Aging Well: Bonsai master says mini-trees cultivate calm. Photo: Lizzie Lacey
Aging Well: Bonsai master says mini-trees cultivate calm. Photo: Lizzie Lacey Lodgepole Pine
Some people see bonsai trees as symbols of harmony, balance, or patience. Others view them as the objects of meditation. A Big Island bonsai master says this botanical tradition keeps him Aging Well.
HILO, Hawaii (KITV4) -- Some people see bonsai trees as symbols of harmony, balance, or patience. Others view them as the objects of meditation. A Big Island bonsai master says this botanical tradition keeps him Aging Well.
With a snip here and a scrape there, another miniature tree takes shape under Bonsai Master Bill Newton's artful hands. And he's showing another class of students how to do what he does.
Newton teaches regularly around Hawaii Island.
"It's more of a serious hobby. It's not work. It's what helps keep me sane," he said. "I have a long, not good day, and I lose myself in a peace and serenity moment with my trees. Regroup from the day."
Longtime students who have become friends agree.
"My favorite thing to do in the morning is have a tree and my coffee," Cheryl Carter admitted. "I'm having my coffee and trimming the tree. It's the best feeling ever, the Zen spot."
Newton learned the craft at a young age.
"When I was 12, I found myself working part time at a bonsai nursery in Santa Monica. At 12, it's definitely just a part-time temporary thing, but it led from one thing to another," he recalled.
Newton is a part-time Hawaii County Parks and Recreation instructor, so he offers classes at community senior centers and at the library. He also teaches at Volcano Garden Arts.
He made a career of retail nursery, wrapping his bonsai expertise into the job.
Newton is a little uncomfortable with the "master" designation.
"To say 'master' is like, you've mastered it, there's nothing left to learn. I don't know if that's possible," he asserted.
It's been said that in this craft, the person doesn't work on the tree, it's the other way around.
"Every one is a little bit different. There's times when you have to get into the tree to find it, as opposed to, you just see it," Newton shared about how he finds inspiration. "If you achieve the look of nature in miniature, you have bonsai."
Friends can see how this contemplative past time cultivates calm.
"It's something he really loves. It's part of him," Carter observed. "When I see him interact with trees, it's amazing. Some people think he's just wasting time looking at them. But it's more than that. It's a relationship."
Friend Lizzie Lacey notesd, "The last third of our life is the most important part of our life. That's when we get to give back our knowledge. I really see that with Bill. He has this absolute wealth of knowledge."
These little bonsai bushes may not be the proverbial tree of life, but they are trees that add much to his life.
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