The Society for Calligraphy & Handwriting (SCH) meeting schedule for the current year is listed below. View the meetings page for the time, location and directions to the meeting. Please arrive fragrance-free out of respect for others with sensitivities.
September 15, 2022
Fountain Pens with Joe Mendez
Joe will present a brief description of the history of fountain pens focusing on different pens and filling systems. He will the discuss some modern pens and demonstrate popular filling systems. Fountain pen prices range from very affordable to staggeringly expensive and he will put most of the emphasis on affordability.
Some pens will be passed around so that everyone can experience writing with different nibs and inks. Different types of nibs ranging from narrow to double broad along with at least one stub will be included. Fountain pen friendly paper will be available.
October 20, 2022
Celtic Knots with Beth Carter
Beth Carter will be presenting on Celtic Knots. The workshop will introduce some fundamentals to give you an idea of what you can do with it. Put on your creative mood, practice, and have fun. But be careful … it’s highly addictive!
November 5, 2022
Field trip to the Epiphany Parish in Seattle’s Madrona neighborhood to view a copy of the Heritage edition of the St. John’s Bible with Julie von Koshembahr (2 pm to 4 pm)
For more information on the St. John’s Bible view the following links:
St. John’s Bible: Sharing the Inspiration
For more information about Epiphany Parish view their website.
November 17, 2022
Donald Jackson’s Letters from the St. John’s Bible with Kathy Barker
With many years and much dedicated work for its completion, the St. John’s Bible is truly inspiring, masterful, and historically unique. As those of us who were able to attend the viewing event on Nov. 5, kindly hosted by Julie von Koschembahr at Epiphany Parish Church in Madrona, will wholeheartedly agree.
At our SCH evening presentation on Nov. 17 the script and versals developed by Donald Jackson for the St. John’s Bible will be our focus.
We will have the opportunity to try our hand at writing the script used in the St. John’s Bible as well as learn about the delightful versals that enhance the pages.
January 19, 2023
Colorful Frank Lloyd Wright Lettering and Design with Kathy Barker
Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural letterforms will be the inspiration for this presentation. We will begin by analyzing Wright’s script using copies of his original renderings. Following this we will have fun applying his monoline letterforms to our own words or short quotes. Applications of use for addressing envelopes, short messages with color accents as well as decorative greetings will be a part of the presentation.
Sara Wilkes, our communications board member, will also be presenting a short tutorial on Instagram.
February 16, 2023
Carve Your Art Out with Nan Robkin
Using white plastic erasers and a Speedball #1 v-cutter, you will learn how to carve a stamp suitable for making a border to frame a stationary page or a calligraphy piece, or just for decoration. For in-person attendees, erasers, paper, and inspirational handouts will be provided, as well as the loan of the carving tool and ink pads for proofing your creation. There will be a $2 supply fee for the in-person attendees. Zoom attendees can follow along, but will need to supply their own erasers and carving tools.
Supplies needed:
– Holder for cutter
– #1 Speedball V-cutter
– OR holder with blades inside
– 2.75″x1″ white plastic eraser
– Light-colored ink pad for proofs
– Ink pad for final print
– Soft pencil
– Paper to stamp on
March 16, 2023
Victorian Floral Penwork with Terri Kruger (In-person meeting only)
Learn to create lovely little floral designs to embellish your lettering, cards and envelopes! Using a pointed pen technique, Terri Kruger will teach us to draw shaded blossoms, buds, leaves and bouquets, adding color and a bit of bling. Please bring a straight pen holder, favorite dark ink (Higgins Eternal, Sumi or walnut), a few colored pencils (greens & pinks), pen wipe or napkin and notepad. Optional: glitter pens or stickles
There will be a $5 supply fee to cover a vellum paper packet, Nikko G nib, hand-made exemplar and protective pocket storage sheet.
April 20, 2023
Design & Composition with Sally Penley
Are you looking for ways to make your finished designs more successful? Do you find it hard to make all the elements work together (image, calligraphy, credit, signature) so your finished piece “snaps?” Sally will talk about a few key design fundamentals, planning techniques and some easy ways to create a successful composition. Using a simple checklist, you’ll be amazed at the power of these basic design & composition “rules of the road!”
Sally Penley is a graphic designer and lettering artist in Olympia. She has a BFA in Design and is a full-time working artist at her studio at Buck’s 5th Avenue where she also teaches various workshops and curates art shows for the Buck’s 5th Avenue Loft Gallery.
May 18, 2023
Spring blooms with Lotus flower book with Anne Bingham and Informal Show and Share
This exploding origami structure folds closed into a tiny keepsake book or displays open as a hanging ornament. This book structure can be decorated to make an endearing present—we will have plenty of rubber stamps and decorated papers to make that happen. The lotus book is perfect for sharing poetry, quotations, or family pictures. Please bring any special content that you would like to add. Plan ahead and be ready for birthdays and special occasions (copies of pictures up to 4″ x 4″). We should also have time to make my new favorite paper toy–the orb! Bring your usual tools, mat, glue stick, 2-sided tape. I’ll have extras to share.
Book Artist Anne Bingham loves playing with paper. She has worked as a bookbinder, letterpress printer, and in book conservation. Best job title ever: Printer’s Devil! You can see her work in UW Libraries Special Collections. When she’s not folding paper, she is currently a cold-water swimming and ukulele enthusiast. (Not at the same time—yet!)
