Time Flies - of travel, calligraphy and retreats

I cannot believe that it is August since I last posted comments. Well since then we have been to the Masai Mara, crossed the Equator, posed at the tip of Africa and traveled from Johannesburg to Kruger and back, flown to Cape Town, driven to Knysna for a class reunion [and I presented a workshop there to an enthusiastic group of calligraphers] and now David has returned home and I sit overlooking the ocean after a successful day and a half of the Penfriends first annual calligraphy retreat at Misty Cliffs - Scarborough. If you feel dizzy reading this, just imagine how great it is to spend creative quiet time in the Cape.

I thought it would be a great opportunity for some creative time when a student of mine mentioned she had a home on the rocks overlooking the ocean in Cape Town and it could happily house at least six students.

As all good ideas they are left to mull around and then suddenly we find ourselves together in the Cape and having a remarkably creative time with a beautiful view and good friends.

But before that the I presented a morning workshop to an enthusiastic group of calligraphers in Knysna. I presented a workshop: 'Take an Apple and a Pear'. Here are a few notes about it:

Take and Apple and a Pear

It is always exciting visiting calligraphers around the country and I have been privileged visit Cape Town once in February and then again in October. My husband David had a veterinary reunion in Knysna and I was fortunate to meet up with a group of calligraphers on a Friday morning to present a workshop on creativity.
The workshop incorporated watercolours, painting and very ‘loose letterform’.
I find that many ‘new’ calligraphers are anxious about trying new techniques and loosening up their work – mostly due to lack of confidence.

The ‘Knysna Group’ was enthusiastic and brave enough to try out the exercises presented to them.

First exercise was to use a fruit as the basic design for a piece of calligraphy. Using the colours of the fruit the first step is to due a few colour ‘swatches’ down the side of the page. Then over the wet patches ‘writing’ was placed over the area. The next step was to allow the paint to dry and from there a graphic image of the chosen fruit was drawn. Paint was the applied and the fruit was completed. After the final touches a specific word was written using black or a darker colour.

The finished pieces were delightful and as always we all realised that creativity is simply a line away.