsai Museum is poised at the forefront of an evolving art form that is transforming in a uniquely American fashion. 33,000+ people from across the globe visit the museum each year, with visitorship growing as people discover this gem of the Pacific Northwest. Open six days a week, year-round; admission by donation. More at: https://pacificbonsaimuseum.org/.

ABOUT AUSTIN HEITZMAN:

Austin Heitzman’s interest in bonsai lead him to pursue woodworking and then furniture making, so it was only fitting that he would apply skills and knowledge as a furniture maker in the production of bonsai stands. Heitzman is exacting about the materials he uses. He sources lumber from salvaged city trees, seeking out lumber with the most exceptional and interesting qualities. His chosen trees are milled locally on a farm in the Columbia River Gorge, and then left to air dry for several years. This labor-intensive but ecologically sustainable process ensures the integrity of the wood , produces the most vivid colors, saves trees from the wood chipper, and gives them new life as heirloom furniture. More at: http://www.austinheitzmanfurniture.com/.

ABOUT RON LANG:

Ron Lang is a renowned bonsai potter based in North Carolina. He began working with clay in 1971 and for 30 years served as the Chairman of the Ceramics Department at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Maryland. He has a background in sculptural ceramics and is now primarily focusing on bonsai pottery. More at: http://www.langbonsai.com/.

ABOUT RYAN NEIL:

Ryan Neil is a bonsai professional, visual artist, and entrepreneur who is redefining the world’s understanding of bonsai from a technical hobby to a fine art medium. His approach reflects the interdependent relationships between nature, culture, and the individual. In 2010, Ryan founded Bonsai Mirai. Throughout the last 8 years, Mirai has developed into an incubator, school, and full-service nursery that is at the very forefront of the Western bonsai movement. More at: http://www.bonsaimirai.com and http://www.live.bonsaimirai.com.

ABOUT AARIN PACKARD:

Aarin Packard is the Curator of Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way, WA.  Aarin received his MA in Museum Studies from the George Washington University. In 2006, Aarin was hired as the assistant curator of The National Bonsai and Penjing at The U.S. National Arboretum in Washington D.C. before joining Pacific Bonsai Museum in 2014. As the Museum’s Curator, Aarin oversees the horticultural and artistic care of the bonsai collection and creates new exhibits that honor the tradition of bonsai while advancing the art form in the 21st century.

ABOUT THE CHAUNCEY L. AND JOHANNA GRIGGS HOUSE

Frank Lloyd Wright–honored by the American Institute of Architects as “the greatest American architect of all time”–began designing a home for the Griggs family in 1945 set within dense fir forest near Chambers Creek in Lakewood, WA. This 5,000 square-feet, “Usonian” style home features soaring ceilings, concrete block wall construction, double clerestory windows, and long, cedar trusses holding up a cantilevered roof extending 14 feet past a glass wall over a terrace towards the creek. Construction began on the project in 1946 but work was halted. Tacoma architect Alan Liddle was commissioned to act as supervising architect to continue the project, which was completed in 1954. Current owners Mark and Phyllis Griggs generously agreed to open up their landmark home to artists and patrons of the LAB as the setting for the first live bonsai styling session on August 5, 2018.

To add to the meditative atmosphere, world-renowned Native American Flute artist Gary Stroutsos will join us as a special guest artist this year.

We invite guests to BYOF (Bring-Your-Own-Flashlight) and sip a cup of hot cocoa or coffee compliments of Caffé D’arte. P&J’s Waffle Delights Food Truck will be onsite for those who’d like to treat themselves to a sweet or savory waffle dinner.

This event is kid-friendly. Admission to the event is free (donations to support the museum are always much appreciated). For those who would like to make a ritual of it, commemorative votives will be available with a $5 donation.

WHEN:
Sunday, December 17 from 4pm – 7pm

WHERE:
The Pacific Bonsai Museum is located on the campus of the former Weyerhaeuser headquarters at 2515 S 336th Street, Federal Way, WA 98001.

PARKING:
Free parking is available across from the Museum (follow signs to ‘Garden Parking’); handicapped parking is available at the museum entrance.

EVENT SPONSOR:
Caffé D’arte

MORE EVENT INFO:
The public can call the Museum with any questions in advance at (252) 353-7345 or email Liz Sullivan, Liz@pacificbonsaimuseum.org.

ABOUT THE PACIFIC BONSAI MUSEUM
The Pacific Bonsai Museum connects people to nature through living art. Fifty of the Museum’s 150 bonsai are displayed at any given time in an outdoor, fine-art-museum-setting in the open air of a large forest in Federal Way, Washington. The Museum is poised at the forefront of an evolving art form that is transforming in a uniquely American fashion. Approximately 35,000 people from across the globe visit the museum each year, with visitorship growing as people discover this gem of the Pacific Northwest. Admission by donation. Learn more at: https://pacificbonsaimuseum.org/.

MUSEUM WINTER HOURS
Tuesday through Sunday, 10am to 4pm. The Museum is closed every Monday, as well as Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

ABOUT GARY STROUTSOS
Gary Stroutsos is a world flute artist and storyteller with a mission of promoting stewardship of diverse cultures and the natural environment. Each of Gary’s meditative, solo, Native American flute performances given over the course of his 35-year career is distinct, drawn from the inspiration of the space and the audience. More at http://www.garystroutsos.com/.

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