This month, we’re delighted to shine a spotlight on Clara, our Acting Chairperson and one of our most valued and familiar faces. As a frequent topic presenter, Clara generously shares her knowledge, passion, and enthusiasm for calligraphy, helping to inspire and engage our members. Her dedication and support play an important role in our community, and we’re incredibly grateful for all that she brings to the group. We caught up with Clara to learn a little more about her calligraphy journey, what inspires her, and the person behind the pen. Let’s get to know her a little better!
How did you first come into the world of calligraphy?
My mother gave me a book when I was a teenager.
Who inspires you?
I admire many, many calligraphers, but the real inspiration to write comes when I see a text that is particularly beautiful or trenchant. It's the words, not the artists. I keep a text file of quotes and texts that are particularly striking, precisely for this purpose. It's got quotes from comedy shows, poems from proper poets and internet jokers alike, trenchant social media posts, paragraphs from books and articles.
What pens, nibs, brushes, inks and papers do you like? Any “I can’t live without this” items?
I like lots of things, which is good, because it means there's no one thing that I can't live without. For broad edge calligraphy I like Brause nibs (modern), or vintage Baignol & Farjon 'a la ronde' nibs. For pointed pen I prefer vintage nibs especially Baignol & Farjon No 803 ('Incomparable') and No. 2730 ('Henry Superieure') as well as Gilbert & Blanzy-Poure Departementale Cementee 2552 which are more flexible. For inks and papers I have much less strong opinions. I like walnut ink, gouache, watercolour, and any reasonably smooth paper that doesn't feather. Any store brand cartridge paper or hot press watercolour paper is usually fine.
What calligraphy project did you love working on and why?
One project I've been doing for several years now is actually one that came via the Glasgow Scribes. The University of Glasgow Anatomy School runs a memorial every year for people who have donated their bodies to the Anatomy School for the education of their students. They have a beautiful memorial book and have hired me for several years to inscribe the names of the donors into their book. It is so fulfilling to be using my art to honour the people who have given the last possible gift they could give in service of education and medicine.
You often present/ teach the Group - what topic or technique do you love sharing the most and why?
I like presenting work that I know about in its historical or social context so it becomes more than just an art technique but also a cultural phenomenon. I really enjoyed teaching the group about Cyrillic calligraphy because I have a degree in Slavic languages and could read and translate and explain the Russian poems we used as our practice text. I also enjoyed the session on Biomorphics because I've spent so much time learning about Islamic illumination (also known as 'tezhip' or 'tazhib') and had a sense of how that works as one of the three classical types of Islamic decorative arts.
What mistakes did you make early on that others can avoid?
Try out different tools. Yes, yes, it's a poor artist that blames their tools - but sometimes the tools really are the problem!.
What advice would you give someone just picking up a pen for the first time?
Don't neglect the drills. It's really tempting to jump to writing out quotes and completing longer texts but if you don't do the drills you'll just cement bad habits and never learn what proper spacing and rhythm looks like.
Which scripts or styles make your heart happy?
I love Copperplate and Foundational script that manipulates the pen angle to create entasis in the vertical strokes. I also love looking at other people's Spencerian but somehow I'm never satisfied with it when it comes out of my hand.
Any calligraphy books, videos, teachers, or online groups you’d recommend?
David Harris's Art of Calligraphy is a very good starting point for all manner of broad pen scripts (although I don't recommend his section on Copperplate which is quite different from the Engrosser's Script that most people think of when talking about Copperplate. Joe Vitolo's got a great book on Copperplate which is ruthlessly detailed. For Spencerian Barbara Calzolari gives fantastic workshops and her workbooks are my go-to whenever I'm doing that script.
Apart from calligraphy what other enjoyable interests/hobbies do you have?
I love Islamic art - both the geometric patterns you find in the tiled walls of the Alhambra Palace and the Biomorphic designs you find in manuscripts. I also enjoy reading science fiction and fantasy and contribute reviews in the Hugo Award winning tanzine "Nerds Of A Feather".
