GEMMA BLACK calligraphic designer, artist & teacher

A few years ago I created a lovely little Christmas card using a painting to the line technique inspired by Adolf Bernd's work. I have not used the technique since then but was teaching this method at the recent summer school.  You may have seen a snippet of this before.



Lilium et Rosa

I started this little work as an in-class demonstration and now I have finally finished it.



Lilium et Rosa (detail)



Also a couple of weeks ago I finished this work to be sent to Europe for a competition.
The theme of the competition is The Great War 1914 - 1918. Understandably, I concentrated on the ANZACS.

I have decided not to send it for a couple of reasons.  To send this framed piece to Europe is approximately $250.  So what with the framing costs,
the cost to send to Europe, possibly the cost to send the work back, plus the entry fee,
I have had to say to myself, enough, it just isn't going to happen. I got a quote through Pack & Send and also checked with Australia Post insured to Europ…

... a commission!
I took some time to read up on this poem and enjoyed the research. It helped me tremendously with the presentation.  The work is for a very special client and he will have the choice.






Not ground-breaking stuff but safe, strong layouts nevertheless!

... with desert sands ...



I wonder which one he will choose.

For Christmas we received a gift for a lunch & cruise aboard the SY Preana 1896.

A fully restored wooden hulled boat that now cruises the river Derwent and it's estuaries as it did back in the 1890's and early 1900's.



The Preana runs on a wood-fueled hand-fed steam engine and is the last remaining boat afloat to have escorted Sir Douglas Mawson's boat, SY Aurora, as it departed Hobart for Antarctica in December 1911.


I am happy to be corrected but I think the SY stands for Steam Yacht.
It was a stunning little boat and the meal was excellent!







Cheers!


What an engine!



The brass work was incredible.


 The Skipper, Jim


Trademarked glasses,


and unbelievable food.


Great company,


with Brett ...



Marilyn, me, Janet, David, John

enjoying our mountain and the cityscape.


Beautiful instruments,

and finally a place to lounge around in!


Thank you to the gift givers, Graham & Tracey.

Another successful day was enjoyed with thirteen participants in my illuminated letter class last Friday. I was delighted to have been invited to teach for the Art Society of Tasmania yet again and my thanks to the committee and the students for including me in their 2014 program.

I chose this letter "D" to build for demonstration purposes as the day progressed. At all times I express strongly the need to work on a swatch so you can be guaranteed the behaviour of all media you are working with.