And then there’s Alice!

What a great opportunity it was to take classes with Alice. Alice’s last name is Koeth, but the calligraphic world just knows her as Alice. I quickly became ‘the other Alice’ .

Alice has done some of the strongest calligraphy out there, has had a large impact on the next generation of calligraphers, and, though long retired, she’s still contributing to the calligraphic world. She taught one class in the morning and another in the afternoon, and was still in her classroom in the late evenings, coaching and chatting. In the photos at left, she is working with Portia Fitzhugh and David Chang.

She kept us working steadily, and we designed a certificate and an award, as well as listening to her humorous anecdotes, and exploring pen exercises which led to the creation of some pretty fabulous flowers. I was amazed how much I enjoyed the flowers, thinking that flowers were not really ‘my thing.’ But as she would say, in her NY accent, “It’s not about the flaaowers. Its about knowing how to use your tools. It’s about the line.”

More Brody...

This is for Emma - more photos, as requested!

Top two photos: Brody Neuenschwander demonstrates with a Japanese comb.

Middle: I love this shot, because, as calligraphers, we often become obsessed with ‘what tool’ made ‘what mark’... and here is Brody adding textured script to his background with what happened to be in his hand at that moment... the handle of the brush he had applied the layer of whitewash with! His process is very hands-on and spontaneous. (The piece he is working on is the piece featured in my May 14th post.)

Bottom: Brody demonstrates monoprint techniques.

Brody’s most recent book, “Textasy”, is available through John Neal Booksellers, and contains many works created using the techniques he shared with us.

The Cheerio Experience – An Overview

A hilltop in North Carolina (not a mountaintop, right Amy?) might seem like a strange spot for calligraphers from across North America to converge to study with a Belgian and a New Yorker... but the serene environment really contributes to the Cheerio magic.

This was my first time at Cheerio, and for me, Cheerio worked.

This session, the teachers were Alice Koeth and Brody Neuenschwander. Alice, a lively octogenarian, is a living legend in the calligraphic world, and it was early exposure to her hand-lettered posters in Manhattan’s Morgan Library, that helped stimulate Brody’s interest in calligraphy. So they were a fitting and complementary team. That was apparent as soon as they traded good-natured jabs in our introductory meeting. Alice’s approach, disciplined and full of integrity, and Brody’s approach, intuitive and exploratory, were a great combination for the eager students present.

The pace was intense, with both teachers having lots of information to cover in our too-short time together. Almost everyone worked from dawn til after dusk, with breaks for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Those breaks were wonderful – a time to meet new friends and put faces to the names seen in calligraphy publications. And the food – home-cooked southern foods with a touch of flair (extraordinary sauces and desserts) by the ever-popular chef, Martyn, was balanced with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.

I had hoped to explore the beautiful setting, but there was little time for that, although I paused on the way between buildings to take in the stunning views or snap digital photos of the rolling hills.

Another highlight for me, was a brief meeting with John Stevens. I have admired his work since the late ’80’s, and had the chance to tell him that. He simply dropped in for dinner, and quite by chance, I ended up taking a wild, circular, calligraphic ride on the golf cart he was driving... no time to talk about letters, but memorable fun! A nice break in an intense and concentrated week.

I stayed in the dorms – something I really wasn’t looking forward to. But thanks to my fabulous ‘roomies’, it just meant coming home with two new friends. That's me with Sheila Cheek and Portia Fitzhugh, left.

For those calligraphers who have never been to Cheerio, do consider it. Your hosts, Jim and Joyce Teta, are fabulous, and southern hospitality is part of the experience. (Special thanks to Teresa, Dave and Camden!)

Brody Demonstrates

Top: Brody Neuenschwander demonstrates for our class at Cheerio. Brody was very generous in sharing his techniques, knowledge and creative process with our class of twenty. Bottom: I loved this demo piece – it seemed typical of the simplicity, understated colour and energetic line that is characteristic of much of his work. At the end of the demo, I asked if I could purchase the work... so now I am the happy owner of a small (14" x 14") Brody Neuenschwander original which we watched him create!

Almost Heaven, North Carolina...

Okay, so John Denver sang about West Virginia, not North Carolina, but it is the Blue Ridge mountains I’m to heading tomorrow, so those are the words in my head. Today, I am packing for a week-long workshop retreat at Cheerio with Brody Neuenschwander and Alice... the Alice of NYC.

I first saw Alice’s work back in 1988 when I purchased International Calligraphy Today, published by Watson-Guptill and featuring calligraphy as I had never seen it before. And Brody came to my attention through Peter Greenaway’s gorgeous film, The Pillow Book.

A big thanks to The Fairbank Calligraphy Society for awarding to Georgia Angelopoulos and I the Esmé Davis Bursary for 2007. I’ll be using my share to help cover expenses for this unique learning opportunity.

I’m not even sure I’ll have access to a computer at Cheerio (ouch - email withdrawal!) but I’ll post photos, etc., when I can.