January 2013 Scribnote

COMMENTS FROM OUR CHAIRPERSON

 

Several members of the MCG met at the downtown South Bend Library on Saturday, October 6th, to celebrate our 20^th anniversary by doing what we love best…calligraphy and bookmaking.  Thanks to Anne Binder for organizing this wonderful event.  The morning started at 11 am with a marvelous talk from Bob Hohl about the St. John’s Bible. Bob had us all captivated with tales of how the 21^st Century Bible came about and Donald Jackson’s vision to create it.  Luckily for us, Bob loves his subject and didn’t just stop at the 45 minute ceiling he originally put on his talk.  We could have sat for a few more hours listening to all the information.  I took about 5 pages of notes just so I could look back and remember all he told us.  He also brought a large bound version of Genesis.  If you didn’t get a chance to come to the event that day, please check out www.saintjohnsbible.org to learn more about this historic undertaking. 

At 1 pm, we began our make it/take it sessions.  Anne Binder lettered names on creative license sheets, Anna and Angie lettered bookmarks, Ginny and Maureen demonstrated zentangles, Renee demonstrated index card books, and Angela M., Sharon, Marty, Diana, Connie, and Patty all demonstrated an array of little books for make it/take its.  We had several people interested in our guild and their email addresses will now be receiving information from our Guild.  We ended at 4 pm, cleaned up our tables and bid everyone goodbye.  It was a great day to spend together doing what we enjoy. 

 

Our brush lettering workshop on October 20^th with Marijo Carney was a big success and hopefully everyone got a taste of using the brush to letter, went home with some new ideas and spent countless hours practicing! Even though I have been using brush lettering since discovering it in 2000 at Reggie’s year long class, there were still new things to learn that I will put into use on my next project.  Marijo was a very kind and helpful instructor and we were happy to have had her here in South Bend. Thanks to all who helped set up tables and take them down again at the end of the day. 

 

December brought us all together again for our annual Christmas party held at the home of Maureen Trubac.  Maureen made her delicious pork loin that is in our MCG Cookbook while the rest of us contributed other yummy dishes.  We had our meeting, during which we planned for the rest of next year, and decided on our donations; Recipients will include Christ the King Church, where we have our meetings, South Bend Regional Museum of Art, and the Food Bank. Lastly, we exchanged our 5 x 7 gestural pieces before sitting at the table for the luncheon. The gestural pieces were lovely and all so very different.  There are some samples in this newsletter.

 

 

One of the subjects Anne Binder brought up to us at the Christmas meeting was the invitation from Moontree in Plymouth, Indiana to exhibit in 2014.  The idea is for us to begin to think of a project which could be a broadside, books, etc. Throughout the next year or so, we would work on that project, with the critiques and help of other guild members, and would be ready for the exhibit.  Read more about Moontree at www.moontreestudios.com.   

Hope everyone had a magical Holiday season and comes into the New Year with profound energy on what we will be working on for 2013.  Thanks to Sharon, Maureen, Amber and Jo, the MCG board that help make this group run smoothly and also to Amber and Renee who do such a wonderful job on our blog. 

Ginny

"Alone, letters are the instruments - Together, they become the symphony" ~Mary Dee

 

FUTURE WORKSHOPS

Rosie Kelly will be here on April 13 & 14, in the spring of 2013, to teach a two-day workshop topic, Playing with Design Possibilities.  Rosie always brings us fresh, new ideas and we are always happy to have her with us.  She is fine tuning her workshop thoughts and will send a supply list soon. Cost will be $100 per person or $115 if you are not a member of the MCG. The workshop will take place at the Whispering Pines Community Room in South Bend. Please send your check to the MCG mailbox and let Ginny (gvanderhey@hotmail.com) know if you are planning to attend.

Barbara Mann will be coming to South Bend to teach a two-day workshop on watercolor flowers on October 5 and 6, 2013.  Barbara is a member of our guild living in Michigan and gave a workshop several years ago.  We are thrilled that she will be joining us again.  More information will be forthcoming in the next few months.

Laurie Doctor will be in Kalamazoo in March with the Pendragons Guild on February 25,26 & 27 (Deepening Surfaces) and March 1, 2 & 3 (Landscape Lettering). Since Kalamazoo had so many people interested in the workshop, they have split it into two workshops so there may still be room if you are interested. Please contact Lucia Leonardelli at ltl914@sbcglobal.net.  

 

Anne Binder Classes:

Paste Papers
Sat, Jan 19 from 12:30pm to 4:30pm. Cost for those who have never taken a paste paper class is $48. For those who have, it's the cost of supplies - $30.

Painted Backgrounds
Sat, Jan 26 from 12:30pm to 4:30pm. Cost for those who haven't taken this class WITH Anne is $48 and those who have, supplies - $30

Folks can email anbinder@michiana.org to register. There's only room for 6 for each class.

 

Happenings: 

Celebration of the Arts 2013

Annual Juried Spiritual Art Competition – www.thecelebrationofthearts.com – February 1 – 13, 2013 

WEBSITES TO ENJOY 

 

http://www.hollymonroe.com/

http://www.saintjohnsbible.org

http://creativemarama.wordpress.com/2012/10/30/how-to-make-a-cola-pen/

http://www.moontreestudios.com

http://chicagocalligraphy.org/workshops/

http://www.lauriedoctor.com/workshops/workshops.html

 

 

I enjoy sharing new websites that I have come across in our blog.  If you come across something that you think would interest the whole group, please email them to Ginny, Amber or Renee and we will get them on the blog for the next quarter. 

American Frame – Just a reminder that if you order from American Frame, please mention MCG, and they will give us a small stipend.

An artist is in a constant state of becoming."
Bob Dylan

 

 

UPCOMING GUILD EVENTS

 

At our Christmas meeting, we discussed what instructors we would like to have for 2014 and what we want to review during our meetings every month.  We made a list of our past instructors and some of our members took a month and an instructor to talk about and possibly demo on that day.  The instructors that have been chosen have impacted the art of that particular member and remains one to whom she goes back for inspiration.

January 5 – Regular meeting

February 2- Jo McPherson – Sherri Kiesel – Experiment with words on paper

March 2 – Diana Stamper - Reggie

April 6 - Open

May 4 – Sharon Esmont – Simple Binding

June 1 – Ginny VanderHey – Brush lettering – Reggie & Marijo Carney and Louise Grunewald

July 6 – Pat – Sharon Zeugin

August 3 – Maureen Trubac – Metals and Annual Picnic

September 7 – Maureen Trubac– Barbara Mann

October 5 – Lauren Matacio – Lisa Englebrecht

November 2 – Angie West – Versals and Thomas Ingmire

December 7 – Annual Christmas Get Together at the home of Angie West

Cut this part of the information in the newsletter out, and put it on your fridge.

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP
Annual dues of $15 are due in July. Our annual dues have not changed in many years and are put to good use for supplies for our make it/take it meetings, annual raffle in August, and, at the end of the year, we give to local charities. Please remember to send your dues to the MCG post office box as soon as possible.

OFFICERS
Ginny VanderHey, President 574/262-1345 gvanderhey@hotmail.com
Sharon Esmont, Vice President 574/272-5481 Sesmont@aol.com
Maureen Trubac, Treasurer 574/272–0733 maureentrubac@hotmail.com
Amber Schindler, Secretary 574/360-9128 ambermschindler@gmail.com
Jo McPherson, Study Group Chairperson, jobakestwo@centurylink.net
Amber Schindler & Renee Tuveson – Blog Coordinators

If ever you would like to add to the newsletter/blog, please contact one of the officers, and we will get that information to Amber and Renee. Something you have done or have seen would be welcomed into our information.

What great thing would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?

Robert Schuller

 

It always seems impossible until it’s done.

Nelson Mandela

 

About the St. John's Bible presentation from Jo McPherson:

The highlight of our 20th anniversary celebration was Robert Hohl, Reference & Instruction Librarian at St. Mary's College.  He spoke about the making of the St. John's Bible, which was commissioned by the Benedictine monks at St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota, at the suggestion of Donald Jackson, one of the foremost calligraphers in the world today.

He touched on bibles, all hand written of course, from past centuries and how they influenced this modern bible; the choosing of tools (goose quills), calfskin vellum, and paints, hand ground as they also were from ancient times thru the centuries.

 

He also described how illuminations were created and why gold was chosen for its reflective properties. There are many of these illuminations throughout the books, as well as many "special treatments" for significant verses, most of which are widely known.

 

Mr. Hohl brought the copy of one of the books the library has, for our better understanding.  It is quite beautiful.  If you would like to visit the library to examine these books more closely, you may call (574) 284-5280 for more information.

 

You may also visit the St. John's Abbey and University Collegeville, Minnesota, where the original, hand calligraphed copy is on permanent exhibit.  Or you may go online @ saintjohnsbible.org.

 

Whichever way you choose, you will be delighted with the beauty and marvelous craftsmanship and artistic abilities which went into the making of this Bible.

 

 

 

October 2012 Scribnote



COMMENTS FROM OUR CHAIRPERSON
Our July 7 meeting started out with a bang even though we couldn’t shoot any fireworks because of the dry grass in Indiana. Anne Binder demonstrated “baby romans,” and we worked hard at making our letters look somewhat like Anne’s. It is fun to learn a new hand, but even though we know it is the first time we are trying it out, we still want to walk out of the meeting with perfect letters. I hope everyone went home to practice!







Our August meeting was a big success as always with 16 people crammed into my family room due to the muggy conditions outside. We were all just as happy as clams though, sitting “cheek to cheek,” so to speak. First we had our meeting, then exchanged beautiful accordion books, and lastly had a raffle to determine who would win the gift certificate for the Marijo Carney brush lettering class, and Barbara Walsh was the lucky winner. Congratulations Barbara. After all the business was taken care of, we took out all the wonderful food that everyone had contributed and filled our tummies. A special mention to JoAnne Hansell who brought the grape salad that was delicious. I will include the recipe in this newsletter since she graciously gave it out to all who asked. Another special mention is for Sharon Esmont who took all the 3 x 3 pieces we made and laminated them to form a cover for our recipe book. It was a fun time, as always, and I look forward to hosting again next year, God willing, if the creeks don’t rise.

Our September meeting was held at Anne Binder’s home. Anne is coordinating the October 6 “Celebrating: Calligraphy and Book Arts” day at the downtown South Bend library, and we needed to finalize the plans for demonstrating our art and also a talk from Bob Hohl regarding the St. John’s Bible and showing the Denis Brown DVD. The covers for the accordion books were cut out and are ready to go. Please put this date on your calendar and make sure that you refer your friends and family to come and see us in action. You may also want to share the link on your facebook page.

The weekend after Labor Day, I joined the Pendragons in Kalamazoo for a three-day workshop with Pat Blair, who is the White House calligrapher. I had heard about this workshop last year and couldn’t wait to send in my check so I could soak up some of her beautiful lettering. Friday was Pointed Pen Sketchbook, and Saturday/Sunday was the Spencerian lettering class. I can’t tell you how happy I am to be retired so that I can go to a workshop whenever I please and not have to worry about waking up on a Monday morning and going to work. There are some perks to being OLD! Renee Tuveson and I drove to Kalamazoo together on the weekend, and we found we have lots in common. It is never to late to make a new friend!! As always, at a Pendragons workshop, the members are always welcoming and sharing. Just like our own MCG!

Cartouche by Ginny


Please keep Barbara Rogan in your thoughts and prayers. She is still recovering from a stroke and is in rehab. Continue to send cards her way.

"Friendship isn't about who you have known the longest. It's about those who came and never left your side ........."

FUTURE WORKSHOPS
Marijo Carney will be teaching brush lettering for a one-day workshop on October 20, 2012. Cost will be $50. The workshop is full, but we will have a waiting list. We almost had a brush lettering workshop with Marijo a few years ago, but it had to be cancelled, so we are pleased that Marijo will be joining us to teach brush lettering later this year. She had taught design to our guild several years ago. Welcome back, Marijo! This class is for all levels of skill.

Rosie Kelly will be here in the spring of 2013, April 13 & 14, to teach a two-day workshop, topic to be announced. Rosie always brings us fresh, new ideas, and we are always happy to have her with us. Please put these dates on your calendar for next year.

Barbara Mann will be coming to South Bend to teach a two-day workshop on watercolor flowers on October 5 and 6, 2013. Barbara is a member of our guild living in Michigan and gave a workshop several years ago. We are thrilled that she will be joining us again. More information will be forthcoming in the next few months.

Laurie Doctor will be in Kalamazoo in March with the Pendragons Guild. Date to be announced. If you are interested in taking this class, it may be a good idea to join their guild so that you will be sent updates and first preference.

"Practice means to perform, over and over again, in the face of all obstacles, some act of vision, of faith, of desire. Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired." ~Martha Graham

WEBSITES TO ENJOY (new 2012)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/carmelscribe/2282652700/in/set-72157603955840808/lightbox/
http://www.zillerofkc.com/gallery.html http://www.inkflourishes.blogspot.com/
http://www.fluidcalligraphy.co.uk/Styles%20-%20Legende.html
http://canberragem.blogspot.com.au/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/washcalligraphersguild/7706752440/in/set-72157630889533164/
http://www.boguslav.com/lettering1_boguslav.html

I enjoy sharing new websites that I have come across in our blog. If you come across something that you think would interest the whole group, please email them to either Ginny, Amber or Renee, and we will get them on the blog for the next quarter.

American Frame – Just a reminder that if you order from American Frame, please mention MCG, and they will give us a small stipend.

"When you have a connection with your work, it also connects you with those who like the same things."

UPCOMING GUILD EVENTS
October 6 – Calligraphy Month - We will spend the day at the downtown branch of the South Bend Library listening to a talk from Bob Hohl regarding the St. John’s Bible, a DVD of Denis Brown’s work, and demos by our members including lettering, book binding, and zentangles.

November 3 – Versals – Angie West – Christ the King Church

December – Christmas get together –– Bring a dish to pass – Home of Maureen Trubac. We will also be exchanging a gesture or mark on a 5 x 7 card.

Please note that some of the meetings are not on the first Saturday of the month due to holidays or workshops. Cut this part of the information in the newsletter out, and put it on your fridge.

"An artist is in a constant state of becoming." ~Bob Dylan

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP
Annual dues of $15 are due in July. Our annual dues have not changed in many years and are put to good use for supplies for our make it/take it meetings, annual raffle in August, and, at the end of the year, we give to local charities. Please remember to send your dues to the MCG post office box as soon as possible.

"Alone, letters are the instruments - Together, they become the symphony." ~Mary Dee

OFFICERS
Ginny VanderHey, President 574/262-1345 gvanderhey@hotmail.com
Sharon Esmont, Vice President 574/272-5481 Sesmont@aol.com
Maureen Trubac, Treasurer 574/272–0733 maureentrubac@hotmail.com
Amber Schindler, Secretary 574/360-9128 ambermschindler@gmail.com
Jo McPherson, Study Group Chairperson, jobakestwo@centurylink.net
Amber Schindler & Renee Tuveson, Blog Coordinators

If ever you would like to add to the newsletter/blog, please contact one of the officers, and we will get that information to Amber and Renee. Something you have done or have seen would be welcomed into our information.

"We cannot all do great things, but we can all do small things with great love." ~Mother Theresa

Grape Salad (JoAnne Hansell)
A bag of green and red grapes
½ cup sour cream
½ cup cream cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla
¼ cup white sugar

Cream the cream cheese and sour cream together.
Add vanilla and white sugar.
Dry the grapes, and stir all together.
Topping: ¼ brown sugar, chopped honey dry roasted peanuts.
Sprinkle on top and chill.

July 2012 Scribnote

COMMENTS FROM OUR CHAIRPERSON

It is May 10, 2012 as I begin to get my ideas on the page for the July newsletter. I have missed the April meeting due to visiting my daughter and grandson in Texas for several days and then missed the Jacqueline Sullivan workshop, which I hear was wonderful. And finally, I missed the May meeting conducted by Sharon Esmont who gave a demo on uncial lettering and Celtic knots. Maureen Trubac was the demo leader who demonstrated two books in April. I had seen the books before the April meeting so I knew what they were like, but I didn’t get to partake in the creation of my own. At the June meeting, Renee Tuveson led us in a make it/take it demo of two books including using book cloth. The books were great and Renee had lots of embellishments to go with them. We always need to learn new book techniques so that we can mail these lovely items to friends and relatives.

Renee's books

                                                            

  I hate missing meetings and certainly don’t like to miss workshops, but I had a choice. Either two weeks on the beach in Florida or two days in a workshop. Hmmm. I had to think about it for a while, but my husband is a tax accountant and certainly deserves a vacation after four grueling months of sorting out receipts and 401K’s. I don’t get to take any calligraphy supplies with me on vacation because, first of all, they add extra poundage to my already large suitcase, and secondly, I just wouldn’t sit down to do it. We took a walk on the beach every morning and heard the sound of the surf, birds and the shells cracking under our feet. Then we would go back to the beach to sit and read, or in my case, hunt for more shells. Sanibel Island is the shell capital of the world and the way the island is situated makes for a tonnage of shells that come in every day and their beauty is astounding. In the afternoon it would be time for the pool and sit in the shade and after dinner, there would be another walk on the beach to see the sunset.

  We also got up at 6:30 a couple of mornings to see the sun rise over Ft. Myers Beach. There’s where my other creative side comes in when I am snapping pictures of the shells, birds, sunsets, sunrises and even the moon one night when it was closest to earth. Just like when I go to a workshop, I like to sit and look at the pictures I had taken and enjoy their beauty yet again. So, I was thinking of all of you enjoying creativity for two days in Jacqueline’s workshop and can’t wait to see your work in June. Since coming home, I have done a broadside, a couple of thank you cards and placed an order from Daniel Smith. I guess the beach is in my rear view mirror and my artwork is close at hand.

From Amber Schindler regarding the Jacqueline Sullivan workshop:

Jacqueline Sullivan filled her Visual Poetry workshop to the brim with creative inspiration. We learned how to make art with our words, curiously unreadable unless viewed from up close or even hidden within the painting. On the first day, Jacqueline introduced us to various Golden brand mediums and paints, with which we experimented in our sketchbook journals. We began to build layers of color and texture on each page in a spirit of play, incorporating such toys as rubber stamps, gold leaf, stencils, Japanese Lace Paper, molding paste, and pan pastels.

  She kept us moving quickly enough to silence our inner critics and opened our minds to new possibilities. Day two commenced with Jacqueline’s slideshow presentation about how she approaches and transforms her pieces. We understood, with relief and excitement, how forgiving working on a canvas could be. Encouraged to make only one decision at a time, we painted with letters, paused to review our progress as a group, and then continued to express ourselves on our canvases with Jacqueline as our guide. Abstract creations and spirited journals rewarded our bravery after a challenging yet fun-filled weekend.

Michiana Calligraphy Guild is twenty years old!!!

  The MCG started back in 1992 when Anne Binder and Sylvia Godsey got together and formed a group with a love for letters. We are planning on celebrating our 20th anniversary of the MCG by displaying some of our wares and doing some demonstrating at a local library. Stay tuned for more details.

Please keep Barbara Rogan in your thoughts and prayers. She is recovering from a stroke and is in rehab. Continue to send cards her way, but she is not taking visitors at this time. We also want to send our condolences to long-time member Rose Kopec and her family on the passing of her dad, Wayne Harsch. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Rose.

"Alone, letters are the instruments - Together, they become the symphony"

 ~Mary Dee

FUTURE WORKSHOPS
Marijo Carney will be teaching brush lettering for a one-day workshop on October 20, 2012. Cost will be $50. and registration will begin immediately. We almost had a brush lettering workshop with Marijo a few years ago, but it had to be cancelled, so we are pleased that Marijo will be joining us to teach brush lettering later this year. She had taught design to our guild several years ago. Welcome back, Marijo! This class is for all levels of skill.

  Rosie Kelly will be here in the spring of 2013 (date to be announced) to teach a two-day workshop. We have secured Rosie for two days, but have not yet decided on what the topic Will be. Rosie always brings us fresh, new ideas and we are always happy to have her with us.

Barbara Mann will be coming to South Bend to teach a two-day workshop on watercolor flowers on October 5 and 6, 2013. Barbara is a member of our guild and gave a workshop several years ago. We are thrilled that she will be joining us again. More information will be forthcoming in the next few months.

WEBSITES TO ENJOY (new 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_O_0yegDdIw&feature=related http://www.reggieezell.com/thepick/ (Our own Tina Cronkite) http://www.societyforcalligraphy.org/PDFs/bulletins/bulletin.pdf
http://www.just-a-lucky-dog.blogspot.com/2012/06/spacing-letters.html http://www.stickersgalore.com

http://www.paperwishes.com/  (outline stickers)

 http://www.imacrs.com/popups.htm  (outline stickers and much more)


American Frame – Just a reminder that if you order from American Frame, please mention MCG, and they will give us a small stipend.

"An artist is in a constant state of becoming."

* Bob Dylan

UPCOMING GUILD EVENTS
July 7 – Lettering – Anne Binder (Also, please bring your 3 x 3 inch piece of Stonehenge paper decorated to this meeting so that Sharon can put them onto the recipe book front and back covers.) If you were not at the June meeting, then bring the abovementioned size piece of Stonehenge or something similar to the meeting with a design that possibly coordinates with your recipe.
August 4– Annual Picnic – Handmade book exchange (Please make an accordion book, size of your own choosing, for an exchange)
September 8 – (second week in the month due to Labor Day weekend) October – National Calligraphy Month November – Versals – Angie West
December – Christmas get together –– Bring a dish to pass Please note that some of the meetings are not on the first Saturday of the month due to holidays or workshops. Cut this part of the information in the newsletter out, and put it on your fridge.

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP
Annual dues of $15 are due in July. Our annual dues have not changed in many years and are put to good use for supplies for our make it/take it meetings, annual raffle in August, and, at the end of the year, we give to local charities. Please remember to send your dues to the MCG post office box as soon as possible.

OFFICERS
Ginny VanderHey, President 574/262-1345 gvanderhey@hotmail.com
Sharon Esmont, Vice President 574/272-5481 Sesmont@aol.com
Maureen Trubac, Treasurer 574/272–0733 maureentrubac@hotmail.com
Amber Schindler, Secretary 574/360-9128 ambermschindler@gmail.com
Jo McPherson, Study Group Chairperson, jobakestwo@centurylink.net

Amber Schindler & Renee Tuveson – Blog Coordinators If ever you would like to add to the newsletter/blog, please contact one of the officers, and we will get that information to Amber and Renee. Something you have done or have seen would be welcomed into our information. When you have a connection with your work, it also connects you with those who like the same things.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
Pen Dragons – The Pen Dragons of Kalamazoo will be hosting Pat Blair for a workshop on September 17 & 18. Check out her website to see her work. The Pen Dragons are very warm and welcoming when you are part of their workshops. They usually fill their workshops, so if you are interested in being a participant in one of their workshops, you may want to consider being a Pen Dragons member to get first dibs….or nibs!

"Good friends are like stars. You don't always see them, but you always know they are there."

Please note that our April meeting has been moved to April 14th due to the Easter weekend holiday. Hope to see you then.

April 2012 Scribnote

COMMENTS FROM OUR CHAIRPERSON
It happens every year. My parents moved to Florida in 1969, and I have gone there ever since for Christmas break except twice. Once, we stayed home and didn’t like it, and this past December we drove to Austin, Texas to spend the holidays with my daughter, her husband, and our two-year old grandson. We had a marvelous time playing trucks, cooking together, and running around the table chasing. We also spent three days in San Antonio walking the Riverwalk, eating Tex-Mex, and visiting the old missions including the Alamo. Wonderful historic places. We came home after driving two days into a snowstorm for the last 1 ½ hours and were glad to be back home in our own bed, bathroom, and kitchen. Not necessarily in that order! The next morning, my husband goes off to work at his office, and I have this feeling of “what do I do now.” What do I feel like doing? Well, it wasn’t any art work or lettering. Somehow, every year, it takes me a couple of weeks to get back into the need to go up to my art room and create or just letter some words. Nope, nada, nothing. My energy was spent getting out the Christmas cards, wrapping presents, baking cookies, and lettering a recipe for the guild exchange before my deadline of December 16 before we left for the southwest. I piddled around the house doing the usual…dishes, laundry, ironing…but spent the afternoons reading, playing on the ipad, or writing e-mails. I retired in December from my job as an elementary secretary, and it crossed my mind that I wouldn’t be able to keep myself busy all winter.

One morning, when I was in the kitchen, I received a text from my son-in-law from Dayton, Ohio who was in New York at a conference. He asked, “Would you do me a favor.” Now, I’m from New Jersey, and we didn’t trust anyone who asked this question! I asked, “What do you need.” The text I received next was a surprise…could I please write out in calligraphy two of his favorite quotes. “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul” and “It always seems impossible until it is done.” I was honored to have him ask. So, finally, there was inspiration and motivation to work on something and do some lettering and layout. Since then, I have lettered every day, spent several afternoons working on my 9-year old granddaughter’s quilt, cleaning out closets and spent a whole day making English muffins. Finally, I was back in the swing. Hopefully you are all motivated and inspired to do some lettering and practicing and maybe even complete a finished piece to bring to the guild meetings for show and tell.

~Ginny


January 2012 was an exciting meeting with 14 members joining us, including one visitor, Connie Wendt, whom we met at Arts Café in November. Connie is the German Star queen, and we enjoyed having her at our meeting. We went around the table introducing ourselves, and I am encouraged about the members that have only been with us for a year or less……and we still have some members that have been with us since the guild’s inception, almost 20 years ago. At this first meeting of the year, Diana Stamper gave a demo on cut out letters and, following her instructions, we were all able to create a small prototype of a name or word that we drew on our papers. Thanks Diana.



Our February meeting was fabulous. Amber began by starting her demo on gilding a letter. She did a wonderful job, and we all had a little gold gilded heart to take home as a token. Thank you so much Amber for your demo, printing out the instructions and a sheet of letters for us to work on. It was so much fun. After our meeting and at the end of Show and Tell, Connie, our newest member and German Star guru, brought a box full of her stars and some paper. She said if anyone wanted to learn how to do them, she would be willing to show us. So, I asked if she wanted to do it right then and there, and she agreed. When we were done attempting to make a Star, we all decided that what she charges for her work is not high enough!!!! Thanks Connie for doing an impromptu demo for us. It was great!

In March, Ginny demonstrated Bone Lettering that was learned in a workshop with Carrie Imai in Kalamazoo in October 2010. The letters are created using an automatic pen and any ink including Pelikan Inks which, when using the automatic pen, can be dipped into two different colors to make a spectacular letter. We also tried using a pilot pen which can also create the “bone” look. Steve Blackburn, watercolorist from the St. Joe Valley Watercolor Society, joined our meeting to talk to us regarding the “Artist Sampler Workshop” that will be held on May 18 and 19 at the Century Center in South Bend. (Please see the website below for more information.)

"Alone, letters are the instruments - Together, they become the symphony" ~Mary Dee


FUTURE WORKSHOPS
Jacqueline Sullivan will be teaching a class on Saturday, April 28 and Sunday, April 29, 2012. The title of Jacqueline’s workshop will be "Visual Poetry," encouraging students to use words only as part of an abstract painting and not as a foreground/background thing. “I have now taught this for 4 guilds and people have done some really exciting work. We cover the basics of working on canvas as well as trying to draw an original abstract word painting out of people.” The cost of the workshop will be $100. and a supply fee, paid to Jacqueline of $15. This workshop will be held at the Whispering Pines apartment complex in South Bend. Sharon Esmont will be creating a map for us since this will be a new venue. Jacqueline had been to South Bend several years ago, and we welcome her back. As a guild, we have used her DVD to create and inspire us with her artwork and textures. If you are interested in attending this workshop, please contact gvanderhey@hotmail.com.

Marijo Carney will be teaching brush lettering for a one-day workshop on October 20, 2012. Please note that the date of this workshop has been changed from September due to the instructor's schedule. Cost to be announced. We almost had a brush lettering workshop with Marijo a few years ago, but, we had to cancel it, so we are pleased that Marijo will be joining us to teach brush lettering later this year. She has taught design to our guild several years ago. Welcome back, Marijo!

WEBSITES TO ENJOY (new 2012)
http://www.louisegrunewald.com/index.html
http://www.pmai.org/ppfa/ (framing info)
http://www.jtresser.com/book.html (gilding)
http://type.method.ac/ (exercise in kerning)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53596206@N02/page17/
http://stjoevalleywatercolor.com/
http://www.societyforcalligraphy.org/PDFs/bulletins/bulletin.pdf

American Frame – Just a reminder that if you order from American Frame, please mention MCG, and they will give us a small stipend.

"An artist is in a constant state of becoming." ~Bob Dylan


UPCOMING GUILD EVENTS
April 14 – Handmade Book – Maureen Trubac demo (Please note that this meeting was changed from 4/7 due to the Easter holiday weekend.)
May 5 – Uncial – Sharon Esmont
June 2 – Handmade Book – Renee Tuveson
July 7 – Lettering – Anne Binder
August 4 – Annual Picnic – Handmade Book Exchange
September –
October 20 – Marijo Carney – Brush Lettering – One day workshop
November – Versals – Angie West
December – Christmas Get Together – Barbara Rogan’s home – Bring a dish to pass

Please note that some of the meetings are not on the first Saturday of the month due to holidays or workshops. Cut this part of the information in the newsletter out, and put it on your fridge.

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP
Annual dues of $15 are due in July. Our annual dues have not changed in many years and are put to good use for supplies for our make it/take it meetings, annual raffle in August, and, at the end of the year, we give to local charities. Please remember to send your dues to the MCG post office box as soon as possible.

OFFICERS
Ginny VanderHey, President 574/262-1345 gvanderhey@hotmail.com
Sharon Esmont, Vice President 574/272-5481 Sesmont@aol.com
Maureen Trubac, Treasurer 574/272–0733 maureentrubac@hotmail.com
Amber Schindler, Secretary 574/360-9128 ambermschindler@gmail.com
Jo McPherson, Study Group Chairperson, jobakestwo@centurylink.net
Amber Schindler & Renee Tuveson, Blog Coordinators

If ever you would like to add to the newsletter/blog, please contact one of the officers, and we will get that information to Amber and Renee. Something you have done or have seen would be welcomed into our information.

"Creativity is subjective, and your art will find its tribe. Your dream has its own heartbeat. Listen for it." ~Patti Digh

“Do more of the things that make you really happy!” ~Unknown Author


OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
Pen Dragons – The Pen Dragons of Kalamazoo will be hosting Pat Blair for a workshop on September 17 & 18. Check out her website to see her work. The Pen Dragons are very warm and welcoming when you are part of their workshops. They usually fill their workshops, so if you are interested in being a participant in one of their workshops, you may want to consider being a Pen Dragons member to get first dibs!

Nib Tip – Here's a tip from an acrylic artist to remove dried up paint from brushes that should work on nibs, as the adhesion of acrylic ink is less on a metal nib than on brush hairs. In a Steel pot (this only works with steel ware), pour lemon juice in the pot and heat till boiling. Put in your brushes (nibs) in the pot and time them around 5 minutes. Let cool to touch and roll away the rubber (acrylic). Repeat if necessary. The chemical reaction dissolves the enzyme that bonds the two together and breaks away.

We want to extend our condolences to MCG member Renee Tuveson on the loss of her father, Robert Seeley. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

"Good friends are like stars. You don't always see them, but you always know they are there."