“Getting your pen to fly, glide and land with speed, purpose and precision, and what beach calligraphy has to teach” Engage in an entirely unique workshop! We have selected a studio near the beach and the beach will teach us all sorts of wonderful things about pen and paper calligraphy. The workshop will begin at Rick Paulus’s Wareham, MA studio with a study in hand-arm mechanics and how they can be used for easier precision, for getting your pen to go where you need it to go. Then, we will delve into how different rhythms can be used to naturally produce different styles. We’ll apply the concept of ergonomics to calligraphy, exploring how your posture and height at the table relates to your calligraphy, right down to how to change it for different hands. We will explore sensing the body’s momentum and tension for specific movements in your calligraphy using wind-up and release. If you are surprised how liberating all this can be you will be blown away by the effect of beach calligraphy! Over 3 days , one full day and 2 mornings will be spent indoors with pen and paper and 2 afternoons will be spent on the Read More

The Monoline letter is ubiquitous and has many voices. It was a favorite of the Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods and continues to thrive today. Discover the diverse and lively world of the magnificent monoline letter in this colorful workshop. From creating White House invitations (really!) to expressive calligraphy pieces and logo design, monoline lettering is as diverse and as easy to create as it is fun! Regardless of skill level, this workshop will bring new, exciting life to your work. Rick Paulus has been a calligrapher and a teacher for over forty years. Rick apprenticed for several years at the legendary Tolley Studios, in Washington, DC, before becoming the engrosser for the US State Department. In 1998, he was appointed chief calligrapher of the White House, where he remained for two presidents. Today, in addition to enjoying calligraphic explorations, Rick is dedicated to sharing the knowledge gained through many years of studio production and experimentation to students young and old alike. WHEN: September 17 & 18, 9AM – 5PMWHERE: Norwood Sportsmen’s Association, 576 Nichols St. Norwood, MAREGISTRATION: Opens August 19, 2022Scholarships are available for current members. Download the flyer with registration information HERE. As this is an in-person Read More

The word texture comes from the Latin word ‘textura’ which means “yarn weaving”. It also applies to the links of the chapters of a literary work, as well as the mineral constitution of rock. In the 15th Century, a gothic small letter was named “textura” which points out its precision and the way of interlacing each letter to write a word. First, the participants will practice interlacing letters starting from their handwriting. Then, they’ll work on capital letters practicing their calligraphic knowledge. After which, they will progressively get free from readability and experiment with a playful approach leading to a very large range of writing textures. The first objective of this workshop is to show how endless the possibilities of creating textures are and also the part they play in a composition. The second objective is to enrich graphic vocabulary and scriptural composition. See the flyer for this workshop HERE. Notice: JavaScript is required for this content. Read More

In this workshop we’ll make two, possibly three, simple, elegant, Japanese-style folded boxes. The boxes are geometrics, formed from one long sheet of card stock scored and folded to create equal triangular shapes. The form can easily be expanded from a square to a pentagon, hexagon, octagon, etc. The first box will be made from heavyweight translucent Pergamenata stock, to understand the overall structure and assembly. The second box will be finished with Japanese papers. We will create decorative lids using avariety of techniques and finish them with beautiful beads or finials. The third box, time permitting, will be a variation by either expanding the number of sides or changing the folds. Barry Morentz owns and operates his Manhattan studio where he creates calligraphic works and handmade books, boxes, and portfolios. He holds an MA in Medieval History, but abandoned pursuit of a doctorate in favour of an even less likely career in calligraphy. Initially self-taught, he began his formal calligraphic studies, primarily with Sheila Waters, in 1977, and eventually with almost every internationally recognized master. A seminal experience was participation in the Hermann Zapf Master Class at Rochester Institute of Technology in 1985, and subsequent paleographic studies in Rome Read More