Issue #6
January 2010
THE B I RM ING HAM C ALLI G R A P HY G U I LD ’S N E WS LE T TE R www.birminghamcalligraphy.org
Holiday Card Exchange is a Huge Success
Next BCG Event: February 8th 6:30-8:30 PM General Meeting
Mountain Brook Board of Educ. 32 Vine Street
Christmas Card Competition Design a card to enter in the Birmingham Calligraphy Guild competition! The deadline will be May 31. We will find 3 non-members and nonfamily judges to decide on the winning design. The card will be printed by July. We will look for holiday bazaars and other venues in which to sell the cards…and probably other calligraphic designs. The proceeds from the sale of the cards with go toward off-setting the cost of the rent for workshops. Look for updates in the details for the contest.
Fun-raiser!
The Christmas Brunch that President Bettie Perkins hosted for the Birmingham Calligraphy Guild was a festive occasion. We dined on some of the Perkinses’ family favorite recipes and everything was delicious! Members of the Huntsville Guild also joined us for this fun occasion. Every nook and cranny of Bettie’s home was decorated for the holidays. The centerpieces on her kitchen and dining room tables were the topic of conversation. She has a collection of antique glass tree toppers that comprised the dining room centerpiece. The kitchen table arrangement was an attractive wrought iron piece holding several votive candles and fresh greenery with the Jackson vine that Bettie grows with dried roses winding through the candelabra. We exchanged our handmade Holiday Cards following the feast. We appreciate Bettie challenging us to participate in a card exchange. It was such fun to see all the different cards and to have so many wonderful cards to take home with us. Bettie made us gift bags decorated with gingerbread men to hold our treasures. It was a very memorable and special time for all who came. Thanks so much to Bettie for treating us to a wonderful Christmas event. -by Marsha Wood (Some of the Holiday cards are pictured above...Sorry I couldn’t fit all of them)
Mark Your Calendars Upcoming Events: Monday, February 8th: General Meeting 6:30-8:30 Mtn. Board of Educ Saturday, March 6th: Workday with Barbara Mitchell 8:30- noon Amazing Uncials! March 19-20: Jacqueline Sullivan Workshop* Metal Etching, Monoprinting and Paper Decoration Monday, April 5th: General Meeting April 17-18th: Rosemary Buczek Workshop* TBA-exciting new topic! June 5th: Workday with Jim Davis Bill Lilly’s tips for enhancing your lettering July 10-11: Sharon Zeugin Workshop* “The journey is the destination” journal book Saturday, August 7: Orientation Fair TBA October 2-3: Xandra Zamora Workshop* “Not Yo Mama’s Paste Paper” and Copperplate Calligraphy December 2-3: BCG Fundraiser All of the Birmingham Calligraphy Meetings and Saturday Workdays are free with paid membership! * Please reserve your place by sending a check for $50.00 per class made out to Birmingham Calligraphy Guild to : Ann Steves 5637 Hampton Road Birmingham, AL 35210 (note on check which workshop you want!)
Reggie Ezell’s Primitive to Modern Class has started!
In 2010 Reggie will be embarking upon his fourth year of Primitive to Modern Classes. The classes will be 2 days long - from 9 to 5 on Saturday and Sunday one weekend six times during the year. The materials are totally new and different from his year-long class 26 Seeds: A Year to Grow! Contact: Dana Jacobson if interested! dj18a@yahoo.com
Upcoming Conferences: IAMPETH: August 9-14 in Orlando, FL www.iampeth.com/2010_convention.php Odyssey 2010: July 24-31 Stonehill College, MA www.2010calligraphyconference.com Alberta Calligraphy Conference: Aug.8-13
www.cirsonline.ca/letteringartsguild/abc_2010-info.pdf
Workshop News: Barbara Mitchell recently had the opportunity to take a workshop with Sharon Coogle. The class was one of the better classes I’ve taken. Not only because I LOVE the Gothicized Italic hand, but because Sharon was such an extraordianarily talented teacher. She knew just the right things to say so it would click in your brain how to form the letters she was teaching. I hope Birmingham Guild will be fortunate enough to have Sharon come teach a class. She is not only talented, but a fun, creative and most delightful individual. - Barbara Mitchell
Nibbler Bits Graceful Envelope Contest A Stream of Letters Design an envelope that celebrates letters or lakes, books or brooks, alphabets or aqua, words or water conservation, the mailstream or a mountain spring -- or any idea that flows from our theme and your creativity -and address it artistically to: The Graceful Envelope Contest Washington Calligraphers Guild P.O. Box 3688 Merrifield, VA 22116 Envelopes must be postmarked by Friday, April 30, 2010. http://www.calligraphersguild.org/envelope.html
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PUBLISHED!
Look in January”s Birmingham Magazine and you will find 3 of our guild members featured on pages 98-100. Congratulations to Melinda Sapp, Deb Warnat and Marsha Lassiter for displaying their wonderful calligraphy and designs!
Who Do I Contact? For workshop details? Suzan Bishop, 326-3926 sofbishop@gmail.com Meeting Information? Bettie Perkins, 256-8816198 bettiejoyce@bellsouth.net Workday Information? Marsha Lassiter, 967-0969 mml4205@charter.net Join or pay dues to BCG? Ann Steves, 956-5493 p47ams@yahoo.com ($25.00 to BCG)
Meet Leah Dueffer Leah is from Huntsville and lives in Vestavia Hills.Her husband, Heinz is an ER doctor at Baptist Shelby. She loves doing so many different types of crafts, so adding calligraphy was a natural fit. She makes cards, scrapbooks, knits and now she is learning how to sew. Professionally she is a freelance copy editor and is currently working for Filmaker Magazine. Last spring Leah took a calligraphy class with Deb Warnat and fell in love with copperplate! “Learning Copperplate has opened up a whole new world of ideas for me.” Leah is pictured above with Brett Michaels taken in NYC while working for People.(Caught your attention...didn’t it?) Leah is our E-mail Communications liason. We appreciate her jumping with both feet into our guild. Make sure you have her email in your address book ( leah_dueffer@yahoo.com) so her email doesn’t end up in junk mail!
Board Meeting Minutes
Please read to find out what is going on in your guild! Constructive comments are welcome! Bettie Perkins <bettiejoyce@bellsouth.net>
Those attending were Ann Steves, Leah Dueffer, Deb Warnat, Louise Meredith, Mary Ann Morrow, Eve London, Dana Jacobson, Bettie Perkins. Many thanks to Ann for hosting. A. The first order of business was the treasurer’s report. Ann reported $3,346.25 in the treasury and stated that an updated membership list would soon be sent out-------has now been sent. It was agreed that all monies ( dues,workshop deposits, payments, etc. ) would be sent directly to the treasurer for simplicity and consistency. It is also important to specify what the check is covering. Ann reported 3 inquiries about the guild. She sent information and invited them to the Feb. 8 meeting. B. Newsletter: Any items to be included in the upcoming Nibbler should be sent to Eve ASAP as she is planning to get the next issue out before the February 8 general meeting. It is so helpful and appreciated to have the membership contribute articles of interest for the newsletter. C. There was a discussion on the current meeting facility versus changing to a less expensive site assuming a suitable one could be located. Several members are in favor of staying at the MBBE and absorbing the additional costs personally . Possibly the guild could contribute to the workshop fees especially if the planned fundraiser nets a profit. We may need to vote on a location change. D. An animated discussion on the responsibilities / transitioning method of the Workshop Chairs was inconclusive although many salient points were addressed. Notably : the chairs should provide a bio on the instructor , a description of the workshop as well as a materials list. As our workshops are not filling up very quickly, it was felt this would help prospective participants make selections. Proposed workshops should be presented to the board. A general interest survey of desired workshops could be helpful, too. E. A committee is being formed to update and revise the operating guidelines for the BCG. F. A possible fundraiser delineated by Suzan Bishop was met with much enthusiasm. This involves selling guild-produced boxes of Christmas cards at an annual Crafts Fair hosted by Suzan’s workplace in early December. The card selected to be reproduced would be chosen via a Design Competition. The proceeds from the sale of these cards would go the BCG. Suzan and Louise will be co-ordinating this project. Additionally all interested members are encouraged to participate in the Fair by selling their own work. There is no entry fee for this. Those profits belong to the individual members not the guild. G. Concern was expressed on ways we could reach the larger community and possible new members that this guild exists and what we do. Eve suggested producing a postcard with examples of calligraphy and our contact information on it. This could be left at art stores and other likely venues. Eve will be working to get this project underway. F.
Next board meeting will likely be in April with date TBA.
Officers of the Birmingham Calligraphy Guild (Les Elumineurs*) President- Bettie Perkins Vice President-Marsha Lassiter Treasurer/Membership- Ann Steves Recording Secretary- Melinda Sapp Workshop Chairs- Suzan Bishop, Deb Warnat, Barbara Mitchell and George Dorsey Email Communications: Leah Dueffer Corresponding Secretary:Shirley Sawyer Web Site/ Historian: Mary Ann Morrow Hospitality: Mary Raines Harper Long Term Classes: Dana Jacobson Exhibits/Publicity: Louise Meredith
The Birmingham Calligraphy Guild welcomes both amateurs and advanced calligraphers. All you need is an interest in hand lettering. If you would like to join: Contact Ann Steves p47ams@yahoo.com Dues are $25.00 to Birmingham Calligraphy Guild (September 1- August 31) Mail your dues to: Ann Steves 5637 Hampton Road Birmingham, AL 35210 205-956-5493 Being a member keeps you up to date with events and workshops! Don’t hesitate... Join today!