April 26-28 Barry Morentz  with 2 workshops! April 26 – Japanese Boxes; April 27-28 – Gothicized Italic September 21/22 Loredana Zega – “Brush Textures”. See www.kaligrafija.org and follow Loredana on Instagram and Facebook October 19/20 Rick Paulus – “The Truly Flexible Pointed Pen”. See Rick’s work at http://www.rickpauluscalligraphy.com If you are attending the Rendez-vous 2019 International Calligraphy conference in Montreal next July, we want to hear from you! It will be fun to know who is going. Just send an email to info@masscribes.com. Also let us know if you are interested in driving up with another member and we can coordinate with each other. Read More

Imagine having time dedicated to focusing and exploring a series of works that combine meaningful words and images in multiple ways. Our focus will be on layout and design, layering lettering techniques, combining text and images, and most importantly learning to work on multiple pieces at once in order to overcome the ‘fear’ we develop when the investment is focused on a single precious piece. The freedom of multiples allows us to take more chances, to do the unexpected and not settle on the first solution to a problem. By working in a series we forget the preciousness of each piece knowing that not everyone will be successful, and embracing that freedom to make mistakes. Throughout the class we will employ a variety of techniques, such as painting, drawing, collage, and image transfer incombination with our calligraphy. While not strictly a lettering class, we will incorporate our calligraphy throughout the process. Layering, masking and photo transfer techniques with a variety of mixed media allow for risk taking and experimentation as we discuss layout principles and make thoughtful design choices. You will work in a small scale in multiples, focusing on the development of a series of work, refining your designs and the integration of images, words and letters into your pages. You will explore how Read More

Celtic knotwork is a beautiful art form that can look more difficult than it actually needs to be. Once having learned the basics of drawing elementary knots, one can use simple methods to expand designs and use them in numerous creative applications, from illuminated pages to decorated objects. Working with the symbolic geometry that is innate to Celtic knotwork can be rewardingly meditative. In this one-day workshop, participants will be introduced to the art of Celtic knotwork through a combination of history review, live demonstration of multiple methods of construction (different ways to approach interlacing designs), hands-on practice, and a look at the ways in which elements of this ancient art are being applied by artists and designers today. Handouts will include exemplars for traditional knots and borders, in-class exercises, terminology definitions, images from historic samples, pages from a variety of writings by prominent Celtic art researchers, and lists of resources.  After learning the process of plotting out and interlacing the cords of a formal knot, we will make a lateral move to following the less measured and mathematical method of constructing freeform knots. Concentrating on balance and spacing, we will talk at this point about continuity in the curves Read More

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