A beaut way to start the year ...

 

Twenty-twenty-three has come at last. Let's all hope it is better than the past few years have been and the world settles into a more pleasant place than what it has been. This year I am determined to find my creative gene again.

I am fortunate in that my year has started beautifully. Getting back into the classroom with ten dedicated and delightful participants was pure balm for the soul. 

The Sturt Summer School in the Southern Highlands of NSW saw two hundred participants and tutors come together for five days of creativity in multiple disciplines. It is always enjoyable meeting new people both tutors and students. The grounds alone, full of beauty, inspire creativity.

The weather was gloriously cool. I first went to Frensham in 1988 and took a class with Sydney friend and calligrapher Helen Warren. Then a class with the beautiful & talented Elaine Witton. The summer schools were then run by the World Education Fellowship. I have enjoyed teaching at Frensham many times over the years and feel privileged to be invited. Sturt Centre for Contemporary Craft has been running both winter & summer schools since 2009 (I think).

This year I called my workshop "Writing & Illuminating & Lettering" as a homage to Edward Johnston. This is the name of his book ... the calligraphers bible ... first published in 1904. The course was skill based not project driven so we did lots of small experiments and had a great deal of fun doing just that. No pressure, just fun. A few random shots follow:

Tony sketched David while chatting in the rec room.

The calligraphic line ... lettering with a shell

A bit of letter-building

The last evening reward

Building more letters

The calligraphic line - illuminating with a shell

The calligraphic line ... with a shell

Demonstrating under the document camera

Almost candid camera ...