Schreibwerkstatt-Klingspor Maria & Karlgeorg Hoefer Museum

I found calligraphers heaven!  It is right here at the Schreibwerkstatt-Klingspor Museum in Offenbach am Main.  I didn't find it on my own of course.  When I flew into Frankfurt yesterday I was met by the lovely Christina Brunella who took care of me after my long long flights. Christine drove me to her home where I had a long awaited shower, some beautiful breakfast of fresh fruit and croissants in her luscious and abundant walled garden.  I felt refreshed and ready to take on the day.

Vielen dank Christine.

Then my day turned to wonderment. 

For calligraphers this museum is an absolute must see.  I stood for hours and admired German and international calligrapher's work that I haven't had the opportunity to see as originals or editioned other than in books.  The collection holds pieces by Hermann Kilian, Rudolf Koch, Maria Hoefer, Karlgeorg Hoefer, Katharina Pieper, Jean Larcher, Susanne Moore, Gudren & Hermann Zapf, Gottfried Pott,  Julian Waters, Sheila Waters, Carl Rohrs, Ewan Clayton, Liesbet Boudens, on and on the list goes contemporary and earlier works.

For hours Christine and I talked about the works, aspects of the making and the joy in viewing discovering the tough of human error and a life to work rarely executed nor seen.

I did a lot of excited pointing, a lot of smiling and took as much of the work in as I could bear. Okay, I do get a little excited you must forgive me.

My lovely host for the day Christine Brunella.

We were looking at a gift to the Museum by Ewan Clayton.

It was one of those wonderful days, we couldn't stop smiling.

A panorama of the Museum as well as what you can't see behind me and a great collection of works in plan cabinets.

Two days in and I am exhausted. Tomorrow I hit the Klingspor Museum and the flea markets.  But … you know I am itching to get into the classroom if only to pick up my pen and fill it with ink.

I'll leave you with this. Just around the corner between my hotel and the river is the Koch School of Design and this carved memorial stone to Herr Alois Sendefelder who developed and perfected the technique of lithography.

A huge thank you to Andrea Wunderlich who has worked with me to organised this major part of my northern summer journey.  Veilen dunk.