Standard Meeting Dates/Time:
Dates: Meetings are on the second Saturday of the month (unless otherwise noted) from September through May.
Time: 10 am to 1 pm.
Programs: We will always have someone teaching us and sometimes we will also have Show & Tell.
See meeting dates for program description and list of supplies you’ll need to bring. Coffee and tea are not provided, but you’re welcome to bring your own.
Some of the afternoon workshops require advance registration. See individual program descriptions on this page and in the blog section.
Location:
Meeting Location:
Resurrection Lutheran Church, Room #240
100 Lochmere Drive West
Cary, N.C. 27518
Google maps:
Directions:
On Kildaire Farm Road, traveling south (away from downtown Cary), pass Walmart on the right. If you come in on Tryon Road, Cary Parkway, or Maynard Road, you’ll turn south onto Kildaire Farm Road. Continue past Crescent Commons and Crescent Green and turn right onto Lochmere Dr.
Post-Covid update: As of 2022, we are doing a mix of online-only, in-person only, as well as hybrid meetings. Previously, due to Covid-19, from March 2020 on, all meetings and workshops were meeting online through zoom meetings, rather than in-person. TCG newsletters will include the zoom links for the upcoming programs.
Program Line-Up For 2023/2024
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2023-2024 Programs:
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Details of 2023/2024 Program Year
Saturday, May 11, 2024
iPad Lettering and Social, with Jessica Yee
(This meeting is in person.)
Note: Please see Members’ Downloads page for Jessica’s class handout: an instructional booklet on creating using the iPad Procreate tool.
First, Jessica Yee will lead us through a short program on lettering with an iPad and the app Procreate. More info on the class portion below.
Have you been spring cleaning your calligraphy closet? For our closing meeting this season, we will have a supply swap and social. Bring those calligraphy supplies that have fallen out of favor on your shelf and take home something new to play with! What you don’t love anymore could be just what someone else is longing for; books, old class notes, pens/markers/nibs, ink/paper, journals/artwork – all ready for a new home!
We will also enjoy an informal social time. Please bring an appetizer or dessert to share. The Guild will provide drinks and paper goods.
Class Description
We will be learning how to use technology to speed up our design process. We will create a design that everyone will follow along. I encourage everyone to come and share in this experience.
Supplies List
– iPad or tablet (Microsoft or Android)
– Apple Pencil or equivalent for your device
Jessica will bring 4 iPads with Apple Pencil to share. She will be using the app Procreate, but there are a variety of applications that work. Just make sure the one you select can handle multiple layers.
If you don’t have a device please bring:
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Tracing paper
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Pencil
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French curve
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Ruler
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Colored pencils
Meet Your Instructor
Jessica Yee spends her days writing, but she is not a writer. The locally renowned calligrapher puts pen to paper masterfully spelling out names and addresses; honing her technique; and experimenting with new letter art. Jessica began studying the lettering arts thirty years ago, learning from some of the premier calligraphers and letter artists of the world. She is a former President of the Guild and is currently serving as our Vice-President.
The founder of the Oblique Pen finds beauty in letters and how they are created. Jessica loves the elegant smooth and fluid scripts that a pointed pen creates. Moreover, she enjoys meeting and working with clients, sharing in their poignant moments while bringing art to life.
When the married mother of four is not busy creating an artistic expression of a wonderful occasion, Jessica is heavily involved in serving the arts locally.
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Saturday, April 13, 2024
Sign Painting with Spcl Signs, with Joseph Giampino
(This meeting will be in-person, on-site, and maybe on zoom, if we get requests. Please contact us with any questions you may have.)
The Guild is excited to welcome local sign painting expert Joseph Giampino, also known as Spcl Signs, who will teach us the basics of sign painting. Sign painting has long been closely related to lettering. You might even consider it a question of scale. We letter on a page. Sign painters letter on everything!
Class Description
Attendees will learn introductory sign painting skills, from materials to techniques.
Introduction
- Meet Joseph Giampino
- Sign making basics
- Explain the importance of signs
- History (walldogs, coke wars, trade schools, more signs = more money)
Supplies
- leaded vs non leaded
- oil based enamels vs water based
- sign boards (metal, MDo, substrates)
- brushes (fitches, flats, quills, liners, greys, browns, taklons, pinstripe, synthetics, ferrules: metal vs tied)
- cleaners (mineral vs turpentine. Neatsfoot bon ami)
- Touch on leafing (alloys, size, burnishing, etc)
Examples Of Lettering
- Casuals , block, Egyptian , Roman , scripts
- Design and layout
- Show cards
- Walls
- Bricks
- Windows
- Doors
- Large lettering
- Supermarket signs
Troubleshooting
- What to do to get a sign done. Different kinds of brick require different brushes.
Hands On
- Create a casual alphabet
- Create a block letter/rounded block alphabet
- Create a script alphabet
- Create a supermarket sign.
Meet Your Instructor
My name is Joseph Giampino and I’m the man and brush behind SPCLSIGNS (Special Signs).
I’m a traditional sign painter located in Raleigh, NC who specializes in hand-painted signage, gold leaf, and murals. Sign Painting is a long standing tradition and a trade that had been handed down from past generations. Sadly, it was swept under the rug when the introduction of computers and printed, vinyl signs were introduced.
After nearly becoming a lost art, in the last decade there has been a rise in appreciation for one of a kind hand-crafted work and trade skills. People have begun to realize that quality and creativity are more important than speed.
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Saturday and Sunday, March 16 – 17, 2024
Workshop – Foundational Hand: How to Write It – How to Use It with Tamara Stoneburner
Class Description
Foundational is an unusual creature. Its core existence revolves around being thoroughly consistent, both in its spacing and letter shape. It is a humanistic broad-edged bookhand used for its ultimate readability within text; its warm, compatible aesthetic; and even overall texture. It holds its own identity while pairing well with pointed-pen scripts.
This two-day workshop is an in-depth overview of its origin and development from 10th-century psalters by its modernizer, Edward Johnston. We will apply his 7-step analysis to gain a deeper understanding of the power Foundational possesses within its elegant simplicity.
The morning of the first day will begin with a 20-minute discussion on how to properly prepare and handle a broad-edged pen (specifically covering the Speedball, Mitchell, and Brause nibs). Following will be a history lecture with the instructor’s demo of the skeletal anatomy of Foundational. The afternoon will involve demonstrations of the minuscule letterforms, with participants following along in hands-on practice. There will be an open, revolving Q & A atmosphere with clinic-style troubleshooting sessions throughout. This is not a time to be shy—ask your questions.
The second day will continue with minuscule practice while introducing the majuscules. There will be a brief, more advanced discussion towards the end concerning letter- and interlinear spacing when writing Foundational.
Meet Your Instructor
Tamara Stoneburner is a professional calligrapher/fine artist and the owner of Gracestone Calligraphics, an independent studio started in 1997 and located in Northern Virginia. She specializes in fine art commissions ranging from weddings and anniversaries to awards and certificates to complex family tree charts to resolutions and retirements, as well as other hand-rendered personal calligraphy art pieces.
She has undergone two tours of duty spanning five years as president of the Washington Calligraphers Guild (DC Metro area). She continues to be a dedicated instructor at IAMPETH (since 2014), covering such topics as the Foundational Hand, Layout & Design, Quaker marriage certificates, and how to research genealogy and create family tree charts.
Location
- MacGregor Downs Country Club: 430 St Andrews Ln, Cary, NC 27511
Price
- Triangle Calligraphers Guild Members: $150
- Non-members: $180
Class Size
- Limited to 25 seats
Saturday, March 9, 2024
Italic Method and Theory, with Joyce Teta
Local calligraphic legend Joyce Teta joins us on March 9th for a class on Italic lettering. We are privileged to welcome such a luminary in the world of calligraphy.
Class Description
There is a sweet logic to the Italic hand. In this introductory program, we will think outside the box, to get inside the rectangle, and recover the triangle.
A study of sequence and shape shifting will give you a security of form. You can easily own this method of building a solid Italic hand.
Suggested Supplies
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Paper (transluscent bond paper recommend Borden & Riley or several sheets of your preferred practice paper)
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Double pencil (two pencils taped together) or two pencils and tape, we can help you set it up
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Pencil sharpener
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Broad edge pen (pilot, fountain or Speedball c2/c3 nib or similar)
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Ink
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Colored pencils (at least two colors)
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T-square 12” ruler (optional)
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Slant board (optional)
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Open mind for learning
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A giant smile (not optional)
Meet Your Instructor
Joyce Teta, founder of the Calligraphy Centre established in 1984 in the Triad, is a renowned artist and teacher recognized for her vibrant approach, particularly in working with children. Introduced to calligraphy as a teenager in a London convent, Joyce has been a devoted practitioner throughout her life. Specializing in proper book-making techniques, she is recognized as a calligrapher and book artist.
Joyce is known for her inclusive approach, always seeking ways to involve others in the world of calligraphy.
Her artistic journey includes numerous exhibitions throughout the Southeast, with a focus on encouraging aspiring artists through open studio sessions and workshops. Notable figures such as Maya Angelou and the Winston-Salem Mayor have commissioned her work, which consistently sells at exhibitions.
In 1984, Joyce and her husband Jim Teta initiated the Cheerio Calligraphy Retreats in the Blue Ridge mountains, attracting an international following from 17 different countries. These retreats aim to create a space where artists can collaborate and excel in their craft.
Winston-Salem recognized Joyce Teta as Artist of the Year in 1996. Over the years, she has continued to teach and exhibit both in the Triad and various locations. In 2012, Joyce held solo exhibitions at the Milton Rhodes Gallery (at Sawtooth) and InterSection Gallery on Trade Street, showcasing her artistic prowess and commitment to the world of calligraphy.
Saturday, February 10, 2024
Beginner Pointed Pen Flourishing (Flourishing and Cartouches), with Ann Erickson
(This meeting will be in-person, on-site, and maybe on zoom, if we get requests. Please contact us with any questions you may have.)
TCG member Ann Erickson will lead us through pointed pen flourishing for beginners on Saturday, February 10th. This was the highest reviewed class by TCG members from the past 6 years, previously taught by Harriet Davis.
Class Description
T
here is nothing quite so captivating as an elegant flourish gracefully rendered with a pointed pen. But these thing
s don’t just happen, there are rules!
Many guild members are able to execute flourishes beautifully. But no matter where you happen to be in your calligraphic journey, going back to the basics in any discipline is extremely valuable.
During our time together, we will examine the rudiments of creating a lovely flourish, and use it in a small project. We will examine historic and modern examples of cartouches and flourishing; practice the elements on a worksheet, which will be provided; see how to put them together in a flourish and then begin executing a small project, a mandala.
Suggested Supplies
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Pointed pen in either a straight or oblique holder with a flexible nib such as a Zebra G or Leonardo EF Principal, Hunt 22 or 56, Gillot 303 or 404, Esterbrook 357 or 358
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Ink of your choice, for example Moon Palace Sumi (or whatever you like)
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Smooth paper such as Boris Layout, Canon Marker Pad or a Rhodia pad, black or white
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White ink or gouache, like Dr. Martin’s Bleedproof White, pen white (if you wish to work on black paper)
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Gold gouache or ink, or metallic inks and metallic colors such as Finetec Pearl or Moire (optional)
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A palette if you are mixing or using colors
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Loading brush (to load fluid onto the pointed pen)
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Water container
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Paper towel or rag
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Pencil
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Eraser
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Ruler
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Compass (optional)
Note: should you wish to work on black paper bring colored gouache to mix with your white (maybe 3). Sometimes it is hard to see white because it bleeds into the paper. it will save time to mix these up before hand.
Meet Your Instructor
Ann’s lifelong love affair with letter-forms began as a child of 10 in her native state of Maine. Relearning cursive in fifth grade, as a result of poor handwriting throughout the entire class, launched her interest and inspired the development of her gift.
A professional photographer for 40 years she produces illuminated manuscripts, resolutions, one of a kind pieces, and all aspects of wedding work.
Ann’s work has twice been displayed in the Smithsonian Postal Museum’s Graceful Envelope Contest. She has taught calligraphy throughout the Southeast and her work has been featured in several calligraphic publications.
Saturday, January 13, 2024
Create Interesting Borders with Watercolor, with Peggy Williams
(This meeting will be in-person, on-site, and maybe on zoom, if we get requests. Please contact us with any questions you may have.)
We are privileged to welcome Guild member Peggy Williams on January 13th who will guide us through a program in watercolor technique. Watercolor has an extensive history in calligraphy and penmanship. Many engrossers used watercolor to add gradient shadowing and color to their pieces in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Class Description
Enjoy creating and learning new border designs for your 2024 calligraphy projects. Peggy will demonstrate simple watercolor techniques for decorating your project as well as the traditional page layouts.
Calligraphy alone is beautiful but when enhanced with border designs, your piece becomes a work of art!
Suggested Supplies
- Hot press, cold press or Arches text wove paper. Please cut at least four to five 5” x 7” pieces.
- Fine line or Micron markers
- Watercolors (I will have some if you don’t have them)
- Brushes (size 1-3)
- Watercolor pencils if you have them
- Washi or artist tape
- Ruler
- Tracing paper
- Straight nib holder (I will supply the nib)
- Water container
- Paper towels
- Stylus
Meet Your Instructor
Peggy is an accomplished, published watercolor and portrait artist, professional calligrapher and designer in Charlotte. In addition to designing wedding suites and stationery, she paints house, pet & children’s portraits. She also has four kilns and paints on porcelain. Peggy has been a member of our Guild for 6 years. You can see more of her work on her website.
Saturday, October 14, 2023
Roman Lettering, with Don King
(This meeting will be in-person, on-site, and maybe on zoom, if we get requests. Please contact us with any questions you may have.)
We are privileged to welcome Don King, our instructor for the October program and workshop. Don is a local calligrapher and Past-President of the Triangle Calligraphers Guild. Don will lead us through a one-day workshop focused on Roman lettering, both majuscules and minuscules. The morning session will be free to all Guild members. The afternoon workshop will cost $40, payable by cash or check ($45 by Paypal). Please see the Roman Lettering workshop blog post for details.
Saturday, September 9, 2023
Back to Basics, with Kerr Pelto
(This meeting will be in-person, on-site, and maybe on zoom, if we get requests. Please contact us with any questions you may have.)
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TCG member Kerr Pelto will share some tips and tricks of the trade, of practice, of learning. Members are welcome to share their experiences as well. If you have specific questions you might like answers to, please bring them. Kerr would like to take the last half of the meeting to let members work on a simple work of art. Please bring at least one small, hard canvas. We will quickly add a background with acrylics, then will letter over the background. It will help if you already have a short quote or saying handy. Supplies
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Helpful HintsIf you use watercolors for your background, watercolors or acrylics can be used for lettering over it. If you use acrylics for the background, watercolors would not work well over it for lettering; use acrylics or brush markers instead. Meet Your InstructorKerr has been a member of TCG since around 1999 when we used to meet in the Page-Walker House in Cary. At that time, about eight members would attend, if that many. She has been practicing calligraphy since 1979. Her first real class was at Meredith College with instructor Don King. She took every class she could afford. As time progressed, she learned from other calligraphers, attended international workshops, then began teaching in 2010. She continues to think of herself as a student, always learning. You can learn more about Kerr at her website. |
Previous Years’ Meetings
See previous meetings page for information on programs and instructors in previous years.