Logo designed by Judith Lovell
Newsletter Team Editor
Barbara Qualley
Proofreader
Eleanor Harris
Article coordinators
Liz MacDonald Kathy Marven
Front Cover Artist Back Cover Artist
Jeanette Rawek Joyce Gammie
Journal Issue #2 June 2018 Regular monthly meetings
GUIDELINES for submitting articles and photographs can be found at www.warmlandcalligraphers.ca/reflections.html
are held on the Second Tuesday of each month from 8:30am to 12:00pm (no meeting in July and August) Pearmine Room, Exhibition Grounds Duncan, BC (Exceptions are Pot Lucks in December and June)
Inside this issue
Previous Newsletters ended at Issue #66
Executive Meetings are held on the First Tuesday of each month at a member’s home from 9am to noon All members are welcome!
2 3 4 5
Playtime is held on the Fourth Tuesday of each month from 9am to 12pm Stratford Room, Exhibition Grounds Duncan, BC Annual Membership in Warmland Calligraphers includes online and print copy of Journal. Dues are C$30 for Canadian residents and US$30 for US/Int’l. Warmland Calligraphers of the Cowichan Valley (the Guild) is a non-registered non-profit group formed to facilitate the exchange of information between calligraphers and to promote interest in and appreciation of calligraphy as an art form within the community. Membership is open to calligraphers at all levels of expertise as well as those with a love of beautiful writing. Contents of this journal are copyrighted by the authors/artists. Requests for permission to reprint any part must be made through the Editor. The views of contributors are not necessarily those of the Executive or members of the Guild. Members are invited to submit concise pieces for publication as well as to alert the Editorial Committee to conferences, papers, speeches and other matters of interest to our readers. The Editorial Committee reserves the right to make editorial changes in material accepted for publication. These include such revisions or additions deemed necessary to ensure correctness of grammar and spelling, clarification of obscurities, brevity and conformity to the Reflections journal.
Contact us at: P.O. Box 2, Duncan, B C, V9L 3X1 Canada www.warmlandcalligraphers.ca
6 8 11 14 18 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 33 36 41 42 44 46 50 53 57 58 59
General Guild Information Outgoing & Incoming President’s Messages Front Cover Artist: Jeanette Rawek Back Cover Artist: Joyce Gammie 2018-2019 Executive Mentorship Awards Variations in Italic - Renée Alexander September Galleria - Sesquicentennial October Galleria - Favourite Flower November Galleria - Different tools on black January Galleria - Favourite City Coffee and Sweets Goodbye Elmo, Hello Hovercam Meeting Programme - September/October Meeting Programme - November/January Meeting Programme - February/March Meeting Programme - April/May Commissions No Ho Hum Envelopes - Betty Locke Deck The Hall Christmas Market Merry Christmas Cards & Pot Luck Luncheon February Galleria - No Paper March Galleria - Circular Letter Crafting Exhibition Introduction to Gilding and Illumination - Debbie Thompson Wilson A Medieval Sampler - Debbie Thompson Wilson April Galleria - Lettering Inspired by Recognized Artist Zentangles - Jerryann Haggart May Galleria - Copperplate and Blackletter Workshop Overview for 2018 Seattletters Goody Bag Donation Alexander School Poems Sunridge Place ‘Gallery’ Waldorf Sunrise School Class
Incoming President’s Message Denise Rothney It is daunting to try to fill the shoes of so many excellent Past Presidents, but I look forward to the challenge with the help of you all. My sincere thanks to out-going President Ria Lewis for her strong leadership, positive personality and her ability to make us all feel valued. The strength of our Guild is due almost entirely to the talent and enthusiasm of its members. The quality and quantity of the pieces created for our gallerias and exhibitions are extraordinary! I am sure it has much to do with the friendship and encouragement we receive
from our fellow Guild members. It also has to do with the tireless behind-the-scenes efforts of our Executive members and our volunteer teachers who help us achieve more than we ever thought we could! Thank you all for making Warmland Calligraphers look so good! We have a great year to look forward to with workshops from international calligrapher Gemma Black, Violet Smythe from Vancouver as well as several workshops given by our own multi-talented members. Can’t wait to see what we all produce! - Denise Rothney
Outgoing President’s Message Ria Lewis I think that “ParticipACTION” could just as easily be applied to our calligraphy guild. Where would the Guild be today if it weren’t for the many members who have participated in and put into action a myriad of activities, such as programmes, workshops, newsletters and exhibitions? Members who have gone into the community and schools and taught calligraphic skills that resulted in newly minted and enthusiastic calligraphers.
“ParticipACTION” was a federal slogan used decades ago to motivate Canadians to become more inv o l v e d i n p h ys i c a l ac t i v i t y. “ParticipACTION”, a word formed from participation and action.
pleasure to be able to have contributed to this wonderful Guild. The Guild offers a great opportunity to learn a lovely art, but also the opportunity to be a part of an organization, make many new friends and learn through sharing. I am looking forward to the next two years as Past President and to continue being part of the wonderful activities organized within the Warmland Calligraphers of the Cowichan Valley.
My two-year presidency came to an end this past March. Before that I served as Vice-president and Newsletter Publisher. It has been a most rewarding “ParticipACTION”. I have made new friends, learned much about administration and human resources, but most of all, it has given me an immense feeling of satisfaction and
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
- Ria Lewis
JUNE 2018
3
Front Cover Artist Jeanette Rawek After graduating from the Ontario College of Art in the Communications and Design Program, I was forced to go out and actually make a living. A legible cursive hand got me the introduction to engineering and lifelong employment (give or take) as a draftsperson. Calligraphy and I have crossed paths a few times over the years because the handwritten word as a graphic has always been a visual magnet to me. The artwork of the Guild members inspires me to try to create more depth and nuances in my work. The cover design is an expression of my path through the first two years as a member of Warmland Calligraphers and Elder College. Jeanette’s creative process
Back Cover Artist Joyce Gammie My starting point for this round design was a circle divided into sixteen equal segments. I printed the word ‘SPRING’ in each section alternating the direction each time from the outside of the circle toward the centre and then the centre toward the outside.
For the lettering around the circumference I used a whimsical alphabet based on Roman Caps which I felt suited the nature of the verse ‘Spring has sprung’.
The spaces created by the letters were filled with colour (I used watercolour pencils) to complete the design.
4
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
Executive Members 2018-2019 President Past President Vice President Meeting Programmes Secretary Treasurer Journal Editor Librarian Workshops Membership Webmaster
Denise Rothney Ria Lewis Ruth Rutledge Pat Wheatley Muriel Heggie Linda Lax Barbara Qualley David Carter Marilyn Boechler/Betty Locke Judy Lowood Barbara Qualley
Our thanks to these members and also to the Committee Chairs for volunteering their time to keep us informed and educated in all things calligraphic.
Mentorship Awards 2018 In 2015 the Guild introduced a Mentorship Programme. The Executive looks over applications in April, votes by secret ballot and awards two mentorships to TWO members who have applied to attend calligraphy conferences, taking place in the next 12 months. If the cost of the conference is over $1000, the recipient will receive the sum of $500; if the cost of the conference is under $1000, the recipient will receive the sum of $250. The awards are limited to one $500 and one $250. The Mentorship Programme application is not based on a particular level of calligraphic skill, and, therefore, may be awarded to anyone from beginner to advanced level of experience, but the applicant should have a basic knowledge of calligraphy.
June Maffin was the first recipient of an award in 2016. She received $500 and attended Letters California Style 2017. Lucy Hylkema was awarded $500 to attend LetterWorks 2017 and Laura Bethune was awarded $250 to attend Letters of Joy 2017.
Barbara will be studying Copperplate Masterclass: Dressed Up and Dancing the Night Away with Pat Blair.
News
of
the
2019
Montreal
Write-ups of the conferences and classes by these members appeared in the first issue of Reflections. Conference is starting to come in. At the April 2018 General Meeting, Ria Lewis was awarded $500 to attend Seattleletters in July 2018. As a special consideration, Barbara Qualley was awarded $250 to attend Seattleletters as no members applied for a conference in the ‘registration cost under $1000’ category.
It will be held at Bishop’s University
in Sherbrooke, Quebec. Ria will be studying with Barbara Close - Think It, Paint It, Write It, and Jane Shibata - Uncialicious!
The continuation of the Mentorship Programme is voted on annually as its future hinges on the health of the current bank account of the Guild. WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
June 29 to July 6, 2019 JUNE 2018
5
Variations in Italic - Renée Alexander November 8-9, 2017 nibs were! The shape of the space contained in the letter ‘o’ or ‘a’ or ‘p’ was indeed essential to my happiness. The space created by the angle our arches branched away from their stems (letters ‘h’ or ‘n’ or ‘u’ or ‘p’ for instance) was critical. Indeed.
In comparing my notes from Renée Alexander’s workshop, with the guidelines for submissions to Reflections I was happy to read that “sharing how the class enlarged our calligraphic growth” was considered at least as important as listing the steps taught.
But the human mind that created the computer has also posed the next challenge, calligraphically speaking, in the form of Gestural writing – an italicbased hand that erratically transforms writing into some often pleasing works of art. And this was what Renée’s workshop introduced us to – the principles underlying Gestural writing, (yes, there are some) and the
Renée Alexander
Renée Alexander
calligraphy rules we can happily abandon to write it - for example, pen ‘lifts’ to form letters. Gestural writing is italic based and thus uses ‘branches’ and ellipses. It still considers the relationship between letters – do they complement one another? are their contrasts so marked that they unbalance the whole piece? A very wide arch in an ‘n’ for example can really
Renée Alexander
I remember my first calligraphy workshop, ever, was Peter Thornton’s Basic Italics – and after recovering from the shock of focusing on one letter of the alphabet at a time, sometimes for 30 minutes or more and having every atom of its structure dissected in never imagined ways, and being amazed at how attentive all the other grown-ups in the room were to his every observation – I began (very slowly) to see from his sketchbooks and journals that his focus produced results – breathtaking results. It was indeed critical how many pen widths high our letters were, at what angle we were holding our pens – even how wide our pen
Whatever time I have given to the art of calligraphy since (nine years) has been dominated by careful copying of exemplars, with very specific guidelines. But, just as the ancient scribes who handwrote our first books looked up from their exacting labour one day to find an Encyclopedia salesman in their midst (so to speak), so we now must recognize that our treasured collections of picture books, Art texts, novels and poems and even our precious childhood favourites will all fit in an 8 x 11 inch electronic device with ‘clouds’ of room to spare! And what access to the world’s Art and Wisdom this “device” provides! With it a gifted calligrapher can create a beautiful hand and transform it into a computer font that they, or anyone else, can use to write any printed work. So easy!
6
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
Renée Alexander
enhance a sweet run of carefully formed diminutive letters. Relative letter size matters too, but not legibility – in the piece as a whole the right brain wins every time – Keeping the pen loaded with ink enables a smooth ‘flow’. Gestural is often written very quickly with the pen remaining on the paper longer than in formal italics, forming loops or joining letters in an unusual way – some very artistic ligatures can result. Including a very formal style such as Roman Caps or lower case Roundhand into a very loose piece provides a really pleasing contrast – see accompanying photos of some of our namecards. Also Google Denis Brown, Yves Leterme (especially his Trajan capitals) and a Norwegian calligrapher, new to me, Christopher Haanes, to see what can be achieved with the Gestural hand.
But as with the acquisition of any language (or skill) one must first acquire a vocabulary and that is what Renee’s workshop was about. Beginning with a brief review of Italics and its components, especially the letter branch (of n, u, p and m) she had us write the letter ‘n’ very small across the top of a page, next line the same, only larger until the whole page is filled. Then we did the reverse sizing using the letter ‘u’ – this exercise helps one ‘see’ the letter better especially when we alter the branch height. Repeating this exercise for all the alphabet letters helps us to see how they can fit into a gestural piece and to recognize our own idiosyncrasies in writing each letter. And because it is always easier to see the idiosyncrasies of others we also wrote
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
a sentence and exchanged it with our neighbour and tried to copy their style. We continued, varying letter width, height, slant and pen width, loosening our hand as we wrote. I came away glad I had gone but not convinced Gestural writing was my next mountain to conquer. It was a real pleasure to watch Renée form letters as she flawlessly demonstrated each technique – it is always inspiring to watch a well-mastered skill unfold in front of one, especially if it’s one you greatly desire yourself and I am very taken with her business card and our name cards that so beautifully contrast color, font styles and the Gestural hand. - Liz Moss
JUNE 2018
7
September 2017 Galleria Do a piece in recognition of Canada’s Sesquicentennial expressing your love of life in Canada. This piece may not include a facsimile of the Canadian Flag.
Susan Miller
Ria Lewis
Marion Craig
Laureen Woodruff
Linda Lax
8
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
Judy Lowood
JUNE 2018
Judi Hopewell
Paullette McLaren
Margaret Kells, Judith Lovell and Ruth Rutledge
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
9
Betty Locke
Jeanette Rawek
Denise Rothney
David Carter
Margaret Kells, Judith Lovell and Ruth Rutledge
10
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
October 2017 Galleria Choose a plant that has a special quality about it that inspires you to do a piece that combines art and calligraphy.
Mieke van der Vliet
Pat Wheatley
Laureen Woodruff
Margaret Kells
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
11
Judi Hopewell
Linda Lax
Judy Lowood
Joyce Gammie
Ria Lewis
12
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
Anne Atkinson
Betty Locke
Marion Craig
Jeanette Rawek
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
13
November 2017 Galleria Experiment with different tools and substances which show up well on black papers.
Joyce Gammie
Ria Lewis
Marion Craig
Judy Lowood
14
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
Betty Locke Pat Wheatley
Mieke van der Vliet Kathy Bedard
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
15
Linda Lax
David Carter
Barbara Qualley
Jeanette Rawek
16
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
Paullette McLaren
JUNE 2018
Judi Hopewell
Marion Craig
Ruth Rutledge
Margaret Kells
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
17
January 2018 Galleria Create a piece about a city of your choice. There should be twenty or more words. Lettering and illustration (if included) must be done in black and white plus one colour or gold. Piece must be 14” x 18” or larger BEFORE framing.
Margaret Kells
Jeanette Rawek
Joyce Gammie
18
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
Linda Lax
Anne Atkinson
Betty Locke
Ria Lewis
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
19
Marion Craig
Judy Lowood Carolynn Dallaire
Ruth Rutledge
20
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
Coffee and Sweets Linda Yaychuk of us had talked about dieting! Unfortunately I did not get a photograph of the freshly baked Stollen with almond paste. Adding to her sweet reputation, Linda also coordinates coffee and treats for our general meetings. We are never disappointed. For many years Linda has hosted our Executive meetings at her centrallylocated home. She even bought a new dining room table large enough to accommodate our crew!
Did I mention that Linda isn’t currently an Executive member? She definitely gets a gold star! Thank you, Linda, for all that you do for Warmland Calligraphers.
Just look at this stunning table setting that greeted us at the January 2018 Executive meeting. Good thing none
- Barbara Qualley
Goodbye Elmo Hello HoverCam!
At the January 2013 General Meeting, we introduced ELMO to the Guild. Thanks to the generosity of Betty Locke this document camera allowed members to see Galleria images in detail. ELMO was introduced to workshops and both students and instructors alike loved bringing focus to calligraphic details.
In November 2017 we introduced the HoverCam. This device is better at sending true colours to our projector and is much lighter to lug around. Just look at the size difference! It all fits so much better in the suitcase with the projector and cords.
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
ELMO found a new home at Brooks Shawnigan Lake (school) where I am sure both students and staff will be thrilled with its capabilities. - Barbara Qualley
JUNE 2018
21
Meeting Programme September - LetterWorks Conference Recap From June 24 - July 1, 2017, Liz MacDonald, Lucy Hylkema, Betty Locke, Judi Hopewell, Paullette McLaren and Judith Lovell (L to R, Back to Front) attended LetterWorks, the 36th International Lettering Arts Conference in Utah.
wi t h t he c a mar ad er ie wh ic h developed within the group.
the overall valuable experience especially Seattletters 2018 which will be held in Bellingham, Wa.
All gave a message of encouragement that as many members as possible should attend conferences for
- Margaret Kells
Each gave a synopsis of the workshops they attended and revealed experiences of learning new calligraphy techniques, as well as revisiting already known techniques for personal improvement. What they all demonstrated very clearly was the enthusiasm and enjoyment in attending the conference, along
Meeting Programme October - Penny Boden Penny Boden’s website says she helps aspiring artists gain skills and confidence, both in person and online. As well as being an art educator, Penny runs an online art school, an intuitive drawing course, blog and adds to her YouTube channel weekly. One word summary? Passionate! Penny's work has changed over the years. She no longer uses acrylic paint as she found using it was frustrating as the paint dried too quickly. She has developed a love for print making as she can make multiple copies and still retain her original. Throughout her talk, Penny emphasized the fact that drawing need not be stressful and that anyone can draw. She said that in order to draw well, you must first draw poorly. It's not being perfect that matters but the enjoyment you get out of the experience. 22
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
When asked about tracing Penny said that drawing was like your signature; it is yours alone. Tracing takes that aspect out of it. Put your own personality into your work and draw what interests you. In response to a question about using photographs, Penny indicated that you could use a photograph but not to become dependent on it. Use it as a reference to recreate the scene. She also noted the importance of lingering at the scene to enjoy scents and feelings that the view emits. That will translate into your artwork. In summary, Penny Boden's message was that drawing is a process - an experience that requires inspiration. - Linda
JUNE 2018
Yaychuk
Meeting Programme November - Celtic Knotwork - Lucy Hylkema The programme was presented by Guild member Lucy Hylkema. The subject was on the development of Celtic Knots, the information on which Lucy learned at the 2018 International Calligraphy Conference “LetterWorks” in Utah.
knot, and sharing core information on developing Celtic animal shapes within the knot. We were informed that the Celtic knot was developed by the monks of old as a path to God.
the idea of a full workshop on Celtic knots to be presented in the future. - Margaret Kells
Very helpful exemplars were distributed at the end of the presentation. The programme was illustrated with a video and humorous anecdotes of Lucy’s conference experience. Reference was made to the Book of Kells and the Lindisfarne G o s p e l s a n d m e m b e r s we r e en c o u r a g e d t o G o o g l e a n d v i e w high definition images from each.
The programme was very informative, introducing us to a step-by-step process for the creation of a Celtic
Guild members were absorbed in following Lucy’s directions, and very enthusiastically supported
Linda Yaychuk shows her paths
Meeting Programme january - Letters of Joy Recap - Laura Bethune For the Drop Cap part of the program Laura concentrated on Art Nouveau letters. She presented a sheet of letters using the Bocklin font. We each reproduced a letter and finished with shadowing. These textures and decorations are in the Art Nouveau style. During the Floral Inspirations part Laura provided a sheet of Lombardic letters. It was interesting to note that the name Lombardic was given by Edward Johnston who was the father of modern day calligraphy. After copying the letter of our choice, we decorated it with floral samples. During the January program Laura Bethune presented a workshop on the classes that she took at the Letters of Joy conference. This presentation was one of the requisites for receiving a mentorship from the Guild.
Unfortunately, Laura did not have time to inform us about working on black paper. However, the information that she did impart was interesting and well received by our members. Thank you, Laura.
Laura took three workshops; Drop Caps (embellished capitals), Floral Inspirations and Working on Black Paper.
- Linda Yaychuk
Carolynn Dallaire
Leslie Healy
Mieke van der Vliet
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
Kathy Bedard
JUNE 2018
23
Meeting Programme February- Nibology– Janet Peters The first half of this presentation was an activity where members made penholders using pre-cut doweling, PVC tubing and a hairdryer. Members were given a length of 1/4” doweling and a length of PVC tubing. Janet demonstrated how to assemble the penholder with the given materials, warming the end of the PVC tubing with the hair dryer, which allowed flexibility of the tubing when inserting a broad-edged nib. This produced a very serviceable penholder for minimum cost. Janet said that seven penholders could be made out of one length of doweling, and that
Bridget Bruneski
these penholders were suitable for broad-edged nibs only because of the pressure required to insert the nib between the doweling and the PVC tubing. Guild members assembled their own penholders and were impressed with the result.
The second half of Janet’s presentation was information regarding pointed nibs. She gave examples of the best makes of nibs for copperplate and Spencerian writing, along with the most suitable paper for each type of nib. Janet also gave advice on appropriate care of the nibs to prolong their life, and the varieties of inks to use, which ensure the most satisfactory results. Step-by-step instructions can be found on Warmland’s website, under Resources - Margaret Kells
Meeting Programme Joyce Gammie, Jeanette Rawek, Ruth Rutledge March - How To Approach A Blank Space This presentation was facilitated by members Joyce Gammie, Ruth Rutledge and Jeanette Rawek. It was a very enthusiastic, and enlightening presentation by all three, with sound advice on all aspects of starting a calligraphy piece. Suggestions were given for exploring initial ideas through books, magazines, the internet or the work of other artists for inspiration, or by using one’s own words. In planning the piece, thought has to be given as to the hand to be used, the size of the chosen hand, the focal point, the layout and division of space,
particularly if the piece is to be framed when completed. Recommendations were made as to the use of thumbnail sketches, and tracing paper for the layout, and being prepared to make changes and adjustments before doing the final piece. Thought should also be given to the medium, colour, light and dark areas to be used, and the balance of these with each other. After preparing a rough copy of the piece, one should stand back and view it from a distance, or turned upside down, or viewed in a mirror to ensure that the At Betty Locke’s class on Decorated Envelopes, each student was given a stamp and instructed to decorate an envelope appropriately, take a photo of it and send to Betty. I used my stamp to contribute to the display at Letter C r a f t i n g , o ur 2 0 1 8 Portals exhibition.
desired effects have been achieved before doing the final piece. One interesting tip, most had never heard of before, was to look at the piece through the wrong end of binoculars. A final suggestion was that one could listen to music (Mozart was recommended) to put one in a relaxed frame of mind while implementing the ideas. A senior member of the Guild said it was one of the best presentations that we have ever had. - Margaret Kells
I wondered if the Post Office would like the peek-a-boo effect. Laurie, the postal clerk, loved it. She has been hand cancelling mail from members for many years, first at Country Grocer/Thrifty’s and then Crazy 8s. Now she is at London Drugs postal outlet. After hand cancelling, she said she would put it in a protective envelope. Now that is service. Thanks Laurie! - Barbara Qualley
24
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
Meeting Programme April– Pilot Parallel Pen Workbook - ALICE YOUNG Colours and Curves Building a Book was the title of a presentation by Guild member Alice Young on her new book "Colours and Curves - a Pilot Parallel Pen Workbook" .
Alice showed a video of the process of developing her book from its inception through printing and selfpublishing, and its eventual 80% distribution by John Neal in the United States and 20% by her in Canada.
support she was given along the way. Fortunately Alice came to the meeting with many copies of the book, which we were able to view, and purchase with great enthusiasm. - Margaret Kells
She spoke about the challenges she faced during the process, and the
The book is a step-by-step approach to learning calligraphy using the Parallel Pen, which is a new tool for some Guild members. Comprehensive instructions, exemplars, advice on skill development and an introduction to the Gentle Gothics alphabet are included in the book.
Meeting Programme May - Weaver Writing - Marilyn Lundstrom May's programme was a presentation by Guild member Marilyn Lundstrom, on Weaver Writing. Gwen Sartwell Weaver was an American artist, teacher and calli gr ap her who became known for her own unique style of calligraphy. She died in 2013 at the age of 63 years, after a long illness. The Weaver alphabet is written with a pointed nib in a oblique pen holder, having greatly enlarged ascenders and descenders on some of the letters, and an exaggerated slope to the roundness of other letters. There are no capital letters with this alphabet.
alphabet, letter by letter. She demonstrated the basic strokes with pressure on the downstrokes and then with pressure-release-pressure on the downstrokes, using a Brause EF 66 nib. Guild members used a 3B or 4B pencil to do their practice letters. The thicks and thins were noticeable.
Judging by the comments made in working through letters of this alphabet, participants found it a most enjoyable exercise, and there was indication of this hand becoming a favourite with Guild members. - Margaret Kells
An exemplar sheet and a practice sheet were distributed and Marilyn guided the group through the Weaver
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
25
Calligraphy Commissions Barbara Qualley
Occasionally an email request is received to do a piece of calligraphy. As webmaster, I send those requests to members and ask if anyone is interested in the project. In November 2017 such a request was received and when there were no takers, I decided to letter Abou Ben Adhem myself. It was a daunting task as my italic was rusty. The finished piece measured 14” x 18”. The punctuation posed a problem, so I retained quotation marks but kept periods and commas to a minimum. Italic, Higgins Eternal ink, Speedball C5, 24k gold title
26
On January 9, 2018 another request was received to letter a student’s Haiku on a matte. Again, no takers, so I took this one on too. From the submitted photo, I thought the piece was in the 16” x 20” range and assumed the frame was easy to disassemble. If only! It was about 30” x 36”. It took five hours to complete this job. Suzanne Cannon had just released her font “Chalkline Funk”. The hand lettered style seemed appropriate to the artwork. I first printed a copy of the lettering for student’s Mum to approve, then the real fun began.
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
First, I removed the 1/2” staples holding the protective corners. Then the black paper backing. I did it without tearing and in the end I was able to reuse it. That care and being able to use Linda Yaychuk’s dart gun to re-assemble meant the client didn’t have to go to a framer. A few dollars saved, for sure. I measured, lined, lettered, erased, swept crumbs, polished off fingerprints and reassembled. The client’s 13-year old son is thrilled to have his lettering on this beautiful print. Faber-Castell, Pitt Artist Pen, M
JUNE 2018
No Ho Hum Envelopes Betty Locke
November 20 and 27, 2017
I think that by now all members know Betty NEVER sends a ho hum envelope out of her home. The gardener, tax man, travel agent, friends, family and many more have been thrilled recipients of her thoughtfully designed envelopes. Now Warmland members are tasked with the same challenge. Of course, our postal service demands that the address be clearly written. Using a Pigma monoline pen will produce waterproof lettering with a nice weight. Roman caps at a height of 1/8” to 1/4” will do nicely. From there, the sky is the limit.
Writing the address in a single, straight line at the bottom of the envelope is appropriate to most designs. But when the design allows it is often a better choice to write in slightly curved lines.
Laureen Woodruff (above) and Pat Wheatley (below) radiated letters from the upper right corner.
Try writing a person’s name in a variety of letter heights and weights. Look at all the ‘A’s above. Quite the challenge for Debbie Craig!
Got a long name? Play with letter sizes and lengths. Barbara Qualley hung letters from a line. Carroll McLaurin’s flourished design is contained within a circle. (Remember to erase the guideline.)
If the word ‘decorated’ scares you off, don’t worry. You don’t have to be an artist to achieve a great envelope. I think we all have a 1/4” or 1/2” flat brush in our kit. Simple curves or straight lines radiating from a circle are very dramatic.
Barbara Qualley used a pointed brush for her oriental flower bouquet.
And a final note: It is usually best to place a stamp square in the upper right - Barbara Qualley corner.
Leslie Healy’s candles and snowflakes.
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
27
DECK THE HALL CHRISTMAS MARKET NOVEMBER 25 - 26, 2017 Deck the Hall 2017 was yet another successful means of advertising Warmland Calligraphers. We had a number of enquiries about our guild and cards and brochures were taken by interested people. Both children and adults delighted in having a special someone's name hand lettered onto a free gift tag. We received many positive comments on the appearance of our booth. We managed to back the bulletin board with calligraphed Christmas wrapping paper. Our thanks go out to those members who provided goods and manned the booth on Saturday and Sunday. - Linda Yaychuk
28
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
MERRY CHRISTMAS 2017 & POT LUCK LUNCHEON
Christine Hill Trish Peebles
Margaret Kells
Marilyn Boechler
Anne Atkinson
Barbara Qualley
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
Linda Yaychuk
JUNE 2018
29
Liz MacDonald
Pat Wheatley
Carolynn Dallaire
Judy Lowood
Betty Locke
Violet Smythe
30
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
31
Marion Craig
32
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
February 2018 Galleria Using a vehicle other than paper do a quote of your choice.
Ostrich egg by Barbara Qualley
Japanese net float by Denise Rothney
Joyce Gammie
Replica Tahitian mourning dress by Marion Craig
Rabbit skin drum and lettering by Margaret Kells
Lipstick on a mirror by Ida Marie Threadkell
Eggshells by Jeanette Rawek
Clay Illuminaire by Charlotte Whiteley
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
33
Metal ducting tape by Betty Locke
Pauline Thompson
Garry Oak slices by Carroll McLaurin
Mary Ann Gerwing
Anne Atkinson
Cowichan river rock by Simone LaVoie
34
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
Lucy Hylkema
Slate coasters by Judi Hopewell
Engraved dish by Judi Hopewell
Crab shell by Judy Lowood
Acid etched bracelet by Linda Lax
Plywood leaf by Gail Robb
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
Oyster shell by Pat Wheatley
JUNE 2018
35
March 2018 Galleria Do a circular piece. Piece must include words or letters.
Barbara Qualley
Judi Hopewell
Marianne Sanders
Paullette McLaren
David Carter
36
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
Judi Hopewell
JUNE 2018
Marilyn Lundstrom Linda Lax
Mieke van der Vliet
Debbie Craig
Charlotte Whiteley
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
Gail Robb
JUNE 2018
37
Kathy Marven
Ria Lewis
Denise Rothney
Judy Lowood
Kathy Bedard
38
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
Betty Locke
Bridget Bruneski Margaret Kells
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
39
Marion Craig Jeanette Rawek
Ruth Rutledge
40
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
Letter Crafting Exhibition Portals Gallery (Cowichan Valley Arts Council) layouts and then I sat with Judith Lovell and we discussed the finer points of layout. After a few back and forth emails, the final layout was decided and sent off to the printers to make the big poster. Thank you Judith and Betty. With the deadline fast approaching everything was coming together with the cooperation of the membership. Thank you to Laureen Woodruff for collecting the envelopes and although the cute post box display she designed was unable to be utilized, the envelopes were displayed well.
It was an honour to be asked to coordinate the show for Warmland Calligrap her s in Por tals, the permanent gallery for the Cowichan Valley Arts Council. I met with Carmen Hildebrand just before Christmas 2017 and plans were swiftly underway to prepare for the show. It was going to be a bit different from other shows we had ever done. There was a professional-style poster to create, biographies and photos to insert into a book, slide show to organize, demo schedule to coordinate, envelopes to collect, inventory sheets to prepare two weeks ahead and artwork to organize. First challenge was to ask the membership to send a picture of the piece(s) they would like to submit. We were dealing with limited space so we asked for two pieces but to identify their first choice and to include the width of the piece as it would hang. I have to congratulate the participants on getting me the information so quickly and with little or no nagging from me. Thank you everyone.
to Betty Locke for allowing her exemplars to be included here too. A special request came from Vancouver Island University for someone to talk to students about the art and history of Calligraphy. Thank you to Betty and Denise Rothney for taking the time to meet with the students in Portals gallery. Many thanks to all the Guild members, many who did not hang in the show, who sat in the lobby or inside Portals demonstrating calligraphic skills and hands.
Many thanks to Judy Lowood for coming over one day to do a story board of all the art work on pieces of cardstock. It was invaluable when it came time to hang the show. The decisions about the layout were played out on the cardstock. This made the actual hanging of the show less stressful with just a few tweaks and we were ready to go. The show was hung in record time.
Thank you to Carolynn Dallaire for the colourful sign directing people to the demos and the show. There were so many great verbal comments by the visitors to the Portals staff and written in the guest books. Debbie ThompsonWilson wrote "What a talented group! So glad I saw your show". Others said: Loved the flow; Inspired and in awe; Seeing and appreciating for the third time; Lovely! Enjoyed the variety; Terrific talent here!
Our show included 35 framed and 10 unframed work by 21 participants. We were fortunate to have the Portals venue and our work was shown to over 505 visitors. We made nine sales and a whole lot of fans. All the brochures were picked up and a lot of the ‘You’re Invited’ cards too. We may be seeing some new members!
I think it is easy to say we put on a nice show but it is never just one person. If not for Warmland Calligraphers being so forthcoming to volunteer and provide materials so effortlessly the show could not have happened. As a Guild we can stand proud. - Charlotte Whiteley
Our slide show was a big hit and many thanks go to Barbara Qualley for providing most of the pictures and
Please visit our website/resources/ exhibition to view all images .
Next item was the poster and I want to thank Betty Locke for producing five or six alternate layouts of the title Letter Crafting in calligraphy for this poster. Next I did a few WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
41
Debbie Thompson Wilson Introduction to Gilding and Illuminating create ridges. Use an old brush as the glue ruins the brush. It will take a few minutes to dry to a tacky surface. Debbie introduced us to Frogtape, a very low tack tape, to secure our small work paper to a board. ($9.28 with tax.)
I had admired Debbie Thompson Wilson’s miniatures for some time, but hardly thought I’d be capable of producing one of my own. However, there I was watching Debbie demonstrate the correct method of applying the DUX (glue/sizing to hold the gold) to the design. We started the class by creating a block of diapering, (a geometric pattern used as background in Medieval paintings) that Debbie supplied for us. The small squares were to be done in gold, blue and red gouache - colours used by Medieval Illuminists. Originally these traditional colours were created by grinding gemstones: Vermillion Red (Rubies), Ultramarine Blue (Sapphires) and Viridian Green (Emeralds). Work from light to dark: red to blue to green. But first the steps. Start by rubbing the back of the design to be traced with a soft pencil, 4B or 5B. Trace over it onto Hot-press 140 lb. water colour paper - Saunders-Waterford is preferred over Arches. Use a kneaded eraser to pick up the extra pencil lead. Apply DUX onto the area to be gilded. (Tip: mix a small amount of red colour into the DUX to show where it has been applied, as it dries transparent.) Just drop the glue on. Do NOT overwork the glue or it will 42
Cut a strip of gold about ¼ inch wide to work with. Use clean, sharp scissors or the gold will stick to them. Apply the gold, (shiny-side down), press firmly with your finger and lift. The gold will stick. Go onto the next square. If the gold does not stick, the glue might need to be reconstituted, so breathe your warm breath onto it. After the gold has been applied, take a sharp X-acto knife and clean up the edges as paint will not
Leslie Healy
adhere to the gold. Leave a miniscule white line between blocks (if you can) for the finishing outline- with black or sepia pen (The Faber-Castell brand is waterproof unlike the Pigma Micron which will bleed if touched by water) (sepia preferred by Debbie). Once all the edges are cleaned up, apply the gouache (size 0 or smaller brush) doing all of one colour before the next, red 1st, then blue. Try not to paint over the gold. Let it dry. Use a ruler to outline the outside of the box
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
Leslie Healy
first. Draw the vertical lines towards you (a general rule in drawing any line: draw it towards you). Turn the paper and to the horizontal lines. Do the white work with the fine paint brush and opaque white gouache mixed to a creamy consistency. Tooling can be done on the gold to give a dimpled effect. Place your work on several sheets of paper to pad it. Use a small pointed object, such as an awl or embossing stylus and press into the gold to make dent. Outline in black or sepia. It can be done now or after the squares are painted. Artificial gold leaf is harder to work with but it gives more choices. Real gold comes in 28 colours from 2024k. Check out a Sepp Sample Sheet for available colours. To mail cards using gold, enclose the cards in a glassine envelope (You can get these envelopes at the Post Office when you purchase stamps.) Use double-sided tape to hold artificial gold in place to make a clean line for outlining. Brush away what is extra. Watercolours
Kathy Marven
made with mica can also be used to a nice effect. Paint the paper first with a thin coat of Yellow Ochre first and then apply the gold gouache. Fine Tec gold is available at Scott’s Toys & JUNE 2018
Books recommended by Debbie
The dragons turned out so well. I love mine although there are a few little errors I hope will disappear in future work as I improve my technique. Everyone’s work was lovely, as was the diapering and small leaves pattern.
We secured our work in the small books Debbie had made for us, with transparent photo holders. A lovely way to way to remember two very informative days. Thanks Debbie! - Mary Nelson
A well-prepared Brian Queen travelled from Calgary to attend the class.
Hobbies in Duncan Use acrylic paint to write on faux gold. Glue dots, flat or raised, can be used to good effect with a bit of gold stuck to them. Schminke Gold if mixed with a small amount of water works well. Dragon work: Darken tips of leaves with Alizarin red, Payne grey on blue, and neutral tint, made by Holbein, or Daniel Smith to darken green and blue leaf tips to give more depth. On the dragon use Alizarin Red top of body, nostril, under chin and under eye. Put a dot of white in the eye to make it pop. Add white work. (This white work was used in the Gothic era) As before, always draw lines towards yourself. Take a deep breath, let it out and then draw. (Move your page!) Black or sepia lines go on last. When doing a larger work with writing, do writing first, then the design, then gild, and then colour. To resurrect a dried-up tube of water colour, first tighten lid then cut off the top and bottom of tube and cut down middle of tube. Keep chunks of colour and use them to work with. Keep them in old pill bottles, etc. In all, it was so interesting and so engaging that I forgot I wasn’t good at it, and just plowed along. This is available in our Guild library #0.029
Debbie supplied us with many stories and ‘Did You Know’s’ and kept us busy and entertained. Mary Nelson
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
43
Debbie Thompson Wilson A Medieval Sampler
gouache and adding dots of gold made our leaf forms beautiful. It was an excellent way to start the workshop giving all the chance to have some success and to review the procedures which prepared us for the challenges which were to come in replicating more complicated compositions which included the acanthus leaf.
44
Included in this workshop were faces and drapery. We prepared for this by trying the face of a bearded king. Flesh tone was achieved by starting with a very light coat of yellow ochre. More depth was achieved by adding a very small amount of red to yellow ochre in another wash to achieve a more robust flesh tone. Eyes and noses in early Medieval times were “formulaic”. Men and women were almost indistinguishable from one another except for hair length. More differentiation between the sexes occurred later when illustration became more refined. We learned the significance of the number “2” in drawing the eyebrow, the line for the nose and the area under the nose. Knowing this little device reaps benefits when one is creating these images. A three quarters facial view was preferred by Medieval scribes. Our work on the bearded king, even though we were all working from the same image, was quite different. Each of us puts our own mark on what we do. (see photo of faces). The second day we were encouraged to try doing a medieval woman. This was challenging. Thank goodness for the images provided by Debbie and our ability to try to emulate the subtleties in the colouring. From time to
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
Heraldry was also included in our workshop. This vast field of shapes and helmets and images of beasts was overwhelming. From the huge number of considerations, we chose an image that we would like to try. For this we had no guide as to colour so had to invent our own using some of the common colours of heraldry (or
1 1/2” square
The acanthus leaf, a decoration constantly used by the medieval scribes was our first project. Learning how to successfully make an acanthus leaf turn and how to work from light to dark was an excellent basis for the rest of the workshop. Outlining and adding small embellishments in white
time we were shown images from history and images she had done. We enjoyed seeing images and having her commentary. Cam (the new Elmo) was appreciated.
Betty Locke Actual size
It was heaven for the seventeen of us who enjoyed the delight of The Medieval Sampler under the expert instruction of Debbie Thompson Wilson. She regaled us with the ins and outs of Medieval illumination for two days. She is a font of wisdom about the folkways and mores of medieval times. Every time she uttered a pithy bit of information I was enthralled. Who knew that the awful lower jaw problems of the royalty at this time was due to in-breeding?
not) Red Blue Black sometimes sky blue, mulberry or sanguine. This attempt was our last for the workshop. For me it was a pleasure to deal with a griffin-like creature. We are fortunate to have Debbie return us for the third time. The last time was in 2011. To have our enthusiasm reinstituted again for this exacting work was wonderful. - Betty Locke
JUNE 2018
$12.50
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/ page.aspx?cat=1,42363&p=74788
I found that books.google.ca gave a nice peek inside these recommended books. Trying searching for others!
We all worked from a basic drawing of Debbie’s and the result, even though we were all doing the same thing with the same proportions, it all came out so differently. We did not create. We really just did painting but some of our transfers were quite different. It is sort of like the birthday party in which you tell a secret and it goes around the table and all comes out differently.
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
45
April 2018 Galleria Select a recognized artist you admire and do this quotation in the way your artist might do it in his style of art.
Barbara Qualley Artist: H Eric Bergman, linocut artist
Laureen Woodruff Artist: Denise Rothney, embossing The lettering was inspired by Dr. Keith Yates a hand plastic surgeon who I got to observe many times in the OR, his scalpel skills were incredible and the lettering was to show the incisions that were done with such skill and proficiency , he was a master at his craft, an artist with a scalpel.
Jeanette Rawek Artist: Piet Mondrian - Broadway Boogie Woogie
46
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
Pat Wheatley Artist: Aubrey Beardsley
JUNE 2018
Due to limitations set by Issuu the last 15 pages of this publication are unavailable
WARMLAND CALLIGRAPHERS - REFLECTIONS
JUNE 2018
47