William N. Valavanis
Bonsai Artist & Educator
William N. Valavanis became interested in bonsai
and horticulture at age eleven and pursued his
interest by studying Ornamental Horticulture at
SUNY Farmingdale and Cornell University. He
has made over 50 trips to Japan and apprenticed
with Kyuzo Murata and Kakutaro Komuro in
Omiya Bonsai Village in Japan. Additionally a 30
year study and association with Yuji Yoshimura
combined with his formal horticultural degrees,
apprenticeships in Japan and his artistic talent provide
Bill with the solid background to promote and
teach Classical bonsai art around the world.

He is the proprietor of the International Bonsai
Arboretum in Rochester, New York where he
maintains a fine personal collection of classical
bonsai and offers classes, seminars and symposia.
He maintains a busy worldwide teaching schedule.
In order to further promote classical bonsai he
began publishing International BONSAI magazine
40 years ago. He has authored eight books and many
articles in English, Japanese and other European
languages. His distinctive bonsai and displays have
received many awards both in the United States
and abroad. He freely shares his fifty plus years of
dedicated bonsai study, experiences and discoveries
through his educational bonsai programs.

He has organized the first six successful U. S.
National Bonsai Exhibitions where artists from
around the country bring their finest specimens for
display. Visitors from around the world attend this
popular exhibition to see the high quality bonsai
in the United States, learn from the international
demonstrators and shop in the largest sales area in
the country. The 7th U. S. National Bonsai Exhibition
will be held on September 12-13, 2020.