Calligraphy and Me

I create bold designs using broad-edged pens, flexible nibs, pointed brushes, ink and a little bit of tech.

It’s a weird thing, but if it hadn’t have been for a picture of irises, I wouldn’t have become a calligrapher.

I originally trained as a graphic designer even though I was more interested in illustration because I thought it would be easier to find work. That’s how I ended up in the art department of a publishing house that produced puzzle magazines (of all things) It wasn’t the most challenging work so I explored my creativity in many different ways: oil painting (too smelly), needlework, knitting and watercolours. In the watercolour class I came across a book about modern botanical paintings and this image caught my eye.

I loved the painting of the irises but it was the italic calligraphy, written by an American calligrapher called Georgia Deaver, that really intrigued me. I loved the way the letterforms echoed the colours and textures of the painting which wouldn’t be possible with a typeface. That’s when I signed up for a calligraphy evening class at Roehampton and I was hooked!

I had to take 3 different buses to get to this class but it was worth it because my tutor, Margaret Daubney, was so inspirational and what she was teaching me was eye-opening.

And then there I was studying for a Calligraphy and Bookbinding degree part-time (I got a first – just thought I’d mention that) and exploring calligraphy in a way that suited me, which is basically to take the traditions and skill-sets and throw it on its head.

In my calligraphy I mix analogue with digital, pencils with graphics and I’m always on the lookout for inspiration. My notebooks are full of ideas I’ve seen in historic manuscripts, on restaurant signs, book covers, pub signs, museum artefacts.

But beneath it all is discipline. Vincent Van Gogh described drawing skills as his foundation, regardless of the medium he used and it’s the same for me and calligraphy.

I love the endless cycle of learning-making-learning-making mistakes, making discoveries, and getting better.