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.

July 22, 2023

Calligraphy Meetup with Nina Tran (In-person only)

SCH is co-hosting a casual calligraphy meetup with Nina Tran on Saturday, July 22nd, from 2 to 4 PM at Titan Robotics. Bring a friend and join us for a casual afternoon of writing and chatting about all things calligraphy. Bring your favorite writing materials and light refreshments to share with 3-4 people.

September 21, 2023

Italic from the Mira Calligraphiae with Kathy Barker (Hybrid meeting)

Go back in history to explore a Renaissance treasure, Mira Calligraphiae Monumenta, Model book of Calligraphy (1561 – 1562) now housed at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Its exquisite pages with masterful calligraphy by Georg Bocskay and are also enhanced by beautiful natural science illustrations by Joris Hoefnagel. Included in the presentation will be a demonstration of a classic italic hand as well as elegant flourishes taken from “Mira Calligraphiae Monumenta”. A part of our study will also include insights into the creation of the exquisite botanical illustrations that adorn the pages.

October 15, 2023 Meetup

Paper Casting Meetup at 12:30 pm at the Redmond warehouse

Bring a roll of Charmin, a flat brush, any Golden acrylic fiber paste or molding paste for filling the back of their cast paper so it holds its shape. You can also use acrylic matte medium or Modge Podge when it’s dry. Please bring your lunch or something to share. Click for directions.

October 19, 2023

A Brief Introduction to Early Medieval Irish Calligraphy & Illumination with Steve Herold (Hybrid meeting)

The sudden rise of calligraphy and books in Ireland after 400 AD is one of the mysteries and foundations of Medieval calligraphy. In 400 AD Ireland was still a forested wilderness inhabited by warring family clans. The few christians were slaves from raids and there was no form of written language in this land of rich oral traditions. Following the missionary work of Palladius and Patrick by 500 AD writing of a late Roman mixed half uncial and religious works were spreading.

By 600 AD a strong manuscript tradition in a completely christian country made Ireland a center of books and learning in western Europe. This was enriched with a growing illumination of Irish traditional elements and  blended Germanic and Roman motifs. Where their peculiar script came from is unknown despite centuries of searching, and in the following centuries of tribal, viking, English and religious wars virtually all Irish manuscripts were lost.

The discussion tonight will be to show the underlying Irish art, analyze the script that was, for sacred reasons, frozen and unchanged for centuries and the significance of the illumination in a Christian world. This manuscript tradition is universally acknowledged to have peaked with the Book of Kells only to suddenly crash with the increasing viking raids and the breakdown of the high kings authority. Several facsimile manuscripts and some ancient artifacts will be used to illustrate these books.

View the Book of Kells online.

November 16, 2023

Holiday Dirds with Suzie Beringer (Online meeting only)

These whimsical calligraphic “dirds” were invented by lettering artist Suzie Beringer and can be adapted for any holiday. In this presentation, she shows us a holiday variation. They are an easy and fun way to use up scraps, practice our lettering and spread joy. Make some as a centerpiece or send them off to bring smiles, join us for this Zoom session from the comfort of your home.

View the supply list.

November 19, 2023

Iris Folding Meetup at 1:00 pm at the Redmond warehouse

Supplies:

Scissors, glue stick, tape, x-acto knife, cutting mat, bone folder, cardstock, origami or other thin paper for folding. Please bring snacks to share.

January 18, 2024

Valentine Parallel Pen Challenge with Violet Smythe (Online meeting only)

This fun program is all about pen manipulations with a Valentines and Floral emphasis. The objective is to create some beautiful Valentine cards or postcards for your loved ones. 

January 20, 2024 Meetup

Mark your calendars for our next in-person meetup: Saturday, January 20th from 1-4 pm at the Titan Robotics warehouse. Bring your lunch (or snacks to share) and supplies for a fun get-together! We’ll be doing various paper crafts, including iris folding, paper casting, and making gift bags.

Iris Folding Supplies: pencil, scissors, X-acto knife, cutting mat, bone folder, cardstock, tape, glue stick
We will have plenty of paper available for folding the designs, but feel free to bring your own if you have something particular you’d like to use. Thinner papers like wrapping paper or origami paper work well.

Paper casting supplies: a roll of toilet paper (Charmin is best), flat brush, Golden Acrylic fiber paste or molding paste or acrylic matte medium/Mod Podge

Gift Bag supplies: all materials will be provided

Don’t let lack of supplies keep you from coming! We have plenty to share.

February 15, 2024

Creative Expression with Large Automatic Pens and Broad Edged with Katherine Malmsten (Hybrid meeting)

No finicky letters here! Break out your flat brushes and big broad tools to make strokes that combine for distinctive letterforms. Tips on tool manipulation, layering, color, and more.

Supply List

  • heavy paper
  • flat brush (WN 995 or similar, 1/2″)
  • ink and water in small containers
  • Automatic or Coit pens (if you have them)

February 18, 2024 Meetup

Mark your calendars for our next in-person meetup: February 18th from 1-4 pm at the Titan Robotics warehouse. Bring your lunch (or snacks to share) and supplies for a fun get-together!

Join us for a fun get-together! Kathy will be demonstrating lettering on different surfaces, and Lisa will be teaching paper quilling.

  • Lettering on Different Surfaces: all materials will be provided
  • Paper Quilling: tacky glue

Don’t let lack of supplies keep you from coming! We have plenty to share. 

March 9, 2024 Meetup

You are invited to Caroline Callender’s Art Show and Reception on March 9th open house 3 to 5 pm at the Titan Robotics warehouse.

Caroline has taken the unpredictably delightful results of her own eco-dyed paper, seeded it with her occasionally outlandish imagination, and grown a garden of organic artworks ready for harvest. Please join us for a reception and open house. Guilt-free nibbling will undoubtedly occur. You never know, you might even find yourself unable to resist buying a painting!!!

March 21, 2024

Joyful Contemporary Japanese Calligraphy with Masako Tsuoka (Hybrid meeting)

Masako will teach joy and positivity using the modern playful script, “Tsute-fude.” This script is equally applicable to Western style letterforms. As opposed the formality of Shodo (traditional brush calligraphy), this is a more freely written approach that is easier for the amateur calligrapher to master and allows for individual expression. In this meeting, students will learn how to hold the brush pen, basic strokes, and finish several postcards by copying some characters. Examples will be provided in class, as well as the range of uses for this whimsical script.

April 14, 2024 Meetup

Mark your calendars for our next in-person meetup from 1-4 pm at the Titan Robotics warehouse. Bring your lunch (or snacks to share) and supplies for a fun get-together! Topic will be polymer clay.

April 18, 2024

Hebrew Writing with Cathy Shiovitz (Hybrid meeting)

Join Cathy in learning an easy style of Hebrew writing. Learn a little bit of history as we study the letters and shapes of the Hebrew alphabet.  It is not necessary to know how to read Hebrew to enjoy this presentation. This alphabet has a contemporary feel although it was developed thousands of years ago.

Supplies: Speedball C-1 or comparable Mitchell nib with writing fluid, marker or 3.8 mm Pilot parallel pen, ruler, pencil, eraser and layout or grid paper

May 16, 2024

Procreate with Sara Wilkes (Hybrid meeting)