Calligraphic Art & Design News

The Graceful Envelope Contest

2011-09-07T17:46:00.002-04:00

The Graceful Envelope Contest winners for 2011 can be viewed here. This contest is sponsored every year by the Washington Calligraphers Guild.

This winning envelope was created by Julie Gray, of Sandia Park, NM.

Washington Calligraphers Guild 35th Anniversary Exhibit

2011-01-08T11:47:00.002-05:00

Washington Calligraphers Guild 35th Anniversary Exhibit
April 14 - June 5, 2011
The Galleries at Quiet Waters Annapolis, Maryland

For more information, please visit the Washington Calligraphers Guild website.

Alaina's Auction

2010-10-17T15:45:00.012-04:00

This calligraphy print was created especially as a donation for Alaina, a sweet little girl who recently had to travel to California with her family for open heart surgery. Eyes of a Child Photography is sponsoring a silent auction on November 19 (changed from October 30) to help with the family's travel and medical expenses. I also donated one of my Irish Proverb Gift books. Keep the faith, Alaina!

"Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark." -Tagore

Alaina's Auction

November 19, 7-10pm

Browning Building, Pinecliff Park, 8350 Pinecliff Park Road, Frederick, MD

Washington Calligraphers Guild Annual Calligrafest

2010-09-22T11:21:00.007-04:00

Calligrafest, our annuual calligraphy fair, will be held on Saturday, November 13, 2010, at West Springfield High School in Virginia.For more information, please see the Washington Calligraphers Guild Website.

Washington Calligraphers Guild conducts Graceful Envelope Contest

2010-03-03T23:20:00.003-05:00

The 2010 Graceful Envelope Contest is once again being conducted by the Washington Calligraphers Guild, and sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers. There is no entry fee, and the deadline is Friday, April 30. This year's theme is "A Stream of Letters", with specific interpretation being left up to the artist. For more information, please see the Washington Calligraphers Guild Website.

Fire In Ice, Frederick's first Saturday Gallery Walk

2010-01-29T10:24:00.005-05:00

My *favorite* gallery walk of the year is coming up soon. Please click here to read all about Frederick's "Fire In Ice" event on February 6. There will be over 30 sparkling ice sculptures located at various shops and restaurants thoughout the downtown area. Such fun!

Volunteering at the Delaplaine

2010-01-29T10:19:00.003-05:00

The time has come to become more active in local arts happenings around town. So, to that end, I have decided to volunteer at the Delaplaine, a few sessions per month.
So far, it has been delightful. :)

Local Color at the Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center

2009-12-01T23:06:00.026-05:00

It's here! Please visit us at the Delaplaine Visual Art Education Center, for the return of "Local Color", a holiday shopping spree. It's taking place this Saturday, December 5, in the Pavillion.

This year the show will stay open from 11:00am-7:00pm, to participate in Frederick's Gallery Walk.

Washington Calligraphers Guild 2009 Members Exhibit: A Way With Words

2009-12-01T22:51:00.023-05:00

If you are in the DC Metro area this month, please consider a visit to the Friendship Heights Village Center Art Gallery, in Chevy Chase, to enjoy the current members exhibit sponsored by the Washington Calligraphers Guild. I have a framed collage and a concertina book on display there until January 2.
November 30 - January 2
Friendship Heights Village Center Art Gallery
4433 S.Park Ave., Chevy Chase, MD

Sheila Waters 60th Retrospective at Strathmore Mansion

2009-07-29T00:44:00.000-04:00

On Thursday, July 24th, I was deeply honored to attend the opening reception for Sheila Waters' 60 year Retrospective of the Calligraphic Arts, at Strathmore Mansion in Bethesda, MD. This wonderful collection, showcasing Sheila's life's work, opened July 18 and will be available for interested viewers until August 22nd. Our newly elected Washington Calligraphers Guild president, Theresa Daly, presented Sheila with a beautiful bouquet of flowers from the guild. Also shown are three large banners created by Sheila the week before the exhibit, with words "Letters are symbols which turn matter into spirit", by Alphonse de la Martine. If you are in the area, and are interested in the lettering arts, don't miss this wonderful opportunity!

Flowers and Flourishes with Victoria Pittman

2009-05-11T14:38:00.000-04:00

On the first weekend in May, I was delighted to participate in Victoria Pittman's workshop, Flowers and Flourishes, which was held in Vienna, VA, and sponsored by the Washington Calligraphers Guild. Vicky enchanted us with her quick and colorful renderings of florals, leaves, grasses, and even bamboo. Most of us already treasure our "automatic pens", which we sometimes use for larger and more expressive calligraphy, so it was new and different to think of them in terms of painting. Shown below are a few examples of her class demonstrations in watercolor using these wonderful tools.

Next came my favorite technique. On the second day of the workshop, we moved on to acrylics, using Colour Shapers instead of brushes to paint wet on wet. The results were unexpected and very vibrant and organic. Here are a few examples.

Lectures at the Walters

2009-04-01T23:40:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, March 29, I made my way to the Walters Art Gallery in Baltimore, to attend excellent lectures by well known calligraphers and Washington Calligraphers Guild members Sheila and Julian Waters. Sheila's slideshow detailed her 60 year career as a professional calligrapher, and Julian discussed his various calligraphic and typographic projects, including wonderfully animated letterforms at a new exhibit at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. I was also fortunate enough to see the Saint John's Bible exhibit for the second time, having seen it two years ago at the Library of Congress. Sheila and Julian both also had work included in the exhibit. It was a visit to remember.

For those who are interested, Sheila is also exhibiting her life's work at Strathmore Hall in Gaithersburg, MD, beginning July 18.

SHEILA WATERS: CALLIGRAPHY RETROSPECTIVE
First Floor Galleries and Gudelsky Gallery Suite
July 18-August 22, 2009
In celebration of 60 Years of the Calligraphic Arts this exhibition follows the life journey and artwork of internationally renowned calligrapher and illuminator Sheila Waters.

Art Leauge of Germantown Spring Show April 24-26

2009-04-01T23:12:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to enter the Art League of Germantown's Annual Spring Fine Arts and Crafts Show this year, but it promises to be a special event, as usual!

"Shades of Spring"
at the BlackRock Center for the Arts
12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown, Maryland
10:00-5:00 Friday and Saturday, April 24-25
and 1:00- 4:00 Sunday, April 26

I will miss seeing my friend Kay at the show, as she has moved to Wyoming. Here she is in years past, with her hand painted silk scarves and sumi-e brush paintings.

Hermann Zapf Education Scholarship Fund

2009-04-01T20:43:00.000-04:00

One of the most rewarding moments in my calligraphic history came in the form of a letter advising me that I was was selected as the Spring/Summer 2001 recipient of the Zapf Education Fund Scholarship. The above image contains some sample pages of my lettering which were sent in with the application.

The scholarship, given to me by the Washington Calligraphers Guild and so generously funded by Hermann Zapf, one of the world’s leading type designers, provided $1000 toward future calligraphic endeavors. I was honored to use it for one year of private study with world renowned calligrapher Sheila Waters, who became my mentor and my friend, and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Sheila has over 60 years of calligraphic expertise and shares her knowledge willingly. I still continue to study and visit with her on a semi-private basis, and am always learning something new.

About Sheila: Sheila Waters (b.1929) attended the Medway College of Art in Kent, England at age 16, and later earned her masters degree from the Royal College of Art in London. There she studied calligraphy and lettering design under the tutelage of Dorothy Mahoney, assistant to the great pioneer of calligraphy, Edward Johnson.

At twenty-two, Waters was elected a Fellow of the Society of Scribes and Illuminators and began a career devoted to commissions for royalty, museums, libraries, collectors and publishers. Sheila was Peter Waters' fellow student at the Royal College of Art, and while there, Sheila and and Peter began their life-long collaboration (until his death in 2003), helping each other design projects and commissions.
While at The Royal College of Art, Peter studied under Roger Powell and in 1953, he became a partner in the bindery firm of Powell and Waters, making bindings commissioned by collectors, and working on the restoration of historical manuscripts. During her 60 years as a calligrapher, Sheila has made decorative designs for the Powell and Waters bindery, performed her own calligraphic commissions for royalty, collectors, museums, libraries and publishers, and raised their three sons, including Julian Waters, a leading lettering designer and typographer who was also protegé of the legendary German type designer Hermann Zapf.

After emigrating to the US in 1971, when husband Peter was appointed Chief of Conservation at the Library of Congress, Sheila inaugurated the program of calligraphy courses at the Smithsonian Institution, and also became the first President and founding member of the Washington Calligraphers Guild. She is a gifted teacher who has shared her extensive knowledge and techniques with calligraphers in innumerable workshops in North America and Europe. She travels extensively, lecturing and teaching for every major calligraphy society in North America, as well as hosting occasional workshops and classes in her home. Below is an image of her well-known "Roundel of the Seasons".