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After a remarkable time at the first Penfriends Calligraphy Retreat in Scarborough and presenting workshops in Knysna and Cape Town I am sitting quietly writing thank you notes and adding pictures to websites and FB.

The workshops on Colour and Creativity were full of fun in Cape Town. The group was small and enthusiastic and we covered aspects of colour wheel, colour matching as well as mxing and adding calligraphy. As you will see from the photographs we all had a good time and were extremely productive and creative.

Thank you Cape Town - see you again soon.

Penfriends' Scarborough Retreat 2010

I sit now now in Belleville [or really Eversdal] in the 'north' of Cape Town after a wonderful week at Scarborough where the first ever Penfriends Studio retreat was held.

Six students and I settled into the beautiful surroundings of our Scarborough retreat home - which is really Felicity's home - and which overlooks the ocean and beach of Scarborough - or Misty Cliffs as it is now called. Lyn and Karin had their 'home' in Muizenburg and commuted every day, Jill and Ghita shared accommodation, I had my own space.

Our daily routine was simple, up for breakfast, look for whales, breakfast, look for whales and then on with the daily programme - and look for whales.

Much laughter and enjoyment was shared. Exercises were set and completed - creative colour work, design and letterform as well as creative art on black ink with touches of colour. {I shall add the instructions on my return].

The whales eventually displayed themselves on our last day which was filled with sunlight and little wind. All of us were delighted with the sightings of these remarkable creatures.

Each of us left with six completed creative pieces and we all left planning our next retreat in the Lydenburg district in November 2011. Book your place NOW!

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.

Off to Kenya

We are off to Kenya in a few days. Once again the excitement of visiting old friends, making new contact and the sheer delight of travel fills the next few days,

Our calligraphy group will disband for a few weeks with much homework being set and I suppose little being completed!

Our Versal course has gone well with everyone completing a booklet filled with examples and some colour.

Looking forward to some great ideas. Meanwhile, what about creating a letterform using the image as inspiration?

Letter Collage

While teaching it is always a challenge to 'keep up' with one's own work.

I really enjoy Versals with their variations and design proportions. I also enjoy earthy colours and placing letters into a space. Here is a Letter collage I have worked on after, before and during each class.

Study in Versals

The Thursday group is in the process of studying Versals. With great exemplars from a few masters of the craft they have begun their books and have created some beautiful work.

First Homework!

Thanks to Ina [and her permission] we have the first few letter collages to look at.

The sense of line and placement on the first piece really works. What do you think? The letters lie well and are beautifully constructed. The touch of gold just adds a special focus to the piece. The connection between the open A and D is pleasing to the eye. Well done. I can't wait to see more pieces.