Contextart 2015 - Fabulous Fraktur - Days One and Two

Back in April, which seems a distant memory now, a friend and I attended a week of calligraphy, two days of Fraktur and four days of Versals.

Contextart is held in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, once a year and as well as calligraphy conducts courses in textile arts. Contextart is run by the wonderful people at TAFTA http://tafta.org.au/contextart/ 

Saturday and Sunday were Fraktur. 

After an early start on the Saturday, with a small car, loaded with calligraphy gear, bedding and clothes, we reached Hazelbrook within an hour and a half, and considering it was raining, we had a brilliant run in the car.

The host school was easily found, having completed an initial investigation some weeks earlier, and this calligrapher and friend were ready to go. Class started at 9.30am so were were a little early but this gave us time to register and to try to pick the best position in the class room. As is it turned out with approximately  14 people in the class it was good to get in early. Though we were hanging out for a coffee mid morning.

Introductions made around the class, we were quickly into it, watching our brilliant tutor, Gemma Black demonstrating the strokes needed and then practicing our own miniscules.

Class Notes by Gemma Black http://www.gemmablack.com

Class Notes by Gemma Black http://www.gemmablack.com/

Next we were onto some excises putting our words together in different layouts to discover how placement of words give a different feel to your work. This was especially helpful as I know, that I do tend to left justify most pieces. Here are some examples by friend, Glenis.

Exercise by Glenis Sheather

 Then, working with the same layout for the piece, we worked in colour, here Glenis has added Noodlers Ink to Walnut Ink, which, I have to say gives a brilliant colour scheme.

Exercise by Glenis Sheather

 Here are my attempts at the same exercises, black ink and walnut mix. I liked the colour combination but could see where practice on my letter forms was needed. Back to the board!

Exercise by Cathy Sayer

 Another layout this time with just black ink, but why, oh why did I choose so many "s". I think calligraphy like old age, is no place for sissies. Thank you Bette Davis.

Exercise by Cathy Sayer

 After a quick visit to the supermarket on the Saturday night after class and then onto our accommodation, it was Sunday and time for majuscles.  Again Gemma, demonstrated and explained, to the class and the individual which was wonderful for all of us, beginner, intermediate and experienced alike. Lots of construction and for me tightening up the letters, meant the morning flew by.

Class Notes by Gemma Black http://www.gemmablack.com/

Our exercise for the afternoon was to attempt to write out a Phonetic Alphabet or a Greek Alphabet in white on black paper. Mine unfortunately disappeared into the background. Whether it was the medium or the paper, I am yet to know but will use both again in different situations to determine. I would like to say my piece was good but alas with nothing to show, I cannot. Though I can say it needed practice.

The two days flew by, and by Sunday lunch time, I was so in the zone, that I couldn't remember what day it was. A true sign of a wonderful class. We farewelled those of us who weren't staying on for the next course and my friend and I relaxed after the class, with a coffee on the balcony of the house we were renting, for a well earned rest and a discussion of the class.

End of a Successful Day

View from Angel Mist