Thursday, June 30, 2016

July 2016 Scribnote

 

July Scribnote

COMMENTS FROM OUR CHAIRPERSON

APRIL
We didn’t have an April meeting, but instead, sixteen members participated in Julie Wildman’s workshop, “What’s Next: Taking your Art to the Next Level”. The first day was going through different exercises to prepare us for a final project.  The creativity level from everyone is so diversified and very colorful.  The second day was working on your particular project or projects.  We have had Julie in South Bend two years ago and she is always upbeat and has a lot of tricks up her sleeve to take us to that next level. 

The following week after the workshop, Angie West, Connie Wendt and I met Tina Cronkite (who had two books accepted into the Chicago Calligraphy exhibit at the Newberry Library) and Linda Bravada, also from the Pendragons Guild in Kalamazoo at the train station in South Bend.  I left my house at 8 am and halfway to the airport ran smack dab into a band of lake effect snow.  I could not see where the road was and could hardly see the car in front of me. That part being bad enough, the exit off 20 was closed and I had to find another route.  By this time I had only 20 minutes left to get to the train.  I got to the next South Bend exit and made a big turn on the cloverleaf to come back on 20 and get to the airport all while driving in the snowstorm/blizzard.  I met Connie in the parking lot and we trudged through the snow which by now was a couple of inches deep and made the train in time to find Tina and Linda already onboard. Angie West had the same problems as I did with the closed exit and barely made it onto the train.  I was standing outside with the conductor watching for her and alerted him that she was running toward us. Whew! By the time we arrived in Chicago, it was sunny and just cold, but we took a taxi, squeezing four of us in the back seat, and headed to the Newberry Library where we met up with Lauren Matacio.  The calligraphy work is always beautiful to see and I was happy to see some of our former instructors as well.  I talked to Reggie Ezell about coming to South Bend to do a workshop after he is retired from his year round classes in two years and he said yes! Also saw Valerie Weilmunster, Rosie Kelly, Mike Kecseg, Luce Zolna and our friend Jane Ewing that we see at Lake Louise.  Jane has written a book, which I have purchased and will bring for show and tell.  The purchase prize winner for 2016 was Lisa LaBlanc from the Pendragons guild with her beautiful uncial piece.  I had already spoken with Lisa about coming to South Bend this fall and that will take place on Saturday, October 8.  I am always on the hunt for new instructors! After the Newberry, our group headed to Dick Blick to peruse the art supplies.  Looking through a catalog is fun but seeing and touching all these items is so much more pleasurable.  After Blick, we walked to Garrett’s for popcorn and to Chipotle to get dinner to eat on the train which was packed on the way home.  This is such an enjoyable trip every year and so worth the time to see the work that is done in Chicago. The library is going to go through some renovations next year so the exhibit is up in the air for 2017.  
As you are starting to see, April was a busy month and continued on till the end of April culminating with workshops in Kalamazoo with instructor Kristen Doty. The first workshop on Friday and Saturday, April 22 and 23, was Drawing for Calligraphers. Now I am not someone who has learned to draw, but needing to work on that part of my artistic life, I jumped into that workshop wholeheartedly!
The first two days I was in the car with Anna Schlemma, Maureen Trubac and Barbara Fedder, who kept us in stitches with her jokes! We participated in a Drawing for Calligrapher’s workshop.  The second workshop was Luscious, Layered Lettering.  Every workshop brings its own ideas to the table, and sometimes there is a bit of review from another workshop, but we learn more than we can remember so it is always good to do it again.  All in all, Kristen kept us moving along learning some essentials on drawing and layering our lettering. 
MAY
Thanks to Sharon Esmont for conducting the May meeting while I was again swimming in the Gulf and pool for a couple of weeks.  When tax season is over, we head south for a vacation for my husband although I did get him to hang around a few extra days so I could attend the two workshops in Kalamazoo. The meeting was sparsely attended, but several items were discussed and show and tell is always fun. 
JUNE
The June meeting was a lively one with lots of discussion and information regarding the December calendar we are all working on and an exhibit we are participating in at the Buchanan Arts Center in September through October.  Lauren Matacio is spearheading the calendar project which will be an 18-month calendar and we already have volunteers for every month and look forward to the diverse artwork that will come with that project.  Anne Binder is our point person for the Buchanan Art Center exhibit and gave us quite a bit of information regarding who, what, when, where and how! More details will follow as far as where to drop off projects, etc.  If you would like to participate in the exhibit and were not at the meeting in June, please email anbinder@sbcglobal.net and she can send you a registration form that has a full explanation.

Please remember to send or bring your yearly MCG dues to the July meeting or send them to Laurie Heyden, treasurer, at: 18292 Courtland Drive, South Bend, IN 46637.

A big Thank You to Maureen Trubac for many years of being the MCG treasurer and keeping us on the straight and narrow handling any monies that came to her for workshops, supplies, donations, etc.  We appreciate all you have done for the guild!

From Jo McPherson
Julie Wildman presented her workshop titles "What's next: Taking your Art to a New Level" to our Guild on April 2 & 3.
We were given ideas, sometimes rules, and guidelines about having a motif or not. Also choosing lettering styles, along with very helpful visuals about letter spacing. Julie recommends doing many thumbnail sketches--she frequently does a hundred--before choosing one to start drafting roughs, which eventually becomes the final piece.
This was our second workshop with Julie. She is very generous with her time, talking to /assisting if needed, every attendee. She also offers her tools to anyone who whould like to try something new to them.
It was a great weekend.



From Maureen Trubac:
What an amazing workshop.  Julie had a knack for awakening talents in us we never knew existed.  She had us loosen up by using different tools with nothing specific in mind. Lines, circles, flourishes, thick lines, thin lines
From ruling pens, folded pens, and your favorites. Graduating to letters, we bounced them, spiked them, exaggerated sizes, alternating between capitals and lower case, with or without spacing.  
Then came the moment of truth - we had to create. Our exercises gave us a sense in which direction we wanted to proceed and choices of styles. Now
we had to develop a plan, a word, a quote or a favorite saying.
This was carried out with thumbnail sketches of what we hoped to attain. It was amazing to see that once you started with one thumbnail your mind would race and before you knew it you had perhaps 10 to 20 designs to choose from moving to marker paper, developing the idea, to tracing paper for a final tune-up. 
Julie was extremely helpful in guiding us with suggestions to improve our final piece.  She stressed the importance of using good paper because it enhanced the medium, the stroke and the final project. Each of us came out of this workshop with something unique and beautiful. 

Lisa LaBlanc – Lisa will be coming to South Bend for a one-day workshop on Saturday, October 8, 2016, 9 – 5, at Christ the King Church in South Bend where we usually have our meetings.  Uncial lettering and some of her wonderful brush stroke flowers using the Miracle Wedge Brush will be the topics of the workshop. Lisa is from the Kalamazoo area and part of the Pendragons Guild.  The cost of the one-day workshop will be $30.  Registration will be taken at the August retreat.  Lisa’s supply list will be coming soon. 

Policy for MCG
Our workshops seem to have people sign up and then decide not to attend. We have been very generous in returning monies paid for the workshop if someone decides not to attend at the last minute, but we are going to have a change in this policy.  There will be a nominal fee if you drop out of the workshop.  If there would be an emergency, for instance, a birth of a child or grandchild, illness, etc., then the board will take this under advisement to decide on a course of action regarding a refund.  Also, if the workshop is filled and there is someone to take your place, that would also quality for a refund. So please, if you want to sign up for the workshop, make sure that you put that date on your calendar as a commitment.  We have a small calligraphy group and we struggle to fill workshops at times.  We need all of you to attend as many as possible so that we can continue to have quality instructors. 
Are you on Facebook? If so, look up your favorite calligraphers because they are on Facebook also.  I like to look at Barbara Close, Reggie Ezell, Julian Waters, John Stevens, Rachel Yallop, Pendragons, Capital City Scribes, Yukimi Annand, etc.  There is a lot of beautiful calligraphy on these pages that will get your inspired.  Also look at Joanne Fink and Barbara Lever’s Facebook Page.  And then, there is always Pinterest.  Oh my, so many places to be inspired!

PO Box in South Bend – Due to a lack of much mail at our Post Office box in South Bend, we have suspended any mail sent to that address.  If you have anything to send to the MCG, please send to Laurie Henley or Ginny VanderHey 51854 Stoney Creek Drive, Elkhart, IN 46514. When monies are due for a workshop or dues, they will now go to one of these addresses. 
American Frame – Just a reminder that if you order from American Frame, please mention MCG, and they will give us a small stipend.

MCG Meetings for 2016

July 9 – Leaf Script – Laurie Heyden
August 13 – Picnic at Ginny’s house.  Our exchange will be a stab binding stitch handmade book. Calendar mock up for your month is due.
September 10 – Maureen Trubac demonstration
October 3 – Marty – Tunnel Book
November 7 – Calendar Due (Lauren Matacio is spearheading this project)
December – Christmas get together - Calendar

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP
Annual dues of $15 are due at the July meeting. 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 bring your dues to the July meeting or send it to Maureen Trubac, our treasurer.
OFFICERS
Ginny VanderHey, President 574/262-1345 gvanderhey@hotmail.com
Sharon Esmont, Vice President 574/272-5481 Sesmont@aol.com
Laurie Heyden, Treasurer 574/272–0733 silverbird@aol.com
Pat West, Secretary 574-612-9328 pwpatwest@gmail.com
Jo McPherson, Study Group Chairperson, jobakestwo@centurylink.net
Renee Tuveson – Blog Coordinator




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


http://www.theartofcalligraphy.com

http://chicagocalligraphy.org/workshops/