Projects

I love the December holidays - not because everyone leave Johannesburg and leaves the roads easy to travel on or the restaurants are empty [and closed] but it's the time of year I set aside to re-do notes, re-plan lessons and create some new work - not all of it calligraphy though.

I have a great 'idea-sharing' friend Niki Zipp who owns Paperchain. She is a great 'stamper' [groan] and has wonderful tips for people who feel they are not 'creative'. While I understand the possible concept of not 'feeling' creative I simply do not subscribe to that term.

Most of us have lovely homes, manage to dress and coordinate our wardrobes very successfully and not many of us would [if we use lipstick] wear orange lipstick with a pink dress. So there is a subliminal understanding of design and colour in all of us. Alright, I concede some are more adept at this than others, but understand we can all 'become' creative with the help of sets of 'rules' which of course can be broken, or under the guidance of others.

I go to Niki to do 'structured work so that I experience A to Z instructions and see a finished piece at the end. My personal work is much freer than the work done with Niki, but it is good DISCIPLINE to hear and follow guidelines instead of always giving them and I know that my students can go to her to create an 'art-work' which is satisfying. Niki always says that her work is art for people who think they can't draw.

Because people indicated interest I will briefly talk through the piece below, but if you live in Johannesburg, please contact Niki for a class as she is the expert on this process.

I [obviously] always look at a piece to see if calligraphy can be added. This piece offered a few places to add lettering.

Unfinished piece

• First prime the canvas with gesso [PVA is fine] to even the surface. 
• For the background I mixed acrylic paint, a base yellow - rather like Naples Yellow, Paynes Grey and a bit of Terra-cotta. These mixtures were rather liquid. 
• Allow to dry. While doing that find some beautiful papers to tear. Look at mulberry paper, translucent paper from an old book, tissue paper with writing and so on.
• TIP: when tearing most papers draw a line of water along where you want to tear. MUCH easier.
• Choose stencils which will fit in with your ideas. 
• Paste the paper either just above or just below half-way.
• Choose colours to fit in with the theme. I choose Paynes grey and a yellow - neutral is best and a touch of Burnt Siena for 'depth'. The mixture should not be watery.
• Place the stencil in the appropriate place. Use a sponge to 'dab' the paint after ensuring you have dabbed excess water on a 'practice sheet'.
• TIP: work from top to bottom.
• I first sponged the fine lacy flowers and felt it was too light on the top with the darker 'pebbles' at the bottom of the piece. I added a 'tree' to the top portion which balances the piece more effectively.
• I will add skeleton Roman letters to the top left and bottom right to 'frame' the collage.
• It will be difficult to photograph, but I will try and post the finished piece once complete.

So you can see that there are a lot of processes but well worth the effort. 

Look for beautiful stencils or cut your own. Collect textured papers and be creative

2012 Review - 2013 Goals

It's always exciting to start a new page, a new journey, a new year. But we also need to review the past.
2012 was a year of creativity, colour and expansion. The studio allowed space for new letterforms [Neuland being one of them], colour wheels, color experiments and writing with gouache, writing on black Canson.

Colour - analogous and other

Colour on black Canson - always exciting

Many techniques were used, ranging from pencil and ink. Extending letterform and colour - using both water colour and gouache. Testing colour opacity and which colour may fade before others by making 'stripes' of each colour in the paint box, covering one half of the lines and leaving it in the sun for a few days. Interesting experiments. We had a wonderful creative year, thank you all

Penfriends Studio 2013

This year I celebrate 30 years of teaching calligraphy. Through this craft I have met wonderful people and I am still in contact with many of my past students. Of course a number of 'celebrations' are planned.

Quill Guild

The Quill Guild will meet once a month in Penfriends Studio. Participants will be introduced to various lettering artists, creative book and card makers, story telling and music.  

Workshops

We are delighted that Hilary Adams will present a 3 day workshop on Funky Gothic on Canvas in July

Calligraphy Classes

My ongoing calligraphy classes begin mid-January. With three classes a week the exchange of ideas and growth is wonderful 

Exhibition 2013

An exhibition of work will be held in November with invited artists and calligraphers. A 'Jamboree' of exciting workshops will be on hand ending in an evening of 'performance and environmental' art in the studio garden.

Personal Growth

I continue my community work with the 3to6 School in Observatory which allows refugee children to come to class in the afternoons. There I present art workshops to children who range from 4 - 16. These children have come to South Africa from the Congo, Nigera, Zimbabwe to name a few countries. They are eager to learn and love to use any kind of art materials to create amazing and heart-warming art-works. We look forward to an exhibition of their work in March. 

My  ongoing exploration of  writing, calligraphy, art and fonts continues. To stimulate and enhance my skills I attend botanical art classes with Ann Harris. I also do various calligraphy correspondence courses with overseas 'masters' and have a small writing group which meets once a month.  

New years' resolutions are lost on me, 
but I seldom forget that impromptu fun and laughter 

is essential to life and creativity!

We have beautiful pin oaks in the garden and

 I sometimes feel the need to act 'sprite-like' and a little frivolous.

I hope to continue to update this blog on a regular basis with tips and descriptions of what is created in the studio. All in all an exciting and creative year awaits.