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.
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| With Permission Of Gemma Black |
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| With Permission Of Gemma Black |
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| With Permission Of Gemma Black |
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| With Permission Of Gemma Black |
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| 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.
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| With Permission Of Gemma Black |
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| With Permission Of Gemma Black |
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| With Permission Of Gemma Black |
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| 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.
