Rescheduled! ONRC Rosmond Evening Talk, April 1, 7 p.m.
Published 1:30 am Thursday, March 26, 2026
“We are delighted to reschedule Eric and Victrinia Ridgeway’s ONRC Rosmond Evening Talk that was canceled in February due to snow. Their talk will take place on Wednesday, April 1st at 7 p.m. and is titled, Rooted in Place: Bonsai of the Pacific Northwest.”
Bonsai is often seen as a Japanese art form, but at its core, it is an art of relationship—between people, time, and the landscapes that shape us. In the Pacific Northwest, that relationship is rooted in the region’s forests, shores, and mountains. In this presentation, Eric and Victrinia Ridgeway of Issho-en Bonsai explore how bonsai can be reimagined through a regional and Indigenous lens. Focusing on native species, they show how collected trees become living expressions of place, season, and story, paired with elements such as traditionally harvested foods, Coast Salish and Alaskan Native formline art, bentwood cedar boxes, and Makah basketry.
By bringing together living trees, cultural objects, and seasonal materials, their work invites audiences to experience bonsai as more than a transplanted tradition. Instead, it becomes a bridge—honoring its origins while grounding it in the lands and cultures of the Pacific Northwest, and offering a deeper sense of connection, reverence, and belonging.
Eric and Victrinia Ridgeway have more than 20 years of experience in bonsai, including a five-year apprenticeship with renowned bonsai master Daniel Robinson of Elandan Gardens. They co-own Issho-en Bonsai in Bremerton, where they specialize in native species and promote a place-based approach to the art. Active in the national bonsai community, they serve on multiple boards and are dedicated to expanding access to bonsai through teaching, exhibitions, and mentorship, while honoring its traditions and supporting its evolution.
Join either in person in the Hemlock Forest Room at ONRC at 1455 S. Forks Ave, or via zoom: washington.zoom.us/j/3834334539. If you can’t make it, watch later on the ONRC website. The ONRC Rosmond Evening Talks are funded through the Rosmond Family Education Fund, an endowment that honors the contributions of Fred Rosmond and his family to forestry and the Forks community.
