This has only just been bought to my attention and it will be too late for most of us to get there. I am sorry. Perhaps there is a member that attended and would like to write a short piece about the experience, please just send Hillary an email.

Gemma Black is teaching calligraphy in Italy. There is more information on her blogsite click here and some really, really beautiful work. I might even be tempted to buy a lotto ticket. It would be wonderful.

Auckland Calligrapher's new meeting place 

48 Windmill Road, Tuesday, October 2nd, from 6pm.

A change of venue for those who attend the monthly meetings in Auckland. It's at no. 48 Windmill Road, from the road it's the building on the right hand end. The entry door is behind the upright short fence that has the Embroiderer's Guild sign. The rooms are light and airy during the day and seem to have plenty of light for evening. The tables are already up and waiting for us. We have the added bonus of being able to set up and start a little earlier than before, the cost will be the same - $5 per evening per person. Rose has to collect the key on the way and it will be a close call for her to get there by 6pm knowing Auckland traffic. So entry to the building will be sometime after 6pm, first evening will be a bit of a time trial and if Rose cannot manage we will reconsider. We have moved the day to the first Tuesday of the month - October 2nd. Bring along your usual calligraphy supplies, and please think about what you would like to accomplish for the rest of the year. We will have a discussion and try for a plan that suits us all.

Waikato Pointed Brush Lettering Workshop

More information

Click on image to enlarge 

REGISTRATION FORM: 
Pointed Brush Lettering Workshop

NAME: ................................................................................................................... 
ADDRESS: ............................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................
E‐MAIL ADDRESS : ............................................................................................. 
PHONE NO: .......................... FEE ENCLOSED $.............................

This workshop is limited to 16 people, so register early to be sure of a place. We are planning to provide a catered lunch for $14.00 (payable on the day). If you do not opt for this you will need to bring your own lunch. Tea and coffee provided.

I would like to have lunch provided: Yes /No (circle one) If you have any dietary requirements such as vegetarian/ gluten free comment here: ......................................................................................................

Please print and post completed registration form to: E.Riddell, 5 Dunsford Mews, Hamilton, 3204, with a cheque for $30 (made out to E.Riddell). If you prefer to pay online, e‐mail waikatocalligraphers@gmail.com  for the account details. Enquiries to Pamela Fricker (07) 8345605 

Waikato Brush lettering Workshop

Graffiti (after reading L.A.R. Editor's letter) 

In the Letter Arts review 26:3 Christopher Calderhead (Editor) writes about the graffiti technique. I do hope you get to read his letter, it should be in the library soon. It got me thinking that I should try and find some graffiti in my home city and yes, we have graffiti and taggers. I met some today, articulate, keen to explain the process, they knew about calligraphy, and were kind enough to suggest other locations that they knew had examples. This one was on a derelict site in Glen Innes, huge concrete walls going nowhere. I forgot to measure them, a guess would be 30' x 10' high. The artist for this one was an australian and his style is different, he uses finer and sharper lines. 

This one took several hours for two people to execute. It is drawn and written straight from the paint can and rollers. It was done by the couple I  spoke to. They were packing up when we drove across the paddock to get up close. They were certainly colourful and stood out. 

Can you decipher what this one says? The young woman said that there was a long wall down in Manukau City near the Supa Centre that has artwork all along it, so I headed for there next. I found more  and more. I left out the tagging examples as that seems to be another sort of urban lettering, more personal signatures. This is graffiti lettering and early examples can be seen in Pompeii, they survived the volcanic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. Click on the images to see them larger.

Manukau City

Manukau City

Manukau City

Manukau and Otahuhu Railyards

Engraving Agate

One of Ruth's larger agates

Ruth Venner lives on Macleay Island in Moreton Bay, and is an artist and calligrapher. You might be interested to know that she has been engraving agates for some 20 years, finding them by visiting lapidary shows, alternative crystal shops and even car boot sales. She kindly agreed to share the process with us. (Thank you Ruth.)

Some of Ruth's tools

The tools she uses are diamond burs in a flex drive. For lettering, a 1mm round and 10mm long bur is used, this gets shorter as the tip is has to be kept flat. She designs the lettering to suit the stone shape and size, and writes on it in gouache.

An agate being processed

This one has been written on in gouache and is waiting to be engraved. If the surface is washed thinly first with gouache the pen should write on the surface. The centre of the letter forms are then engraved, the gouache is then carefully polished off before slowing engraving away the rest of the letter forms, bit by bit. Leave the thins as fine as possible, occasionally using a ball bur for the thickest areas.

One of Ruth's medium sized projects.

A smaller agate.

This is a special piece Ruth sent to Herman Zapf, 95mm x 75mm.

If you want to see more of Ruth's tools please visit here.

Extraordinary meeting 25.8.12. 

Serious, exciting business is being considered by your dedicated committee people. Here they are from left to right - Tom partly obscured, Gill's back, Jan, Mary, Roselda has the floor, Rose partly obscured, Glenice reaching down and Hillary, the candid shooter out of shot.

We are on the move and have found a new venue for our monthly meetings and workshops. Details need to be formalised before we start there. It is quite central in Windmill Road, Epsom and we will share it with the Embroiderer's Guild. Watch this space and you will be advised when it starts. To coincide with this, a new programme will be started and we would like some feedback from members as to what you would like to see us focus on. Please, a moment of your time to take our poll in the right hand column.

We have reconsidered the Lake House, Victorian Display, mooted for nearer Christmas, and have decided not to participate with them this year. 

Dale our President is now on sick leave and Tom is holding the position in  the meantime. Get well soon Dale.

Our country meeting at Dawn's near Huapai.

We were met with the delicious smell of hot scones and freshly brewed coffee, Dawn had kindly invited us to her home and studio for our monthly meeting. Once we had all gathered and settled down Glenice gave a report of her recent visit to Melbourne and the conference - Summer School in Winter. She talked about different teaching styles, the people she met, the various courses offered, and in particular the ones she took. There will be a much fuller article in the next magazine issue. There was more discussion about the Lake House Victorian display and what we would be making to have ready for November. After a delicious lunch the pens were finally put to work.

Mary, Gill and Dale listen to Glenice.

Jan, Mary obscurred, Gill, Roselda, Glenice obscurred, and Susan.

Celebrating 21 Years of Calligraphy: Our 2012 Exhibition

Opening night of our Exhibition:

The Warkworth Group,         Margaret and Roselda forefront.

This year it was held at Lake House, and over a short five day period. Thanks have to go to the small group of members who worked so hard to deliver this event to us all. On this blog you will see photos of only a small selection, which have been divided into sub groups, although in the gallery the works mingled.

Glenice and Al,             Peter and Tom,                Dale and Gill.

Art Works: Nearly 20 members participated in supporting the call for submissions, and many had multiple works for sale. Beginners, intermediate and advanced members worked hard to create for the exhibition, it was wonderful to see the skill and range of abilities. There is no way I can do justice to the individual art works but below are a few snapshots of the work after hanging in the gallery. 

The Alphabet on Canvas: The Society purchased 6" square blocks, covered in canvas and primed. They were offered to old and new members who were to decorate with a given letter in any style they chose. These were all for sale with proceeds going to the society.

Making A Mark: Small similar works, where each was added to over a period of time, building up to a final image. This was open to all levels of calligraphers.

Dale's work immediately above, Glenice's below.

Book Artists: Recent books covering a large range of construction types, both experimental and traditional. All levels participated. You can see a few of the books submitted below.

Thanks to Dale-Cormack Pearson  who took  all the photography for this post.