August Is a Calligraphy Month for Me.

Don't you love it when your month is going to be busy with calligraphic days?

August looks like is going to be one for me, I am off to two workshops and am also having a group of ladies over for my monthly calligraphy get together.

Calligraphy Southscribes, Inc. are presenting the two workshops so I'm sure if you are interested they could squeeze you in. http://calligraphysouthscribes.blogspot.com.au/

The first is Ruling Pens:

Ruling pens are wonderful calligraphic tools to experiment with, this afternoon we will be exploring the various lines and letter forms that be achieved in contemporary calligraphy.
Cost $10.00 with Helen Warren on 12 August 2017.

 The second one is Ronde with Pointed Pen:

Ronde, sometimes referred to as French Ronde, was used in France in the 17^th Century. 

We will commence the workshop using a traditional broad-edged nib. It is also planned that participants will make a small box, or at least start one, which will be decorated with the script.  $45.00 with  Glenis Sheather.

One of the reasons I'm looking forward to these workshops is because I'm not the tutor, I can sit back and just enjoy pen on paper and creating beautiful letters. I hope.

Contextart - Versals Days 2, 3 and 4

Well, I'm finally getting back to writing about Hazelbrook and the wonderful week of Versals.

Day two saw the class learning about David Jones' Versals. Not having been exposed and not knowing anything about David Jones it was going to make for an interesting day. David Jones was a Welsh man who was a writer, painter and calligrapher. He created his own version of Versals and was known to give away his work to friends if they liked it or because he just wanted to. Listening to Gemma talk, I am under the impression this man was a very unassuming person and never truly appreciated the contribution of his talent to calligraphy. I think I would like him to be one of the people at my dinner table, if I had to hold "the four people you would invite to dinner".

We were able to trace his letters so that we were able to understand the construction and feel of the letters he had created. For me it was a little difficult to get my head around being much freer after a day of classical Versals. And while not actually being able to achieve the look with any expert confidence I do like them and appreciate the talent that went into making them.

With Permission Of Gemma Black

With Permission Of Gemma Black

With Permission Of Gemma Black

With Permission Of Gemma Black

With Permission Of Gemma Black

Day three took us into totally different territory and for me a very scary place. I am not the most free or loose person when it comes to calligraphy so when faced with learning Gemma's beautiful Versals, to say I was daunted would be an understatement. I would have been happy to sit there all day and watch her demonstrate or create, such was the beauty and freedom that she creates when lettering.

After demonstrating her version, we were back at our desks with pen and ink and ready for action. Gemma suggested loosening up by making the letter in the air before putting pen to paper and then go. My arm worked perfectly in the air but some how froze when it touched the paper. My letters looked nothing like what I wanted to create and I found myself being tentative in my stroke making. Instead I took up pencil and while the letters weren't much better there seemed to be a much looser feel to them then before.

With Permission Of Gemma Black

With Permission Of Gemma Black

With Permission Of Gemma Black

With Permission Of Gemma Black

I feel that having just learnt the formal version of a Versal, I needed to practice more and then slowly move into the David Jones and Gemma Black versions. Learning comes from practice and if I practice I will learn.

Day four, and our final day was a play day with some guidance. We were given exercises to create using the different styles of Versals we had learnt and along the way received some one on one tuition from Gemma where we had questions or needed assistance.

So we did pangrams in the traditional Versal style, could write out a pangram in the David Jones version and having created backgrounds the previous afternoon, we were free to write in any style on them. Just before packing up and going home, the class put their work up and discussed what they liked about the week, how they felt about the organisation of it and what we had got out of it.

I don't feel I have done great justice to the week here, like all things, you really had to be there. But to be away, with no distractions, with a great teacher, in a wonderful location and room full of wonderful people, who could ask for more.

And, finally it was all over and we saying goodbye to our little house with the great views and the wonderful people of Contextart.

Travels with My Versals - Contextart 2015 - Part 1

Something about this workshop gave me the impression of a book title. I imagined grabbing my calligraphy gear, a suitcase and armed with an open ticket, go travelling, exploring through Versals. Well it was sort of like that, with Gemma Black, escorting us through three periods of Versals, so we did travel but through calligraphic time.

Again this course was run by TAFTA at Hazelbrook and as the Monday dawned you just knew you were in for a good week. The weather was brilliant for April, it had been dry for a while, so the trees were late turning this year but this calligrapher couldn't resist taking photos of the school and its surrounds on such a day.

Main Administration Block and Trees

Main Administration Block and my fellow Calligrapher

The drive up to the upper carpark surrounded by the beginning of Autumn colours and creative textile creations.

More creative textile creations adorn the registration area

Welcome to our class room!

Right place - Calligraphy with Gemma Black

A much smaller class this time, seven, which was wonderful for us students, more space (yes I do like my space) allowed us to spread out across three tables and have our gear out and at hand. After introductions it was onto to work learning the basic shapes.

Gemma Black class room notes http://www.gemmablack.com/

Confession time, I have never studied Roman. Yes, that's right I've never studied Roman. Now, it isn't through the want of trying, I have enrolled twice and twice the course has been cancelled, so I knew I was going to feel out of my depth but that was okay. If you never stretch yourself, how do you learn, so I thought why not. I felt safe with Gemma as a teacher, even when I was making blundering mistakes, I was in safe hands of tutor and fellow class mates. And I was never backward in coming forward and have a thick skin, and all those other quaint sayings. So on with the show.

Gemma Black class notes http://www.gemmablack.com/

So we spent the day learning our basic shapes, our x heights, family groups, angles and all the other areas that go to the study of a hand.

Gemma Black class notes http://www.gemmablack.com/

You can see from Gemma's notes there was lots to learn and lots to do. I thought I may have been daunted by the geometric nature of these letters but I surprised myself and really enjoyed the slowing down of the hand, the mindfulness that went into creating each letter. The thoughtfulness of where each letter was place in relation to the next (used in all hands but I found I was more conscious of it with the Versals). I still have to learn to balance the areas of the "O"s and how to execute an "S" but it was almost therapeutic to be working so closely with the letter, feeling pencil and paper and then pen and ink and paper. The three elements were working as one.

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

CreARTivity was a Success

Last Sunday I persuaded a couple of friends to accompany me to a park in Arncliffe, to promote the calligraphy group that we belong to, Calligraphy Southscribes. Having heard Sunday was going to be 29c and sunny all week, we were prepared for a hot day but no, it turned out to be overcast and very windy. The wind didn't aid the calligraphy as you would imagine but it didn't stop the participants from coming along to the day.
We were to arrive at 10am for set up for the art festival day (being part of the bigger Rockdale Council's art festival month) and the activities were to commence at 11am.
I was a bit apprehensive about taking the other girls with me, as last time I volunteered us for one of these events it was a disaster. This however turned out to be the exact opposite. From the car entry, to the set up and then ending with the pack up, the organiser, Michelle, had everything under control. Council people were there to help us carry our materials and goods, tents were clearly marked and the atmosphere was great.
Things got off to a slow start but by lunch time, queues were forming and the girls were inundated with requests for calligraphic bookmarks. We made the decision to give them to the children for free and sell them to the adults for a donation. This left the children with their money still in their pockets which allowed them to purchase other calligraphic items, which Gloria had made for the day. Alot of the parents made donations to us, feeling that our art should be rewarded, which was extremely pleasing. We had to take a short break for lunch and so that Glenis and Gloria got some feeling back in their hands but it was only short lived with the queues quickly forming again.
Many of the children and parents were of Arabic background and while their children watched their names being written, parents explained the ancient art of calligraphy and how beautiful it was. The looks on those kids faces said it all, as their names came to life in beautiful scripts.
While Glenis and Gloria wrote and decorated bookmarks, I worked the crowd, talking calligraphy in general and our group in particular.
At 3pm it was time to pack up, shake out cramped hands and shoulders and remark on how busy we had been. The three of us were tired but happy.
The next day, after a round of emails, we had worked out that the girls had written and decorated 75 bookmarks, and we had raised app. $68 for the group not a bad day.
So thank you to the people from Rockdale Council, especially Michelle for organising the day, and a big thank you to Glenis and Gloria for giving up their Sunday.