Making Time to Create

Do you give yourself some grace while navigating life’s twists and turns? Artists occasionally tend to wander away from our “creative homes” — sometimes quite intentionally, sometimes because we are drawn elsewhere temporarily, and sometimes just because we need a little break. But we always come back, mostly because we cannot imagine giving up the pursuits we love. One of my favorite quotes comes to mind:

“The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect, but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves.” - Carl Jung

Whether playing with letterforms on the page, or playing with yarn and weaving something new, or even concocting something delicious in my kitchen, I only truly feel like myself when I make time to create.

Where are you on this journey? Are you taking a little break, or joyfully returning to your creative spirit? No matter the current path you’re on, be gentle with yourself and enjoy the much needed respite, the thoughtful planning, the studio preparation, or the creative frenzy! As for me, it’s almost spring — a time for renewed energy and and a fresh start. You’ll see me around a little more often during the next few years; I think it’s safe to say I’m BACK, pen in hand!


WCG 50th Anniversary

This year, the Washington Calligraphers Guild celebrates 50 years! As noted on the guild website, “the Washington Calligraphers Guild promotes the study and practice of calligraphy while fostering a wider appreciation and deeper understanding of artistic hand lettering and related disciplines. A non-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization, the Guild was founded in 1976 by acclaimed calligrapher Sheila Waters with her colleagues and students.”

As excitement builds and sparks of gratitude seep into our collective memories, I am reminded of my own calligraphic journey — and the mentors who inspired me — including the years when I was fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time to study with Sheila. I miss her incredible expertise, her thoughtful guidance and encouragement, her candid critiques, and especially her twinkling eyes and mischievous grin.

January joy

Somewhere along the way — about 15 years ago — my calligraphic journey paused just long enough for me to pursue another ancient art form when I purchased my 45” floor loom! Weaving is another methodical, meditative activity that allows my creative heart to play with design and color. Here’s a sneak peak of my most recent project, in two shades of green. This one was a labor of love, with a new-to-me fiber (cottolin) and my first attempt at the shadow weave technique. Life long learning is a path to pure joy!

GREETING CARDS for every season of your life

This spring and summer, did you feel any sudden changes in the air? Each of us had the opportunity to slow down just a bit, reflect, and listen to the quiet. Sometimes these moments, however unexpected, can soothe our souls and draw us closer to activities and passions that we have long loved but sometimes set aside for a time. For me, there were days of complete inertia — but also welcome bursts of renewed energy in the studio.

One of my new creations is a fresh line of greeting cards. To start, I created “Calligraphy Collection 1” — a favorite Irish Blessing print of my hand lettered calligraphy on a painted background in four colors. I have used this quote for occasions such as weddings, graduations and even new homes.

Next is a brand new and growing line of blank photo cards that I will offer both as “image-only” and “image with text,” to include simple greetings such as Happy Birthday, Thank you, Thinking of you, and So proud of you! The “image with text” cards feature a favorite font - in lieu of my usual hand lettering — with a focus on photography for a nice change of pace.

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Be well!

GO FORTH WITH GRACE

Just a little over a year ago, these four words quietly and persistently entered my heart and soul at a most crucial time, gently guiding me through an unexpected, yet surprisingly beneficial transition — and I have never let them go. To ‘go forth with grace’ is to live intentionally, welcome new paths with an open heart, and to find peace and joy anew. Now, in the spring of 2020, pen in hand, it’s time to share these words with you. May you always enjoy the journey.

LETTERING ON MATS

HAND CUT MATS with HAND LETTERING

Photography by Bob Keating

Photography by Bob Keating

You have a perfect photo and you long to create that special gift — but you don’t know where to begin. Have you thought about a custom cut mat with hand lettering just below the opening? Just send the dimensions of the photo and your vision of the finished mat, and I’ll do the math and make suggestions. Maybe you just want a name, or a name and a date, or two names, or a just a date, or even a single word. Have you recently visited a National Park? Do you have a collection of vacation photos that need a caption? Maybe you have a short quote (in the public domain) that reminds you of the places you’ve been together. Just about any color ink (or gouache) is available; I particularly enjoy lettering in gold. Together, we’ll figure it out. Share your vision with me!

INQUIRIES ALWAYS WELCOME

Explore the possibilities

Please inquire even if you only have a spark of an idea. I specialize in finding creative ways to tailor the project to your desires, budget and time frame, and I welcome the dialogue that gets our project started.

Concertina books

Sometimes, a small, thoughtful gift is all you need. If you have a short quote of 17-34 words, I can hand letter your message in gold gouache and create book covers from hand painted and decorated papers from my stash. You choose the color scheme, and I take it from there! Each concertina book is packaged in a matching sheer draw-string bag for that special touch.