Arthur has been Bonsai Curator at the NC Arboretum since the beginning of their bonsai collection. He supervised the design and constructions of the Bonsai Exhibition Garden, started and still organizes the annual Carolina Bonsai Expo, lectures widely and is a good friend to all bonsai clubs.

Curator of Bonsai, NC Arboretum

Bjorn apprenticed for six years in Japan and is now certified as a bonsai professional with the Japanese Bonsai Association. He does demonstrations and classes internationally, leads bonsai tours to Japan, writes a blog, and has created online beginners' and intermediate bonsai courses which are available for moderate fees.

Website, workshops, and training DVDs from Boon Manakitivipart, an American who trained and apprenticed in Japan.

Distinctive approach to American bonsai. Promoter of "ancient and gnarly trees."

http://www.elandangardens.com/

International Bonsai Artist

Danny Coffey is a bonsai professional in the Charlotte, NC area. His Instagram account contains a blog discussing bonsai facts, exhibits, and art inspired by bonsai as well as his experience as an apprentice in Nagoya, Japan and as an intern at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum at the National Arboretum with many beautiful photographs.  To reach his Instagram account, copy the following web address and paste it into our browser:    .https://instagram.com/treethepeople/

​

Danny now also has studio space in the River Arts District of Asheville at Studio 281 in Riverview Station at 191 Lyman Street, 28801. He will be offering some classes later at this location. At the moment, he is there only by appointment. 

Bonsai Artist

Owen has a degree in ornamental horticulture and has spent much time in the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains, but he is also a well-known speaker on Japanese styling and display standards for bonsai and kusomono (companion plants). His website includes a blog.

Owns Allgood Bonsai nursery and studio in the Atlanta area, is the curator of the bonsai collection at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit,  and is a frequent presenter at expos and workshops. He is a specialist in boxwood bonsai.

See the AllgoodBonsaid page on Facebook

Tyler grew up in Hickory, NC and graduated from the U  of TN at Knoxville before discovering bonsai at the Bonsai Learning Center in Charlotte and attending several workshops with Boon Manakitivipart. Boon helped Tyler gain a 5-year apprentice-ship with Shinji Suzuki in Obuse, Japan. Tyler is now certified by the Nippon Bonsai Association and has established the Dogwood Studios in Hickory.

His blog is at https://tylersherrodbonsai.wordpress.com/ and his website is:https://www.dogwoodstudiosnc.com/

​

Walter Pall lives in Germany but is very often in the US. He has been the featured artist at the Carolina Bonsai Expo three times. He was an early proponent of “naturalistic bonsai.”

William Valavanis holds degrees in ornamental horticulture and also apprenticed in Omiya Bonsai Village in Japan. He owns the International Bonsai Arboretum in Rochester, NY, organized the first three US National Bonsai Expos, and has a world-wide teaching schedule. He has both a website at International Bonsai and a blog.