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:
Sept 2022 update: Currently, 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.
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.
Program Line-Up For 2022/2023
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2023 Programs:
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Details of 2022/2023 Program Year
Saturday, April 1, 2023
Experimenting with lettering/design on various surfaces in a work-station style format
(This meeting will be in-person, on=site, and maybe on zoom, if we get requests. Please contact Robin or Karen with any questions you may have.)
More info coming in March!
Saturday, March 11, 2023
“Weaver Writing,” an all-day workshop, with Bill Kemp
(This meeting will be on zoom only. Please contact Robin or Karen with any questions you may have.)
This Workshop is open to all members and is free of charge. It will be held only on Zoom in the privacy of your own home and we WILL NOT BE MEETING AT THE CHURCH.
Please see the workshop blog post for details, and refer to the student workbook provided by Bill Kemp in the Members’ Downloads section of the website. Please see Videos and Tutorials page for recordings of Bill’s remote workshop on zoom.
Saturday, February 11, 2023
“Italic Script” with Sonia Pal
(This meeting will be hybrid: both in-person, and on zoom. Please contact Robin or Karen with any questions you may have.)
This month we are very pleased to announce that Sonia Pal, our TCG member, will be our guest host.
The Class:
- Set up and intro (15 min)
- A methodology for learning ANY script as a beginner to a pro (15min)
- Tried and trusted methods to get the most out of ANY calligraphy class (15min)
- Foundations of Italic script (monoline basic letter forms) (30 min)
- Broad edge Italic (60min)
- Numbers and punctuation (15min)
- Create a project or a simple card (if time permits). Bring along a short phrase or quote you want to use.
“First it is an intention. Then a behavior. Then a habit. Then a second nature. Then it is simply who you are.” – Brendon Bruchard
“Art washes away from the soul, the dust of everyday life.” ~ Pablo Picasso
Required Supplies (these will be provided to you or you may bring your own):
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- Paper – Graph paper 4-5 mm grids
- Pencils – 2B regular pencil, plus double pencils (2 pencils taped together)
- Pens- Any Broad Edge calligraphy marker e.g. Sakura Pigma Graphic marker 3 mm or Zig Calligraphy marker 3.5 mm), and/or Pilot Parallel pen
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**Exemplars and grid sheets can be found on the TCG website’s Members’ Downloads page, for you to download and bring to the meeting.
Optional Supplies (you are welcome to use any you have on hand):
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- Layout Marker Paper (translucent) e.g. Canson pro layout paper
- Pen- Any straight holder, or pilot parallel pen
- Nib- Any broad edge nib of your choice e.g. Mitchels, Tape nib etc.
- Ink of your choice – Walnut, Sumi (diluted), Fountain pen inks. Any ink with a good flow
- Any cards, watercolor papers to create a project in class, or sketchbook
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About Sonia Pal:
Sonia is a calligraphy and painting artist who believes in the healing and energizing powers of art as therapy. Her art journey started in 2020 while taking a short break from the busy corporate career to rejuvenate. She is mostly self-taught and works with several mediums (watercolor, acrylic, ink, pencil, mixed media). She has studied calligraphy under some of the world’s greatest Penmans, including Michael Sull, Harvest Crittenden, Pat Blair, Suzanne Cunningham, Paul Antonio, Rachel Yallop and many more.
Sonia combines various artforms and mediums with calligraphy. There is no “pre-planned method” to her creations and each piece is unique. There is a story to go along with each art piece. These stories are posted on her Instagram page. Most recently she has started delving into surface design. The goal of her artwork is simple: to bring joy and healing.
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- Calligraphy Commissions: https://www.asquarewatermelon.
com/book-a-commission - IG: @ASquareWatermelon https://www.instagram.com/
asquarewatermelon/
- Calligraphy Commissions: https://www.asquarewatermelon.
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Saturday, January 14, 2023
“The French Curve & Other Instruments of Calligraphy” with Jessica Yee
(This meeting will be held in-person, on-site. Please contact Robin or Karen with any questions you may have.)
This month we are very pleased to announce that Jessica Yee, a member, past president, and integral part of TCG will be our guest host.
The Class
Jessica will be teaching the use of the French curve. During class we will be creating a sketch of a Lombardic letter and decorating it with watercolors and, if you are feeling adventurous, some gilding. She also invites you to bring any other tools you may have acquired but are uncertain how to use. I, for one, have ordered things for workshops and over time have forgotten their specific use. Jessica will help demonstrate how best to use and add these instruments in our creative designing.
Supplies
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- French Curve (we can share if you do not have one)
- Pencil & Eraser
- Tracing Paper or Bond Layout Paper (translucent)
- Pointed Pen & Ink or Micron Pen
- Watercolors of your choosing with water container/brushes
- Smooth (hot press) watercolor paper (Jessica prefers 300 lb.)
- *Gilding Supplies
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And, any instruments that you may have that you would like some instruction on
Thank you Jessica for graciously joining us as host this month to share a part of your calligraphic expertise. Some of you had seen Jessica play with the French Curve during one meeting last year and she has been most highly requested ever since!
About Jessica Yee
Jessica Yee is a current TCG member and past TCG President. She currently lives in Fuquay-Varina and is a busy married mother of four. Her love of calligraphy and the study of lettering arts began 30+ years ago. She has studied under and learned from some of the premier calligraphers and lettering artists of the world. Jessica is a very gifted calligrapher, and the founder of The Oblique Pen which allows her to work with individual clients on various personal projects. She is heavily involved in the arts locally, and teaches in many capacities.
Saturday, December 10, 2022
“Holiday Party & Special Occasions Workshop” with Carol Fountain Nix
** This meeting will be held in-person, on-site. Please contact Robin or Karen with any questions you may have.
**Please note that we are starting at 10:30 a.m. (instead of our usual 10:00 a.m.) We will set out any food and take care of a few TCG business items/reminders at this time. Our program will begin at 11:00 a.m. and end 3:00 p.m.
Its the final few weeks of 2022 and time for our annual holiday get-together. We are very pleased to have Carol Fountain Nix, one of our very own members and a very talented calligrapher, sharing many creative ways we can use our calligraphy in creating some trappings of the season with her Holiday and Special Occasions Workshop!
We will meet at the church, Resurrection Lutheran Church, 100 Lochmere Drive West, Cary, NC. 27518 on Saturday, December 10th from 10:30 – 3:00 p.m. for a day filled with holiday fun and food. ***I ask that you please let me or Karen know by Friday, December 2nd if you plan on attending the meeting so that we can determine the amount of supplies needed for the meeting. Should your plans change or you are not able to attend that will be fine (but you will be missed), just let me know so we can adjust the count.
Workshop
There are so many creative and unique ways to use calligraphy to create gifts for ALL seasons. In this workshop, you will learn new techniques for applying calligraphy to create amazing and unique wrapping paper, greeting cards, gift tags, envelopes, and more for the upcoming holidays and other special occasions.
Supplies
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- Preferred writing tools of your choice, pens, inks, pencils/erasers, metallic markers, glitter pens, etc…
- Decorative papers
- Scraps from practice papers
- Scissors, Xacto knives, and cutting surfaces/mats
- Paper to use for cards, tags (heavier stock), envelopes, etc…
- Rulers
- Tape
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*Carol will have decorative papers, fine paper scraps and supporting tools and materials to share.
*Don’t miss a few holiday items that will be for sale
Party
In addition to gathering together to share our talents & creativity, we are also celebrating the holiday season of friends and fellowship! If you are interested in bringing any recipes and/or goodies to share you are welcome to do so. We will have a table set aside for any dishes and will supply drinks/ice and paper products and utensils. If you’d like to volunteer for drinks/ice please simply contact me or Karen; otherwise, bring whatever you would like to share. ***Please note that bringing treats are optional.
About Carol Fountain Nix
Carol Fountain Nix is an award-winning entrepreneur, educator, designer, and calligrapher. Her work is a fusion of mixed media and calligraphy. Carol’s inspiration originates from the colors and textures in nature. As a result, her works are natural, organic, and often tactile.
Carol grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, which provided an endless array of visual stimulation: rock formations, tree limbs, vines, mossy beds, and cool creek sides lined with mountain laurel.
Carol is a “perpetual student of calligraphy” and she has studied with some of the world’s leading lettering artists. “It is a skill that requires dedication, desire, and an acute attention to detail. My goal is to create and preserve the integrity of each letter – not an easy task when writing over many layers of media. Each piece relates directly and metaphorically with the content with regard to composition color, tone, placement and style,” she states.
Carol has taught calligraphy, hand lettering, and typography for many years and has conducted workshops all over the USA as well as internationally – including sessions for Facebook’s Analog Research Lab, at the company’s headquarters in Menlo Park, and workshops for Adobe in San Francisco, where she was also a featured instructor at the Adobe Max Annual Creativity Conference. More recently, Carol is an online instructor for Domestika.org.
Carol Fountain Nix is the Director of the NC State University Crafts Center and C:LAB Digital Makerspace. Additionally, she runs her own business, FountainArts.com. Be sure to check her website at carolfountainnix.com for 2o23 workshops, events and classes!
Saturday, November 12, 2022
“Creating a Seasonal Card – Lettering in a Circle” with Kerr Pelto
(This meeting will be held in-person, on-site. Please contact Robin or Karen with any questions you may have. )
Kerr’s program will cover a couple of creative ideas just in time for the holidays! Lettering in a Circle will cover an easy way to letter in a circle. Supplies are super limited. You won’t need to buy anything! She will then take you step-by-step in designing your own holiday art/lettering that you can then use to make Thanksgiving/Holiday cards or ornaments. Your design can be imported into most any website to make your own ornaments. (*Handouts are few: a circle grid and images of turkeys and Christmas trees. These will be distributed to each of you in class.) It’s easy! It’s fun! And you can have your one-of-a-kind gift for those hard-to-shop-for family members or friends.
Supply list:
Tracing Paper
Pencil and eraser
Any calligraphic tool you want to use for your design (pens/inks…)
1 sheet of watercolor paper (a few extra for practice)
Set of watercolors (cheap set is totally fine) and brushes of your choice
Lightbox, if you have one (not crucial)
Masking tape
*Handouts to be distributed in class
Saturday, October 8 and 9, 2022
“Workshop: The Creative Sketchbook for Calligraphers” with Patti Adams
A two-day workshop on Oct 8th – 9th, 2022
(This meeting and workshop will be held in-person, on-site. Please contact Robin or Karen with any questions you may have. )
See meeting and workshop details on blog post for Creative Sketchbooking.
Saturday, September 10, 2022
“Ornamental Penmanship Capitals” with Gray Harris
(This meeting will be held in-person, on-site. Please contact Robin or Karen with any questions you may have. )
Please see Members’ Downloads page for Gray’s class slides and handouts
“Lovers of fine penmanship have been drawn to the dramatic contrast of light and shade exemplified by Ornamental Penmanship for over 100 years. In this class you’ll learn about the evolution of capital letters in Ornamental Penmanship capitals, from their origin in “Semi-angular” penmanship to their zenith in the 1910’s.
Letters will be grouped by similarity and a detailed analysis presented. Gray will demonstrate arm movement writing, but these letters can also be written with finger movement.”
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List of Supplies: |
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“I will have extra on hand if any of these materials prove difficult to obtain, but please bring an oblique pen holder. I will have paper lined appropriately for you to use as a guide underneath blank sheets. *An oblique penholder, adjusted for… *5 or 6 extremely flexible, fine pointed nibs
*Iron Gall Ink
*30 to 40 sheets of smooth copy paper that can hold a shade
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Previous Years’ Meetings
See previous meetings page for information on programs and instructors in previous years.