The menu for the U.S. Department of State (above left) was lettered by Jennifer Kolls and the invitation (above right) by Debra Sohasky Brown. The invitation and menu at left were lettered by Marta Legeckis.

The artwork of eminent calligrapher, type designer and logo artist Werner Schneider was displayed and discussed at the Guild's September 2000 meeting. Two examples of his work are pictured above. Below: At the November 1999 meeting, members explained construction of complex holiday cards, such as the pieces by Debra Brown (l.) and Jill Norvell.

WORKSHOPS: The Washington Calligraphers Guild offers weekend workshops in the spring and fall, taught by internationally renowned calligraphers as well as local talent. Aimed at all levels of skill, the workshops are held at various locations in the Washington, DC area. Guild members receive a Workshop Bulletin twice a year describing the offerings and registration process. Call 301-897-8637 for more information about workshops.

To see photos and artwork from recent workshops, click here.

For workshop registration instructions, click here.

3/17: "Mistake-fixing by Marta."
Marta Legeckis demonstrates ways to correct mistakes by conventional methods (erasing, scraping, etc.) as well as the less conventional. Some errors can turn out to be the eye-openers for new possibilities and ways of approaching a finished piece. They give us the gift of freedom to experiment and to be innovative, because the worst that can happen is that the work will merely have to be redone.
Level: All.
Location: Vienna Presbyterian Church, Vienna, VA.

Marta Legeckis, a past president of the WCG, has been doing calligraphy for over 30 years. Among her clients are the State Department, Department of the Interior, the White House, the office of the Vice President, as well as several private firms. She has studied with Ieuan Rees, Sheila Waters, Thomas Ingmire and Ann Hechle.

Supplies: Elmer's Glue; Tracing paper; X-acto Knife with #10 and #11 blades; Single-edged razor blades; White plastic eraser; Cardboard tube from fax paper or paper towels; Paper that you like and one that is the same as your piece; Burnisher; Workable fixative; Usual supplies that you like to use.
Optional: Electric eraser; Sandarac; Nice paper; Stamps; Sponges; Decorative papers.

4/7-8: "Lombardic Versals" with Ann Pope.
Ann Pope breaks away from classical and simple initial caps. To begin this workshop, participants will spend a short time studying the proportions of traditional Trajan Roman capitals and the centuries-later Uncials, upon which the more flamboyant and highly decorative Lombardic Versals are based. Slides and facsimiles of historical Medieval Versals, and drawings from original manuscripts, will be shown. Versals are built-up letter forms, and initially, students will use fine-tipped markers, later replaced by steel nibs, and colored inks or gouaches.
Level: All.
Location: Rockville Senior Center, Rockville, MD.

Ann Pope has taught calligraphy and related crafts for over 20 years in the Washington, DC area, and for many years at Georgetown University, for the School of Continuing Education. She was born in England and grew up in Oxford with an artist father, who was also keenly interested in lettering. She has been able to study original medieval manuscripts in Oxford and Europe while living there, and her love for the craft has been greatly influenced by studies she has done with Sheila Waters, Ieuan Rees, Peter Thornton, Reggie Ezell and Ann Hechle. Ann has been a faculty member at two international calligraphy conferences.

Supplies--basic calligraphy supplies plus: Fine-tipped markers; Arches Text Wove paper; Arches HP paper 140 lb; Tubes of watercolors and/or gouache; Gold gouache; Small watercolor brushes (fine point 1, 0 & 00) for filling in and decoration; Higgins Eternal Ink or favorite black sumi ink; Mitchell Roundhand Square nibs 4, 5, 6; Crowquill nibs; Quills if available.

4/21-22: "Uncials Unleashed" with Stan Knight.
From the analysis of a high-quality facsimile and an enlargement of one outstanding example of Uncial script, we will uncover its basic form and structure. Then, following clues contained in the manuscript itself, we will proceed to radically modify its character, creating a personal and lively hand eminently suitable for contemporary use.
Level: All.
Location: Rockville Senior Center, Rockville, MD.

Stan Knight has been a Fellow of the Society of Scribes and Illuminators of London since 1964. He studied calligraphy, lettering and bookbinding as a full-time student at Leeds College of Art with Thomas Swindlehurst, who had been a student of Edward Johnston at the Royal College of Art in London. Stan was chairman of the SSI 1979-82, and was editor of their journal for six years. He has been invited faculty at 10 of the International Calligraphy Conferences held each year in the USA, and has given four of the evening presentations. In addition, Stan has taught workshops and given lectures in many parts of the USA and Canada as well as Britain and most recently Japan. Stan's work has been reproduced in many of the major calligraphy anthologies, and he has exhibited widely in Britain, the USA, Europe and Japan. His calligraphy and watercolor paintings can be seen in numerous public and private collections including the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, Akademie der Künste in Berlin, the Harrison Collection in San Francisco, and Mitaka City Arts Center in Tokyo.

Supplies: Usual calligraphy materials; Westwind Graph Pad or Bond Layout Pad, 11x17; One sheet of tracing vellum (like Canson 90 Vidalon) approx. 11x15; One sheet of better quality writing paper (like Lana Laid or Arches HP) approx. 11x15; A range of pens, including a Brause 2.5 mm or Mitchell #1 1/2; Some non-waterproof black ink (like Pelican 4001 or Fount India); A couple of texts (30-50 words) of the student's own choice. Optional: Historical Scripts by Stan Knight.

5/12-13: "The Book as Sculpture" with Michael Jacobs.
In this exciting workshop you will construct three free-standing mixed-media structures: two books with drawers and one book as vessel with four triangular sides. Are the finished sculptures books, or the completed books sculptures, or are they both? Workshop begins with a slide presentation and moves quickly into design and fabrication of your own sculptural books from paper, board and other materials.
Level: All.
Location: Columbia Art Center, Columbia, MD.

Michael Jacobs is an award-winning mixed-media visualist with an eclectic background. For eight years he owned a custom leather and woodworking shop in California where he created briefcases, headboards, signs, puzzles, boxes, diaries, photo albums, purses, portfolio cases and custom work of all kinds. He moved to Seattle in 1976 and worked as a professional hair stylist, but when he lost his hair and his desire to cut hair about 1986, he went back to school. He graduated with honors from a two-year program in Commercial Art and shortly thereafter opened a design studio specializing in paper engineering, pop-ups, and 3-dimensional props and signage. One of those 3-D jobs was the 1990 Kodak Goodwill Games World's Largest Photo Album, over six feet wide when opened. Working with the separate components of this massive album changed Michael's concept of what a book could be and he has been stretching the limits of sculptural books ever since. His work has been published in many books and periodicals, and exhibited at the Art Directors Club in New York and in numerous galleries. Michael's book sculptures and wood and leather craft objects are in private collections throughout the United States. He has taught book arts and papercraft workshops in the United States, Canada, and Germany. Michael and his wife, Judy, design and produce papercraft kits through their company THE CREATIVE ZONE.

Supplies: 0.5 mm mechanical pencil with 2H lead; eraser; 12" steel ruler; cutting mat; Three-sided architect's ruler (with 16 scale); Scissors; X-acto knife and utility knife and extra blades for each; Needle and one spool (or more) strong thread (waxed linen, carpet thread, etc.); Kemper pro needle tool OR bookbinder's awl OR push pin; Bone folder; Plastic triangle; Glue stick and scrap paper or old magazine (UHU brand medium glue stick recommended); Aleen's "tacky" glue (or similar); 1 roll Scotch tape; 20 sheets bond or text weight paper, 8.5x11 (assorted colors and textures); 20 sheets 80 lb. card stock, 8.5x11; 1 piece mat board 2.25x9; 2 pieces mat board 12" square; 8 lightweight decorative papers, 8.5x11 or larger (marbled, paste, etc.); Assortment of small paper scraps, beads, strings, threads, yarns, trinkets, etc., to use as collage elements; 20 small matchboxes (Diamond brand match boxes are available at supermarkets and cost about $1 for package of 10--bring boxes only, leave matches at home); 12 small objects (beads, buttons, etc.) to use for feet on three book sculptures; Plastic bag for trash and 1 small ziplock bag.

5/19: "Developing a Personal Ruling Pen Script" with Michael Clark.
Michael Clark demonstrates expressive lettering techniques with a surprising tool--the ruling pen. We will start by exploring the various stroke capabilities that one can make with this instrument and move into exercises that combine the individual's writing or printing styles with the ruling pen's capabilities. Variations on speed, medium, x-height, width, stroke contrast, manipulation and augmentation of strokes will be used to create personal styles.
Level: Intermediate.
Location: Vienna Presbyterian Church, Vienna, VA.

Michael Clark is a calligrapher who resides in Richmond, Virginia. The primary focus of his work is lettering for reproduction and type design.

Supplies: Various ruling pens--bring what you have or contact John Neal or Paper & Ink Books for a good selection; A variety of papers--smooth, rough etc. and some cheap layout paper; Free-flowing ink, gouache or watercolor, your choice, but know that ruling pens are ink hogs.

6/2-3: "Matchbox Books and Boxes to hold Books" with Dayle Doroshow.
On the first day we will use beautiful papers, polymer clay "papers," Xerox images and your personal keepsakes to create a book inside of a matchbox. Several techniques for creating polymer papers will be explored including marbling, embossing powders and Xerox transfer. On the second day learn how to make imitative amber and jade boxes out of polymer clay that will hold small books. We'll explore simple slab-built boxes and boxes with legs. Several surface-decorating techniques will be taught including inlaid wire and stones, carving and texture. At the end of class you will have several boxes to hold future books.
Level: All.
Location: Columbia Art Center, Columbia, MD.

Dayle Doroshow is a polymer clay artist and owner of design studio Zingaro, stamp of distinction. She trained in traditional ceramics at Riverside Bell Tower Pottery program and the Columbia University Extension program in New York City and sold her pottery in Greenwich Village shops. Since moving to California in '91 she discovered the exciting possibilities of polymer clay. Her jewelry, home decor, ethnic spirit dolls and handcrafted books can be seen at over 20 art shows in California.

Supplies: Worksurface--a cutting mat, piece of acrylic or piece of heavy paper; To roll out the clay--acrylic rolling rod, acrylic rolling pin, a brayer or a straight-sided drinking glass or jar; Xacto knife; Bone folder; Needle tool or long needle; Objects for impressions--old and new jewelry, buttons, knickknacks, brass charms, found objects, rubber stamps; Favorite black and white photocopy images--small designs and make sure your machine uses toner, not inkjet; Scissors; Old powder eyeshadows hiding in your make-up drawer; Needle nose pliers; linoleum or woodcarving tool--the small "V" blade--only if you have one (don't buy); Personal stuff--photos, papers, charms, tiny keepsakes.

Class Fee: $15 (for clay, special tools, etc.).