Please join us in celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Washington (DC) Calligraphers Guild! We invite lettering enthusiasts from around the world to click on the RSVP card at right for more information on becoming a WCG member. Among the highlights this year is our Invitational Exhibition of Calligraphic Art from July 20 to August 25, 2001 at Strathmore Arts Center in Rockville, MD. The WCG journal Scripsit featuring works from this exhibit will be mailed to all members later this year.

Also on exhibit during our 25th anniversary show will be the winners of the National Postal Museum's 2001 Graceful Envelope Contest, sponsored this year by the Washington Calligraphers Guild.

Founded in 1976, the Washington Calligraphers Guild is an organization of approximately 500 American and international lettering artists of all skill levels, from professional scribes to enthusiastic beginners and even some non-calligraphers who appreciate the lettering and book arts.

The word calligraphy comes from the Greek kalli meaning beautiful and graphia referring to writing, and calligraphers today still emulate the beautiful letterforms of scribes throughout the centuries. Even in an age of computer-generated type, this ancient craft is flourishing, but it is also evolving. Calligraphy is now a respected visual art, the creative expression of the written word.

Hermineh Miller (r.) has given several free workshops with Jordenne Ferrington at the Capital Children's Museum.

The Guild's second annual Holiday Calligrafest on Saturday, October 21, 2000 was a great day of learning about the lettering arts, shopping for unique hoiday gifts, and browsing a wide selection of art supplies. Participants enjoyed continuous demonstrations geared to all skill levels, exciting hourly raffles, a silent auction of artwork by some of America's top calligraphers and more.
Please allow a minute for the image above to animate. (Animation of David Hobbs demonstrating left-handed lettering at Calligrafest was created by Walt Stoneburner.)

 ~ Click here to see photos from the Guild's 2000 Calligrafest.
 ~ Click here for photos and video from the Guild's 1999 Calligrafest.

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Of special interest!

*   Graceful Envelope Contest

*   An historic overview of calligraphy, lettering and typeface design

*   Descriptions of upcoming meetings and workshops

*   Video of a calligraphy studio

*   Selected bibliography of books available at the WCG Library

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 ~ About the Washington Calligraphers Guild  ~  Meetings, Classes & Workshops ~ 
~ Exhibits & Special Events  ~  Scripsit, the WCG journal ~ 
 ~ How to become a member  ~  Freelance calligraphers in the DC area ~ 
 ~ Links to related websites  ~  Zapf fund to further calligraphy education ~ 
 ~  Photos from recent Washington Calligraphers Guild workshops  ~ 

Sally Phillips (l.) shares the "Joy" of lettering at a Spring 2000 Washington Calligraphers Guild workshop and Ann Pope demonstrates versals at Calligrafest.

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Last updated on March 4, 2001 by the Washington Calligraphers Guild
P.O. Box 3688, Merrifield, VA 22116 (phone messages: 301-897-8637)

To send e-mail to the WCG, click on the icon:   
© 2000, 2001 by the Washington Calligraphers Guild. All rights reserved.
The images displayed on this site are available solely for your viewing pleasure.
Any reproduction or retransmission of these images without the consent
of the artist is strictly prohibited.

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WCG logo by Sheila Waters. Invitation at top of page lettered by Pat Blair. Makers Guild logo © Ieuan Rees. Holiday Calligrafest logo by Debra Sohasky Brown.
The "abcxyz" artwork displayed along the left side of every page of this website is © Charlie Hughes.

Visitors to this page since April 2, 2000:  

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