Meetings

March 13, 2021
Fun with Foundational – the Bookhand
with Harriet Davis and Robin Gunter

First, we will look at a basic foundational alphabet as Harriet gives a short demonstration of the letter groups, using resources from Sheila Waters, Annie Cicale and Charles Pierce. Next, we will try some variations using broad edge, pointed pen and a pencil. If you are a beginner, it’s good to be acquainted with the Foundational Hand and you can try out the forms using whatever tool you are comfortable with. If you have experience with this hand, plan to try your own variations and possibly share them with the group. No pressure to share, but we learn so much from each other.  Look in the members section after next Wednesday if you’d like an exemplar. 
After we have examined and experimented with the letters, Robin will show us how to make a simple accordion book. For the subject of your book, you can use an alphabet, a quote – anything you like.

February 13, 2021
Fun Folded Forms
with Catherine Langsdorf and Stephanie Driver

Fold along with Catherine as she walks us through four paper projects. We will look at two envelope designs, a simple book pattern and a standing placecard. If time allows, a fifth project to hold business cards or a small book will be shared. Along with these folded forms, Catherine will share information on how to proportion your art work and other measurement tricks of the trade.

Stephanie will follow up with a few creative folding projects of her own, one of which will be full of love, seeing that Valentine’s Day is upon us! We are also happy that she is willing to open up her studio for a tour of her newly inspired space.

TOOLS AND MATERIALS FOR THIS PROGRAM:

• Metal Ruler
• Scissors OR Exacto cutter and mat
• Bone folder or spoon or popsicle stick
• Paper for folding (thin paper such as wrapping paper, a large wall calendar, scrapbook paper if thin, or similar) that is precut to:
  •  3 pieces of square paper, no smaller than 8.5” by 8.5”
  • 1 piece of rectangle paper, 6” by 9” portrait in a pattern
  • 6 pieces of rectangle paper, 8.5” by 11” random patterns work best (no top and bottom)
•  

Saturday, Jan 9, 2021
Studio tour and some organizational tips, by TCG members

We will begin this new year with a little studio tour and some organizational tips to give us all a fresh start for 2021! This month we have a group of our own members who are graciously opening their studios to us for a peek at how they work. They will give us a small tour of their space, some of their works, tips on how they’ve organized their spaces and supplies, and may even have a small craft or some personal item or hint to share.

Saturday, Dec 12, 2020
“Poinsettias: Winter’s Favorite Florals”
with Connie Furgason

(This meeting will be online via Zoom) For our last meeting of 2020 we have a special class as a gift for our members. We are delighted to introduce Connie Furgason! This is the first time Connie has been a guest artist with TCG and we’re all in for a real treat. She is a very talented watercolour artist and is known for her gorgeous florals, among other subjects. In our upcoming class Connie will demonstrate the basic strokes to create the poinsettia plant along with how to design images for Christmas cards and other projects. She will also demonstrate a few fun and easy projects for the season.

TOOLS AND MATERIALS FOR THIS PROGRAM:

• • Watercolours of your choice (have at least a couple of reds and greens)
  • 1 1/2” flat watercolour brush and/or a round brush, size 8 or 10
  • Smaller round brush size 2, 3, or 4 (brand sizing varies, but a medium and smaller size)
  • Pencils: HB and a 2H or 3H
  • Watercolour paper or mixed media paper

*Optional supplies:
• Metallic gel pen or liquid acrylic ink (Daler Rowney FW Gold or something similar i.e. Finetec, Art
• Quest Metallic paints, watercolour, or gouache. Whatever “sparkly” something you have on hand
• Pointed pen or tiny watercolour paint brush

**Please look for exemplars in the Members’ section, under Handouts for workshops and meeting programs at: Members Downloads

About Connie:

Connie Furgason started teaching calligraphy and related arts in 1982. Connie travels across Canada and the US teaching for guilds, private studios and has been part of the faculty at several international lettering arts conferences. She is an aficionado of the written word and expresses it through a variety of different mediums including watercolour, acrylic and mixed media. Her work has been published by art distribution companies and her originals have found many lovely new homes in Canada and the US. Connie loves sharing a variety of art techniques with students of all levels and seeing the joy experienced as they discover their own artist within. Examples of Connie’s work on Instagram: conniefurgason

Saturday, Nov 14, 2020
“Neuland Meets Zentangle”
with Kerr Pelto and Sampada Agarwal

(This meeting will be online via Zoom) We will be taking a look at the “Neuland Hand” at this month’s meeting.  Please make sure you have time to order the Speedball A nib(s) that you want to use. I have been using a gridded Rhodia pad for my practice for three reasons:  1.The grid lines help to keep the vertical strokes, well, vertical!  2.The paper is smooth.  3.Ink does not bleed or pass through to the underside of the paper.
There is a handout of five pages that you may want to have in front of you during the meeting for reference.  “Since I have the first half of the meeting and will be sharing the second half with Sampada, all 26 letterforms may not be covered.  Nevertheless, you will come away with a clear understanding of how to use the nib as well as how to make the basic strokes. At the end of my half, we will be using a pencil to draw an outline of a large letter on our pad.  This letter will be filled with Zentangle.  I will be drawing a large K. Looking forward to seeing all of you and having fun learning how to use this often-neglected nib!”  -Kerr Pelto

While Kerr will teach the nuances of the Neuland hand, Sampada will help embellish these bold letters using Zentangle patterns. Examples of her work are shown in a handout located under the TCG member’s area – look for member downloads/handouts.

Oct 15th, Oct 20, 2020

“The Rich World of Hebrew Calligraphy”
with Jonathan Homrighausen

This meeting will be conducted in two parts, both as online meetings, via Zoom: 

Thursday, October 15th, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and

Tuesday, October 20th from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

Please join us for both nights as we will be learning some techniques the first night, with time to practice in between, and a follow up session the second night.

Last year Jonathan treated us to a rare experience sharing the Saint John’s Bible.  We are thrilled to have Jonathan back this year to share his knowledge of Hebrew Calligraphy.  This will be a “hands-on introduction to the rich world of Hebrew calligraphy – assuming no knowledge of the language.  In two class sessions we will dive into the history and basic shapes of the Hebrew script, and learn how to write some letters.  By the time we finish you will be able to write a few Hebrew names or words, perhaps the name of a loved one, or a short phrase.”  An “ideal preparation for this workshop would be some familiarity and comfort with the broad-edge nib” (this is merely a suggestion, not a requirement for learning and enjoying the class).

TOOLS AND MATERIALS FOR THIS PROGRAM:
– Broad-edge nib in any form you prefer:  parallel pen, metal nib, quill, automatic pen, reed, etc.  The larger the better!  *6mm parallel pen is a good example
–  Ink of your choice
–  Layout paper for practice:  suggested paper: Borden & Riley #37 Bright White Translucent
    Visual Bond
–  Ruler
–  Pencil
–  Eraser
–  Optional:  Tracing Paper

About Jonathan:

Jonathan Homrighausen discovered calligraphy in 2016 through The Saint John’s Bible.  He has been studying and practicing Hebrew calligraphy since 2018, and is continually fascinated by calligraphy’s connection to history, as well as its ability to embody beautiful words and explore their nuances.  He currently lives in Durham, NC, where he tries to take advantage of the rich calligraphy community of North Carolina between his other life as a graduate student.

If you have any questions or need any assistance please send an email to info@trianglecalligraphersguild.org

Previous Meetings, 2019-2020:

Also see previous meetings page for information on programs and instructors in previous years.

2019 / 2020 Program Year

Previous Programs  – Detailed

Saturday, April 18, 2020
“Introduction to the World of Fountain Pens and Inks”
with Roger Fahmer

(This meeting will be online via Zoom)

In this month’s program, our very own beloved Roger Fahmer will share his love of pens and ink as he takes us through his vast collection, sharing stories and experiences through fountains.   
Following Roger, we would like to open the remaining part of the meeting up to those who may be interested in sharing any lettering ideas or techniques.

About Roger:
Roger is a talented, self-taught man who said he “had a pen in his hand” most of his life. A prolific “collector and user of both vintage and modern fountain pens,” Roger is a member of TCG and is very well known by all of us for his exceptional, graceful and beautiful Spencerian Hand. 

Saturday, March 14, 2020: March meeting is cancelled.

“Hebrew lettering,” Jonathan Homrighausen teaching us about Hebrew lettering

Saturday, February 10, 2020
“How to run a successful creative business and the art of addressing envelopes”, a one-day, two-part workshop by Jessica Yee

About Jessica:
Jessica began studying the lettering arts thirty years ago, learning from some of the world’s premier calligraphers and letter artists. 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.  
Jessica is also heavily involved in serving the arts locally.

Saturday, January 10, 2020
“Borders and Brushes”, with Jan Hege Galloni

This month’s program will concentrate on the use of brush markers and watercolor brushes to develop and design borders. Jan uses a pressure and release technique in her work with a variety of brushes to produce beautiful scrolling designs. She will take us through the steps she uses to create works that will enhance your calligraphy as well as many other artistic pieces.

TOOLS AND MATERIALS FOR THIS PROGRAM

• pencils, erasers
• Tombow Fudenosuke Markers (any colors) or any brush markers you may have
• any size round watercolor brushes
• regular card stock paper and scrap paper for practice
• a few tubes of watercolor of your choice
• small paper plates/palates and small brush to mix paints
• calligraphy ink (black, gold or a color of your choosing)
• and last, but not least, paper towels.

About Jan:
Jan Hege Galloni is a current member of Triangle Calligraphers’ Guild and makes her home in Jamestown, NC at River Twist Homestead. She is a confirmed “artist at heart” and this is reflected in her home, her trade and many talents. She has a strong background in both Zentangle and Calligraphy, often sharing these passions through teaching, exhibiting in art shows, and creating custom invitations and painted signs.

Saturday, December 14, 2019
Annual TCG Holiday Party

Time to come together to celebrate with some delicious food. We are also looking forward to introducing some Show and Tell this year. We invite anyone who is interested to bring a piece of their artwork and to share their gifts and talents with us all!

Saturday, November 9, 2019
“Three Strokes and the Truth” with Joyce Teta

“THREE STROKES AND THE TRUTH”

Joyce’s description of our upcoming workshop. “There is a sweet logic to the Italic hand. In this introductory workshop, 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.” This morning session will only allow for the lower case letters. She has asked that you come “with a beginner’s mind, this way you are fluid and open.”

“ANGLE, WEIGHT AND FORM”

Johnston’s wisdom. “The afternoon class will reinforce the morning process. We will construct a logic of form for the broad edge tool, along with a conscious effort to bring various conceptual elements together. Branching will be our focus. We will learn 3 conceivable variations of the Italic form; which opens the door to infinite possibilities.”

*The afternoon session will be held from 2-5:00 pm following a break from 1-2:00 pm. The cost of this session is $30.00 and is payable at the door on the 9th.

TOOLS AND MATERIALS FOR THIS PROGRAM

For this month’s program Joyce has asked us to bring a mechanical pencil, ruler, layout paper you can see through (tracing paper can be used as well), your favorite broad edged pen and an ink of your choice.

***For the afternoon class she has suggested that Gilbert Bond unlined paper would be helpful but not required.

About Joyce:
Joyce Teta founded the Calligraphy Centre in 1984 in the Triad and is well known for her enthusiastic teaching. She’s been artist (exhibiting throughout the Southeast) and teacher (encouraging many with her generous open studio approach, as well as regularly scheduled workshops). She is one of the most inclusive practitioners, always looking for ways for others to join the fun/movement.

Joyce, a “lifer”, was introduced to calligraphy as a teenager in an all-girl school convent in London and has been a devotee and practitioner ever since. She loves letters in all forms, but has specialized in learning proper book-making techniques, hence the moniker: calligrapher & bookartist. Clients such as Maya Angelou and the mayor of Winston-Salem have commissioned her work, and her work sells regularly at exhibitions.

She is also well-known for hosting Cheerio Calligraphy Retreats, which she began with her husband Jim Teta in 1984. Cheerio was set up as a retreat in the Blue Ridge Mountains where artists could gather and “work with the best”. It has gained an international following with people coming from 17 countries around the world.

She was Winston-Salems’ Artist of the Year in 1996 and has been teaching and exhibiting both in the Triad and in other locales.

Saturday, October 12, 2019
“The Calligraphic Hands of the St. John’s Bible” with Jonathan Homrighausen

The Saint John’s Bible is possibly the most ambitious calligraphic project of our lifetimes: a hand-written, hand-illustrated Bible created over thirteen years under the guidance of Donald Jackson, former chief scribe to the Queen of England. For the 2018-2019 school year, Duke Divinity School is hosting two reproduction volumes of this magnificent project.

We’ll look at copies of some of the scripts in The Saint John’s Bible to see what we can learn from them. We will focus on the script that Jackson designed for the majority of the Bible, and the story behind how he designed it. By analyzing various aspects of these scripts, tracing them, and practicing them, we can gain some insight into how these master scribes work.

TOOLS AND MATERIALS

Pencils, tracing paper, practice paper (e.g. Borden & Riley), a clear plastic ruler, a broad-edged nib (your choice of size) and whatever inks or pigments you prefer using. **There is no pointed pen calligraphy in The Saint John’s Bible**

About Jonathan:
Jonathan has been involved with The Saint John’s Bible for four years, and has introduced it to hundreds of people across the country. His book on this amazing Bible, Illuminating Justice, was released with Liturgical Press in 2018. Though he has studied Roman-alphabet scripts, in his own work he is most entranced by Hebrew calligraphy, which he has been studying for the past year. In his other life he is a doctoral student in Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Duke University.

Saturday, September 14, 2019
Presented by TCG members:
“Calligraphy Tools and Techniques,” including a “Try-‘n-Buy” with lots of materials sent from John Neal Booksellers