Three upcoming shows

Life in the studio has been a whirlwind for the past couple of weeks, as I prepare for three holiday shows. Bits of my paper stash are everywhere, ink and gouache are splashing, and time is flying by quickly.

On Saturday, November 3, I'll be in Springfield VA, with the Washington Calligraphers Guild, for our annual ""Calligrafest".
From November 16 through the 18th, the Art League of Germantown, MD, will hold our "Winterglow 2007" at Black Rock. And, Saturday, December 1st, I will be participating in a holiday show and sale at the Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center in Frederick, MD. For more details on any of these shows, please click on the respective links listed in the sidebar area of this blog.

Below are a few samples of some of the work that will be included. As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments. I welcome special orders, especially for the small gift books, at any time.
Till then!

If a man does not keep pace with his companions

Hand lettering on mats can sometimes be a bit challenging, but it's always extremely rewarding, especially when the finished piece is to be presented as a special gift. My client is a photographer from my local art league, and his client requested calligraphy on the mat before it was framed. The familiar text by Thoreau reads, "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." I hand lettered this in black gouache on museum board, to complement the image. Photography by Bob Keating.

Our dreams are as big as the Tuscan Sky

The calligraphy on this mat was commissioned by a client who wanted to add a special touch to her father-in-law's watercolor painting, as a donation for an elementary school auction. The names and the 'future occupations' of twenty-four young students were hand lettered around the inside edge of the triple mat, and a delightful poem about dreams and the Tuscan sky was lettered directly on the top mat. I used a warm brown ink to compliment the painting. This piece involved careful measuring and layout work, but the end result was worth the extra time, and the client was very happy. A few weeks later, I received a wonderful thank you card signed by each of the children, as well as confirmation that the piece had indeed sold. :)

Peace be with you

This small piece was paste painted in acrylics on a gesso prepared board, as a gift for a special friend who is moving away next month.

Moments that take our breath away

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." This quote has been on my drawing board for several months, and the calligraphy and design have finally come together as a 14 x 18 collage that will be exhibited in an upcoming show. It has been hand lettered with a rose colored gouache, and many of my hand painted papers were selected for the design. The words are left to your own interpretation.

Two Upcoming Shows

Saturday, November 4:
West Springfield High School, Springfield, VA
Washington Calligraphers Guild, Annual 'Calligrafest', 10-4
For more information:

Washington Calligraphers Guild

Friday, Saturday, & Sunday, November 10-12:
Black Rock Center for the Arts
12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown, MD
The Art Leauge of Germantown, Art show and Sale, 'Winterglow 2006'
Friday, 10-5 / Saturday, 10-5 / Sunday, 1-4
For more information:

The Art Leauge of Germantown

Recent commission

This was a recent commission for a broadside to fit on the landscape of a boat. It's a quote by Arthur Ransome, and it was lettered in sumi waterproof ink on 140 lb. watercolor paper, with gold accents. My client lives on her boat, and the words are quite fitting for a person who enjoys life on the water, so I gave up straight lines and let the words move in waves across the paper.

Hand Lettered Headings

Last spring, I was commissioned to hand letter all of the headings for a local tourism publication. The calligraphy was done in black ink on Diploma Parchment, and then scanned into Adobe Photoshop for color and size adjustments. "O' Say You Can See" was displayed on the front cover, with various other headlines throughout the magazine.

A journey

This is one of my favorite quotes:
"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step."
-Lao Tzu
This print was originally lettered in white, on a brick red paste paper background. It's matted in a double cut 6" x 12" black rag mat, and enclosed in a black metal frame. I did a series of these last year, with three separate quotes, but this first one was my favorite.

When it comes to joy

When it comes to joy in the process, these little gift books are my very favorite thing to create for customers. They are more time consuming than some of my other work, because each book is hand lettered in gold gouache on cream colored artist quality "wove" paper, and then bound by hand, with a variety of decorated or hand made papers from my stash. The collage work on the front is similar to the square design on the note cards, with each piece wrapped in metallic thread and attached to a square of coordinating paper.

Each of these 3 1/2 inch square accordion style books (also known as concertina books) is packaged in a matching sheer drawstring bag, and no two are exactly alike. My customers are free to choose one of my suggested quotes, or, better yet, request their own favorites. Personalization is also an option. Usually, quotes between 17-34 words are best, not including the credit. I love to do custom work, because it gives me the opportunity to help make special occasions more unique and memorable.

Something different

In preparation for a recent art show, I created these miniature tabletop pieces, with easel backs. I still haven't decided what to call them, but they're nice little gifts that don't require a frame. I used various color schemes, and some of the wrapped backgrounds are actually prints of my own hand marbled papers. Others are miscellaneous papers from my extensive stash! Although any of the quotes from the collage note cards can be used, these three are currently available:

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us" - Emerson

"One of the most beautiful qualities of friendship is to understand and to be understood" - Seneca

"Put your heart, mind, intellect and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success" - Sivananda

Collage Note Cards

This is a recent collection of blank note cards, each designed with one of eight hand lettered motivational quotes. The collage work is made up of various decorated or hand made papers, and is wrapped with metallic threads, so that no two cards are exactly alike. The calligraphy is a basic formal italic. They are printed on white laid card stock and measure 5 1/4" x 8", including size A8 envelope.

Original Matted Collage

These three images are samples of my original matted collage pieces. Each collage is individually hand lettered in gold gouache (opaque watercolor) on a cream colored text wove fine art paper, with collage work in various color schemes, consisting of decorated or handmade papers, beads, charms, wire, or fibers. They are then matted with ivory or black rag (archival) 8x10 mats. Custom pieces available. Quote suggestions welcome!

Welcome to my studio!

Please come in and stay awhile. Whether your interest is in taking a peek at my latest creative endeavors, or simply learning more about calligraphy, design, and the related arts, you are more than welcome to return as often as you like, and comment or ask questions whenever you wish.
Calligraphy is a lifelong pursuit, and lettering artists worldwide take pride in sharing our work, our experience, and our ideas.Thanks for stopping by!