Monday, April 28, 2008

My first gilding!


I just sent an email to Georgia Angelopoulos, writing ‘I WANT MORE GOLD!’ I’m not usually so demanding(!), but I just completed the homework for Georgia’s class, and my first semi-successful attempt at gilding. I’m hooked. Georgia had been asking if we wanted her to order some gold leaf for us... and, until I finished this piece, I wasn’t that keen on it... but now, I DO want more! More, so I can continue to learn how to use it — it’s fickle material — and more so I can re-do this piece properly. For now, it stands, full of ‘lessons learned’ as my first piece of gilding... and though I clearly have a lot to learn about gilding, the overall ‘feel’ of the piece is really enhanced by the gold.

Thanks, Georgia, for bringing out the traditionalist in me! (I wasn’t sure there was one!) Next, of course, there will be the challenge of learning how to photograph gilded work...

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Uncials and Beyond...


The Fairbank Calligraphy Society is conducting an 8-week course led by Georgia Angelopoulos, with Lorraine Douglas, Kathy Guthrie and myself contributing. The focus is on uncials, and it’s been fun to revisit these letterforms with Georgia as a guide. Above is my homework assignment... text is Enya’s lyrics, “Pilgrim”. I wish I had taken my camera to class, because all the work of the students laid out together was very impressive!