New Zealand Calligraphers

Margaret Beech visits us. 

By 'out and about' reporter Hillary

                                                                                               Margaret is a generous, charming, story teller come bookmaker/calligrapher who spent the afternoon sharing her passion and ingenuity about making books, with us. Answering our questions, showing us how to do the tricky bits - the time just flew.  Margaret sees potential, and has many ideas about adapting templates, putting her own twist on various constructions.                                              

                                                                                      Left: These are made from wallpaper. The wallpaper can be straightened by soaking in the bath and lying flat to dry. Place paper shapes on top of each other, offset by a fingers-width lengthwise, even top and bottom, cut pattern with craft knife through all layers at centre, separate and tap spine end even, bind as you wish.

A series of progressively smaller envelopes which are sewn on one edge in a traditional pamphlet stitch. Assemble each one closed on top of each other

                                                                                                         

Margaret explaining the cutout map of York and the folded pocket that it fits into. The template came from Tabellae Ansata vol 1 no. 2 . Do you fold first? Before cutting? Which is better?

A delighful construction made for Jubilee Year. That edition had very small flags going across the rooves of the houses. The house constuction was collaged from magazines in front of the TV. If you looked carefully you could see shirt patterns as windows, the Olympic torch as a house and a roofing ad acting as roof. When the collage was finished it was colour printed and assembled.

These structures would adapt very well to calligraphy projects, I for one will be trying to see what I can do. Thank you Margaret for sharing your precious time with us.