GEMMA BLACK : ARTIST / CALLIGRAPHER

A work by Sheila Waters - a piece without decoration or embellishment allowing the lettering to speak clearly. With a history akin to the Ditching community of crafts people, I will again be teaching at my beloved Sturt in the Southern Highland of NSW. “ Sturt was founded in 1941 by Winifred West (1881–1971) when she retired as headmistress from Frensham, the independent secondary school for girls which she had established in 1913. Interested in the value of relationships between individuals and communities, the links between hand and mind and 'the development of individual talents and personalities', Miss West's intent was to provide further education in crafts, music and drama for children who had left Mittagong Primary School, and for adults seeking useful and creative skills. She wrote to a friend in 1941: … I do not know what it will turn into. That will depend upon the people who come and on changing conditions. I can for...

I have been working on some samples for the Purely Pencils II workshops. The first is in Sydney for the Australian Sociaty of Calligraphers 20 & 21 September and the second is for the Canberra Calligraphy Society 27 & 28 September.   This workshop is for anyone who loves letters and working with pencil ... any type of pencil. It is a stand alone workshop and a prerequisite of Purely Pencils I though great to have done, is not needed. We will be working on both watercolout canvas and a soft watercolour fine art paper. Sample: not yet complete ...  Samples: not yet complete ... Samples: not yet complete ...

A small group of us visited Shene Tasmania on the weekend, brilliantly organised by friend and fellow celebrant Heather Shearer. I just want you to enjoy the photos.  Click on the photos to enjoy a better view. And, the afternoon tea was delicious! For more information on visiting Shene click here: S H E N E

Yesterday I gave a demonstration to patrons of the local LINC Library. It was such good fun! First up was a call to the onlookers to help me out with the demonstration theme - great literary giants with no preset layout plan. I thought we would just go with the flow and build a page of text. This worked well. As I proceeded with their input we worked our way around the 300gsm Arches medium surface fine art paper the artwork took shape. I was using Horizon Pens and Brause nibs with walnut ink supplemented with Noodlers colours. Only two spelling mistakes which I put down to being distracted. Luckily both were able to be fixed as I was using such good paper. I had the patrons quoting me lines from each literati and some even resorted to google!  "Look mum, no lines! "  After the demonstration all the patrons (and some staff) walked away with bookmarks for themselves as well as some for their families!  It...

With Mayor Dr Graham Bury at the award ceremony. The exhibition runs until Sunday 11 May - Mother's day!

You may have seen this earlier in the year ... Last night this piece of work won the Kingborough Acquisition Art Prize. I didn't find out until I walked into the show. It was opening night. A wild, windy and horrid evening, I could not believe the crowd - huge. I am delighted and very proud that a piece of calligraphy has won a major multidisciplinary acquisition prize.  My thanks go to the Kingborough Lions Club, the Kingborough Council where my work will hang, the artists and the people who come and enjoy the show for the art.

Today I set up the foyer cabinet at my local library with a calligraphy display. It looked like this to start with ... ... and this when I finished! The main aim in choosing the materials I did was to educate, young and old alike.  Some of the works are mine, some others by Gaynor Goffe, Tom Perkins, Ann Hechle, the Australian Society of Calligraphers and the Friends of Calligraphy, San Francisco. There are hand bound books, pens, inks, gouache, sticks, stones, ink bottles, quills, pots, nibs and works from medieval manuscripts to modern. It was fascinating the number of people who were interested in lettering & writing as I was setting up the cabinet. Chat, chat, chat, chat, chat ... what a rewarding little project.   My very helpful link at the LINC has been Jane Dobbs who has collected all the calligraphy books off the shelves and set up a calligraphy book borrowing section just...