The Bonsai Society of Upstate New York, based in Rochester, is hosting the 52nd exhibition for only one day this year because of a scheduling conflict. Sunday, May 18, 2025, was the only date available to the group. The venue for this year is the Golisano Autism Center which has two sections of a gymnasium with perfect background and lighting for displaying bonsai.
There are 79 bonsai in the exhibition with trees and suiseki coming from our members in Rochester, Ithaca, Syracuse, Buffalo and Erie, Pennsylvania. Joe Noga, one of our members and past presidents travelled from North Carolina to professionally photograph each bonsai. He started around noon and continued until he finished around 5pm. We could not get into our room to set up until 2pm and finished around 5pm. As always, member quickly joined to set up the exhibition. They know exactly how to set up, sponsoring over 50 exhibitions, plus setting up eight US National Bonsai Exhibitions.
The society hosted a wine & cheese benefit reception from 5:30 to 7:30pm on Saturday evening. Guests from the Golisano Autism Center joined our member for a private viewing.
On Sunday morning the society conducted a free workshop for people having autism. Twenty people from ages 14 to adults were assisted for shaping their first bonsai. Imported curved Ficus were used. Our members potted them into plastic bonsai training pots ahead to save time and make creating the bonsai easier. Each student was assisted wiring their plant with aluminium training wire. Tools were provided for use during the free workshop. Hopefully, some will want to take up a new hobby, but now have a better understanding of bonsai art.
Earlier in the afternoon at 1pm we experienced a hail producing thunderstorm, during my Spring Open House and sale.