October 2022
A Message from the Guild President
A little late this month with getting the blog up. October came out of no where, wasn't it just July? As usual I have been taking too many classes and just not able to keep up with everything. Also, my never ending endeavor of trying to get organized (I think it's a lost cause).
Covid, though not so much in the news is still out there and has affected several of my family and friends, fortunately all were vaccinated and came through fine. We are scheduled for our 3rd booster next week.
Happenings in the Guild
July 2, 2022
Quote: "Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others". - Jonathan Swift
July is membership renewal month for our guild members. Membership dues have been increased to $20. 1st increase in the history of MCG.
A free workshop with Suzie Beringer is planned for October 1, 2022 in place of our regular meeting. It will be on Suzie's "Dirds". Supply lists will be sent to everyone. You can be present for the zoom meeting or watch the recording.
Our Annual Picnic is planned for August 6th and will be at Ginny's house and this will be our last visit to Ginny's as she is moving to Florida. We will do a book exchange as usual. Bring a wrapped handmade book for the exchange.
Show and Tell:
View Padlet as well.
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| Renee's Birthday Cards |
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| Tina's Fodder |
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| Tina's Book |
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| More of Tina's Fodder |
August 6, 2022
Quote: "Learning never exhausts the mind". Leonardo da Vinci
There were 7 of us that met at Ginny's house and 3 via Zoom.
Much fun and merriment at seeing each other in person. This was the last time Ginny will host us as she is moving to Florida, so this day was bittersweet for all of us. Angela and Anna both won $25 gift certificates for John Neal, and Judy won John Stevens bool "Script". Those who participated in the book exchange brought wrapped handmade books which were placed on the table. We picked numbers out of a bowl to determine the order we were able to choose a book. Then whoever was first picked a package and then the next person could pick from the pile or pick from someone who had already picked.
Show and Tell:
Check Padlet as well.
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| Books From Our Exchange |
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| Books From Our Exchange |
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| Books From Our Exchange |
September 10, 2022
Quote: Letters act as practical and useful signs, but also as pure form and inner melody". Wassily Kandinsky
We discussed the Christmas exchange which will be a book or an ornament (your choice). Since we are not having a regular meeting in October (Suzie Beringer workshop) we were asked to decide if we wanted to participate and let either Lucia or Renee know by September 30.
Angie and Ginny gave a wonderful demo on embossing. This included making stencils and double embossing. This is a very popular technique as it really dresses up a piece.
At our November meeting we will Show and Tell our Dirds and anything else you would like to share.
December 3rd will be our Christmas exchange of either an ornament or a book, please get those in the mail by mid November so they will reach the intended in time for the meeting.
Show and Tell:
See Padet as well
A Letter from Ginny VanderHey
I was just
looking at the weekly Reggie Ezell email which has been spotlighting the works
of Rosie Kelly, master calligrapher, paste paper artist and friend. Rosie
passed away a couple of years ago and her presence is still felt with all that
have taken classes with her either in South Bend or at the annual art retreat
at Lake Louise. If you have not taken any of Rosie’s classes, you have missed
being taught by someone who was a true artist, displayed her work at the annual
Chicago Calligraphy Collective and sold many of her handmade books. Rosie was
humble and gracious with her teaching and we were so fortunate for her to come
to South Bend to be our instructor several times. For several years, many of us rode the train from South Bend to downtown
Chicago and either took the
bus or an Uber (with Tina Cronkite, jammed into the car so we could all go
together) to see all the wonderful work displayed on their walls, met several
of the artists as well as ooohed
and aaaahed at the beautiful calligraphy and artistry. I rode the train with Laura and Lauren, Barbara
Rogan, Pat, and my dear friend Maureen
Trubac. I remember the year
that I was asking the conductor to wait for Angie to run from the parking lot
to the train because she was a few minutes late due to the snowstorm that
popped up that day in South Bend.
As I prepare
my home to be sold in Elkhart after 48 years and move to Florida, I will miss
the people in my three online Zoom groups, but I am thankful to have been a
part of this loving and caring group that I have been involved in since the
early nineties. As a newbie, I came to meetings with Diana Stamper with the
look of wonder in my eyes as Anne Binder, Sharon Esmont, etc. demoed for us all
the wonderful work they did. I asked Anne once if we were supposed to settle on
one hand and only do that one. I am so glad that she told me no! I have learned
many hands since then including about three
or four a day when in the Reggie class in 2000, two weeks after my mom passed
away. I was grateful to be sitting
next to Linda
Kanamueller who brought
me a sympathy card the next month and I was so thankful for her
compassion. This group has brought me many new friends and fellow artists that
we can glean from. I asked Anna Schlemma
many years ago if I could come over to her home for her to help me with some
calligraphy process and that started our friendship and many “Art Playdays”.
Maureen joined
us next and then Pat and Renee.
I am also blessed by being in the
company of these ladies as we sharer our work a couple of times a year.
I am not grateful
for COVID, UGH!,
but I am glad that someone thought
of a way that we could still stay connected through
Zoom. Thank you Renee for getting us started on Zoom and hope we can continue
that process with classes since many of our members are now far and wide. We
are now (almost) really good at it! I now belong to the “Bone Study Group”,
“MCG” and “Pendragons”. I met several of the Kalamazoo area
calligraphers through
the Reggie class and by driving to Kalamazoo for workshops.
Lucia Leonardelli and Linda Kanamueller run workshops like a well-tuned piano.
Everything is run
smoothly and they are the friendliest group, next to MCG of course. I am so happy to be on Zoom with them once or twice
a month to learn something new or just to hear
what others have been doing.
Over the
years, I have housed many instructors including Valerie Weilmunster and Julie
Wildman, who has become a dear friend and mentor. Angela Michielutti and I have been to Julie’s
studio to work and share,
and she has come to my home in Elkhart
when she was teaching a workshop here in the South Bend area. I met
Julie in Chicago at one of the CCC’s opening receptions and we invited
her to come to teach us. Traci Van
Prooyen, MCG member, has also stayed with my husband and I when we hardly knew
each other, even though her husband warned her that I could be an ax murderer!
HA!
Traci moved
to Pekin, Illinois
several years ago, but we have stayed
in touch and she is now a member of the MCG again. She’s
been instrumental in starting us on Padlet to post our work and upcoming
workshops. Another friend I met through calligraphy was Cindy Bowles who had
emailed me asking where she could stay for the duration of the workshop and I
invited her to stay with me. She was a sweet lady and I am glad that I invited
her to stay. I can’t tell you how
many strangers I have invited to stay with me and so thankful for those times
together.
So, as I move on to another
state, I want to say thank you to all who have touched my life in calligraphy
and beyond. Thank you for inviting me to Lake Louise to walk among the lake and
fall leaves and for the time spent with Pat West as my roommate. It was always a magical week.
See you on Zoom with new classes
until you can meet again
in person.
Well, I am off to help my husband
with cleaning out the garage
and think I will sign up
for another Zoom workshop or two with Barbara Close and Pat Blair. Wait….all my
supplies are packed up! Hello…John Neal???
Love you all,
Ginny VanderHey
PS – On 10/5/22,
since we had a very minimum of lookers, and the interest
rates have risen, we may have
to return in the spring to relist our home and hope a loving family will decide
to buy it. So, I am not gone yet!
PADLET LINK
CALENDAR for 2022
October 1: Zoom-Free To Members, "Dirds" with Suzie Beringer
November 5:Dirds Show and Tell
December 3: Zoom Christmas Exchange
THINGS OF INTEREST
https://www.pendragonscalligraphy.org/
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS
To Be Determined
P.O. 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 Michiana Calligraphy Guild,
please send to Angie West 1212 Elder Ct., Niles, Michigan 49120 or Renee
Tuveson, 928 Finch Dr., South Bend, Indiana 46614.
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 a workshop. If there would be an emergency, for instance
the birth of a 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 qualify for a refund. So please, if you want
to sign up foe 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 Blose, Reggie Ezell, Julian Waters, John Stevens, Rachel Yallop,
Pendragons, Capital City Scribes, Yukimi Annand, etc.. There are lots of beautiful
AMERICAN FRAME
Just a reminder that if you order from American Frame, please mention MCG, and they
will give us a small stipend.
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP
Annual dues of $20 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 at meetings and
our annual raffle in August, and in December our donation to local charities. Please
remember to bring your dues to the July meeting or mail them to Angie West, our treasurer
at 1212 Elder Ct., Niles, Michigan 49120.
OFFICIERS
Renee Tuveson, President and Blog, rtuveson@reneetuveson@gmail.com
Angie Wes, Treasurer, angie360985@gmail.com
Judy Theurel, Secretary, judy@theurel.com
Sharon Esmont, Study Group sesmont@aol.com
