I view handwriting and mark making as visual languages emanating from our thoughts and emotions, a remnant of a process. Each line, each stroke, is distinguished by the materials, the mood, the day, the rhythm, the breath—a visual language within a language, a cross between a fingerprint and an EKG, telling not only who we are but also how we are in that moment of time. My intrigue arises not only with line and space, but with heartbeat, breath, and resonance—that energetic quality, that vibration seemingly so elusive. In this workshop we will begin by investigating the illusive underpinnings in the hidden laws of nature—sacred geometry—exploring these forms and synthesizing the linear with the artistic aspect of pattern and beauty. Step-by-step instructions will be given from which to springboard—pairing graphite and ink with a compass and straightedge.  Music, meditation, sound and silence will then accompany us as we wend our way through a series of exercises exploring the tempo and voice of our unique story, script, gesture and mark—developing flow—letting go of the familiar long enough to greet the unexpected. We will explore the distinctive and bold expressions of spontaneous marks using walnut and sumi inks and while we’re at Read More

This exciting adventure begins by making your own folded pens from thin brass and then moves to learning a very distinctive modern script.  The pens are simple to make and promote expressive writing from the first marks on the page. Folded-pen script, though similar to pointed brush writing, is easier to learn and has a unique contemporary feel. By custom-making your own pens, you’ll be able to fit the pen to your hand and also to the “look” of the letters you want to create. We will explore several colorful techniques using the folded pens to make letters that have a marbled effect and letters that are “lifted” from a background wash. The folded pens are likely to become your favorite writing tool, as you develop a passion for expressive lettering.  Students will make a simple portfolio with practice papers from classroom exercises. Carol DuBosch’s Bio I’ve been a calligrapher in Portland, Oregon since I was first introduced to nibs and ink in 1959 as a high school art student. In the 55 years since, I gained a degree in Graphic Design and have studied with every major calligrapher in the US and Europe. I’ve been teaching college level and Read More

Ruling Pen Rules! This class will explore the myriad possibilities of the ruling pen’s “line.” The class will begin with familiarizing the student with the tool(s). We will move to honing handling skills and then to working with expressive “words.” From there the class will work with word groups and alphabetic compositions and ultimately page texture experiments. A group project will be incorporated into the workshop… a collaborative effort to “effect a phrase;” this exercise will bring home the concept that “first stroke down informs all subsequent decisions.”  Michael Clark’s Bio Michael Clark is a lettering artist and type designer. His lettering can be seen on packaging for products ranging from salad dressing to book and CD covers. He also designs fonts for corporations, as well as for resale. He thinks less in terms of particular styles and more in terms of what the word(s) must convey: sloped/upright, angular/rounded, capitals/lower case, smooth/notched etc. He thinks less about style and more about his ABILITY to interpret (or add voice to the word[s]) and design. He’s currently the designer and editor of Scripsit, the journal of the Washington Calligraphers Guild. Check out his website, http://www.typerror.com/  for some inspiration. You will need need Read More