Thursday, August 14, 2014

Part One: Dallas Texas



The Renaissance Richardson Hotel, Dallas Texas
Home of the Legacies II 2014 conference






The Atrium Foyer





Thank you Angie Vangalis
Conference  Director





I was in Symphony 2, an appropriate room name don't you think?


The brief was to teach versals from and historic perspective
bringing them into a contemporary and freer setting.
We studied forms from manuscripts such as the Metz Gospels,
the Trinity Gospels, the Winchester Bible and so on moving forward through the ages
to 20th century interpretations of those forms by the likes of Edward Johnston,
Irene Wellington, David Jones and more.

Vivacious Versals!

My class participants worked hard on particularly difficult forms
and I was very pleased with their outcomes and achievements.
In class there was open communication, questions,
demonstrations and huge effort on behalf of everyone.
I think they all went away exhausted but happy.




The day before the conference began Barb, Nancy & I took a trip on the Dart to:


Downtown Plano.



With Barb girlfriend of 28 years.





Nancy with Barb and I on the trip to Downtown Plano.


Waiting for the opening extravaganza and a talk by Ewan Clayton.


Friends: Amity, Peter, Rachel, Randy & Georgia.



Selfie, ha!





We were treated to three stimulating and thought provoking lectures during the conference.
The first was Ewan Clayton's brilliant expose of handwriting in our lives and the question "is it to disappear?" 

This image from Carl Rohrs lecture Calligraphy, commercial lettering, type design and posters in Germany in the 1920s.

And finally but not least on the closing evening, Julian Waters Gudrun & Hermann Zapf.

To me these well researched, detailed and in some instances humourous talks
were like drenching rain to a parched desert. Thank you gentlemen!



My classroom, Symphony 2!






In-class demonstrations.











Rachel Yallop working on Trish Taylor's surprise booklet.




Some light reading and postcard writing before bed.




On our afternoon off it was a much wanted trip into downtown Dallas with Carl Rohrs
for a stop over at the Book Depository and the Grassy Knoll. Tick!


Then it was off to experience "barbecue" (smoked ribs & other stuff)
before we saw this lovely lady with pink toenails!





Back to the Renaissance for … book signing!


There was a time for book signing where  those of us included in Gaye Godfrey Nicholls
Mastering Calligraphy were invited to sign our pages. What a fun evening, thank you John Neal!





And there was the odd Margarita with friends Rachel, Ewan & Georgia in the bar!




A look around the show and share room on the final day.



Class contributions to the show and share.



Carol DuBosch

Class contributions to the show and share.



Class contributions to the show and share.






Class contributions to the show and share.



Class contributions to the show and share.



Lorraine Douglas



Well done team!
Class photo (a couple missing unfortunately)








A couple of tables at the show & share:










With Barbara Calzolari



With Barb & Amity




With Barb






















The lovely & talented Rachel Yallop







With my friends Heather, Jules and Pat.

And … if our much missed friend Mary Ann David were still with us
this is what she would have said "Hello Ladies"!








With the beautiful Georgia.




Awesome! My hang-out-in Dallas buddy Carl!





Thank you Judy Mueller for taking home my Lilium et Rosa.







Friends Peter, Carol & Gail.





Aw shucks, it's my friend Randy!




Thank you for viewing to the end of Part One: Dallas Texas

Stay tuned for Part Two: Keeping Austin Weird!







Monday, August 11, 2014

Moving forward ...




Now that my jet-lag has settled down
I am looking forward to writing up a short journal of my travels
to Texas and the lettering experiences I encountered there
 to share with you. I have come home inspired and stimulated
to spend more time in the studio and create a new & exciting body of work.  

2015 is shaping up to be a big year with an invitation to teach in the USA, the UK and Italy.
So it is with excitement that I move forward through the spring & summer of 2014/15.



Watch this space!


Friday, July 11, 2014

Making good use of time





Time is quiet on the commission front so I thought I would use this time to work on some more sample pieces for my workshop in Dallas Fort Worth, Texas next week at Legacies II.  It will give the participants more of an idea of where we are heading.  I hope you like them, my more formal and my more vivacious versals!


































This last one is from my workbook,
it was an in-class demonstration to show participants how these letters were created but do not copy the wording it is inaccurate.
I needed to fill some space so just wrote ashes to ashes.




Friday, June 13, 2014

Hand lettering, calligraphy & design classes


The remaining dates for 2014 are as follows in my


Hand lettering, calligraphy & design classes
Blackmans Bay Community Hall, Ocean Esplanade Blackmans Bay


                                      Beginners – Uncial & Celtic spirals
                                        Thursdays – 1pm – 3pm
                                        21th August – 18th September or
                                        23st October – 20th November


                                         Blackletter (Gothic) & Fraktur - continuing
                                        Wednesdays 10.30am – 12.30pm
                                        20th August – 17th September

                                 
                                         Foundational Hand - continuing
                                        Wednesdays 10.30am – 12.30pm
                                        22nd October – 19th November



 Course fee per five-week session $135.00
Enrolments are essential and are open now.
Email inquiries welcome click here






All six works SOLD!





I am delighted to announce that all six Rengetsu works have been sold. 
I am delighted further that the six pieces will remain as a set.








Sunday, June 8, 2014

Six new & original works - for sale









I have just completed these six pieces with some of my favourite Rengetsu quotes.
First let me tell you a little about Rengetsu and why I relate to her work.


Otagaki Rengetsu, (1791 – 1875) lived through some of the richest times in Japanese history, the Edo period. Broken-hearted by divorce, the death of her second husband and subsequently her children, she became a Buddhist nun.
Rengetsu was a potter, a painter, a calligrapher and a poet/author. Her works are characterised by honesty, charm and simplicity of style.

It is Rengetsu’s honesty and charm which attracts me. In her works, she shows wisdom and a great awareness of people, society and nature. Rengetsu speaks in her work about her own aging and connection to the natural world. My works here represent a few of her gems. In these I hope to capture some of her timeless spirit.

As I mature I find I can express ever more clearly through my work, my feelings on the aging process and its effects on my life and the lives of those around me.  I look on this time in a positive light, rather than in a fearful way.


T H E   W O R K

These pieces are all 26cm (w) x 33cm (h)
on 300gsm Arches hotpress with a ground of inks and gesso worked in graphite.

The images are a good representation of the originals
and have not been retouched in any way.
The originals however, are far more sumptuous,
as you can see more clearly the colour and the texture.

The works are for sale at $180 each. 
$20.00 postage and packaging for Australia and
$30 postage and packaging for overseas.
All prices are in AUD.


If you are interested please send me a message with the name of the work
and let me know how you would like to pay.
I accept cards (Australia) and use PayPal (Australia and O/S).


(please click on the image)




Enjoy Delicious Sake (above)






Even for One (above)





 No place at the Inn (above)






The Day Begins (above)







The Spring Wind (above)







To Rise in the World (above) 


I hope you have enjoyed looking at these lovely pieces!







Monday, June 2, 2014

Calligraphy at the Bay!





C A L L I G R A P H Y  A T   T H E   B A Y




 Blackmans Bay Community Hall, Ocean Esplanade Blackmans Bay



Remaining 2014 Dates
 
Beginners - Uncials
Thursdays 1pm – 3pm
21th August – 18th September
OR
23st October – 20th November


Continuing - Fraktur
Wednesdays 10.30am – 12.30pm
20th August – 17th September


Continuing - Foundational Hand
Wednesdays 10.30am – 12.30pm
22nd October – 19th November




Fee per five-week course $135.00
Includes course notes, tuition & morning or afternoon teas.
  
Enrollments are essential.
For further information and to secure
your spot in the class please email Gemma







Australia's gift on vellum to the USA

  With only a few weeks to go, I was commissioned by the Australian Government to create a congratulatory gift on vellum with the full text ...