Writing and Calligraphy

 

Words are amazing, both written and spoken. They have the power to create and heal. They can describe a new reality. They can be art. The words we choose can change our future. Crafting them with wisdom and compassion is time well spent. 

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Calligraphy is from the Ancient Greek kalligraphia means ‘beautiful writing’. To be a calligrapher takes years of practice. I have only just begun to learn. But I enjoy using lettering as decoration in all different mediums, and find calligraphers very inspiring. One of my favourites is Betty Soldi, who brings such joy and sparkle to everything she does.

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In the days before email, I spent ages writing and decorating letters, and looking forward to a reply.  I made envelopes from magazines, illustrated my letters with sketches, wrote in loopy writing with metallic gel pens on tracing paper stuck on top of pictures from magazine pages. I tied up bundles of letters with ribbons, hunted for the best stamps and stickers, cut paper edges into patterns, used wax seals... I was time rich in a way I didn't fully realise at the time!

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I recently came across The Handwritten Letter Appreciation Society whose goals are:

• To inspire people to write handwritten letters to each other.

• To unite letter writers in a bid to boldly cling on to the art of writing letters.

• To put the fun and meaning back into writing letters.

• To value the beauty of an individual’s handwriting.

• To encourage anyone and everyone to put pen to paper and send a letter to someone special.

• To gather together everything to do with handwritten letters in one place.

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It is my challenge to myself to revisit this creativity, and perhaps combine cyanotype and calligraphy to create my own templates of folded Victorian letters to send to friends. I will keep you posted!

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