Report from Tuesday Night 3rd March

Susan organised this evening, we worked to music, on strips of practise paper (i.e. wall paper) which ran the full length of our tables. We used a variety of tools and paint to start with, aiming for backgrounds, eventually using ink, pigments we bought with us and any thing we thought might make an interesting mark. Better paper was tried after the loosening up period, this was to be worked on at home and next meeting we are expected to bring along a finished project. Woe betide, a warning from Susan, do something.

Please forgive me if your work is displayed upside down or sideways.

What we are doing on Tuesday night 3rd March:

Calligraphy outside your comfort zone:

The focus on this meeting is all about thinking big. The program is a hands on evening, so bring your aprons, and any big tools you have! Prepare to go home with inky fingers.

Paint, ink and paper will be supplied, and there will be plastic gloves for the really cautious folk. There will be lots of playing, non conforming, experimental calligraphy. Do come along, we look forward to seeing you. if you want to use the library come at 6 o'clock, we will start the evening properly at 6.30.

Barbara and Jan

Barbara and Jan's exhibition at the Steel Gallery in Pukekohe. In case you were not able to attend - it is open until the 13th of March, so you still have time to visit. The room was filled, and there were lots of people eager to wait their turn to see the exhibition. Patrons were looked after with dainty sandwhiches, savouries and cool drinks. 

Top row, some of the smaller pieces. Middle row, larger works, bottom row, the introductions, after the initial rush, and discussions with the artist.

After the Workshop

Dale has supplied a few more photos that she took during the workshop with Kate Hursthouse. You should be able to click on the compiled image to enlarge. Left to right,  Kate demonstrating, home made pens, some of our group, Kate explaining pens, Erin and Barbara, Kate discussing structure, lettering, Kate's book, more lettering, Rose's work on good paper. Enjoy.

2015 Monthly meetings start February 3rd.

That's this Tuesday!        Library 6pm, meeting starts 6.30pm

Kate Hursthouse

“In September 2014 Kate Hursthouse took part in a week long work shop in Arezzo, Italy with Italian Calligrapher Monica Dengo. During the workshop she studied historical manuscripts, texture, pattern and contemporary gestural writing.        http://www.monicadengo.com 

Kate worked with a range of tools created from a variety of materials and the students were encouraged to develop their own hands, experimenting with forms, textures, inks, instruments and papers.   

Kate is going to do a bit of a show and tell of the experiments and work she produced during the workshop and we are all going to experiment with some contemporary gestural writing.

Please bring along lots of paper, ink and any experimental tools such as cola pens, ruling pens, cork, balsa that you would like to experiment and play with."

Kate came across this video the other day of Luca Barcellona teaming up with Red Bull to create some work. It is quite beautiful. Well worth watching.

http://www.redbull.com/it/it/music/stories/1331687840871/variazioni-bertallot-ep.-3

You're invited

Auckland's southern-most Gallery will play host to 

"Beyond Type"

an exhibition that celebrates the journey of calligraphy 

presented by Jan Leonard and Barbara Ellis.

Flyer with details

A Message to New Zealand Calligraphers:

Jan and I are having an exhibition in our local Art Gallery from the 27th Feb to the 13th March and we would like to let you know and please note everyone is welcome. The opening is on Sat 28th February, so it's not far away.  

Liesbet Boudens

Liesbet Boudens work caught my eye when I was looking through Pinterest. I wanted to collect some of her work together for inspiration and wrote to ask her if I would be allowed to do that and share with you. A quick response arrived with permission and she attached an article as well. Wasn't that genuinely a nice thing to do!  It always surprises me.

Liesbet writes in the article 'My first ventures into the world of letters were made using the calligraphic pen, which incidentally was my father's medium as well. Gradually I changed from written to freely drawn and painted letters on paper, canvas and walls. Pattern, rhythm and colour are very important in my work.'

Her website has been tampered with and she is in the middle of repairing it. This is the link I have but not all is working yet.

click here for more information.

                                                   

If you would like to share with us some calligraphy related information send article and pictures to  the blog please click here for our email address

                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                  

Jean Larcher has died. http://www.larchercalligraphy.com

                                                                                                                                                                   

The internet has obituaries from many, many people and organisations that Jean knew and worked with. His partner, Katharine Pieper says he died on Saturday 17th January, after a short and serious illness.

                                                                                                                                                   

                      

A bit of a spring clean for the new year.

An important date to remember is the first tuesday in February, this is the start of the monthly meetings for this year. Kate Hursthouse will be entertaining us with a presentation. We hope to touch base with the pages of the collaborative book, find out where the pages have been holidaying and perhaps hand over finished work. The date is the 3rd February, come at 6pm if you wish to use the library, the meeting proper will start around 6.30.

A reminder that it is this year we are having an exhibition and members should be thinking about a piece to hang (or maybe several). You should be past just the thinking stage, trials of paper and pigments perhaps roughs, with fine tuning around the corner. It is a good idea to make several copies keep them all, I remember Lorraine Brady saying 3 was the minium number you should do, then select the best.

Below is the information from the magazine in case you have misplaced it. You should be able to click on the image to enlarge it. If this doesnt work check issue no 88 for the flyer.

Photo Nicole Swain. Massimo on canvas.
 

More Massimo Workshop comments.

Theresa

Massimo was a great teacher and it was a breath of fresh air for me to spend quite some time thinking about design and what makes a good one. He was helpful and brought some interesting photocopies of varied artists work. It was great to study how they moved the eye around the work, resting on a focal point and then exiting through another clever drawing out technique.

He even had an example of a Caravaggio painting which was really, really interesting and Massimo pointed out the clever way Caravaggio moved the eye into and around the work.

It has been very helpful and I can see already that re-visiting the all important basics of design has made me spend more time evaluating why things are/are not working. 

Thanks Massimo!

Bevan

An interesting and challenging three days!

Glenice

This was a fantastic workshop – one in which we used all the materials that were requested.  That it covered three days made it far more comfortable than having to rush through a two day course.  Things had to dry and Massimo has certainly stirred the creative pot for us.  I am so looking forward to spending time scrutinizing the work we covered and completing some of it.  Trish Carrick Leslie was a stalwart in taking notes, which she is collating and intends to hand on.  Massimo, himself, was the most amenable tutor and guest one could have and we all hope that we have done enough to entice him back for a future workshop i.e. there is so much of the country he has yet to see …………..

Lesley 

I found the workshop challenging as I had never used canvases/gesso before, and had done very little collage, but found the whole workshop most rewarding.  Especially liked using the balsa wood on paper - I could see it could be useful for backgrounds for calligraphy.  A big thank you to all the Aucklanders who organised the workshop, kept us fed and watered, transported us and everyone who shared so freely with knowledge and equipment.   Massimo was a great tutor and I loved the bell he rang to bring us all to attention! 

A big thank you to those that sent in photos, to those that hosted over night,  those who made ‘out of towners’ feel at home, and the back door helpers and those unseen doing their bit to help.

Photo Kate Thurston. Lunchtime break.

Welcome to 2015

Timely perhaps.

Another new year stretches out, how to get back to a calligraphy routine might trouble some, with summer diversions still beckoning, may I (Hillary) suggest some solutions.

Most of us have the internet, others have the library or their own creativity to use, do just that.

1.Subscribe to a daily post of poetry, prose, or even a word of the day, for example try this link  http://www.ayearofbeinghere.com  Each day take a few minutes to write out the words you choose. You will then have a record of useful quotes that resonate with you. If you do this you will become more familiar with your pen, or brush, maybe after a while better at layout, and even perhaps wish to develop the piece further.

2. Join a visual image site, for example Pinterest.com

Search using the word ‘calligraphy’, or for a calligrapher you admire, many wonderful works will appear, perhaps to inspire you to create your own. 

3. Revisit your calligraphy gear, look through workshop material, have your basic tools ready to use, paper, pen and ink. Nothing like a clean out and tidy before starting (especially for procrastinators).

You don’t have time! Are you in catch up mode already! The time needed is just the same amount as a cup of coffee or tea, wine or water.  There are many ways to get started back, the above is a beginning, may it work for you.