April Workshop... Italics - theme and variations

We welcomed back Celia Kilner for our April workshop, where she treated scribes to some Italic Variations, in her interesting, and often amusing, style.

March meeting of Northumbrian Scribes

In our March workshop we will be looking at text interpretation with Angela Dalleywater.

Scale, letterform, letter-weight, colour, space, texture and contrast - these are all elements available to help interpret your chosen text, so that the piece gives an impression of what it's about, before the viewer even reads the words. We'll be exploring all of these things and more.

Please bring:
Usual calligraphic equipment, in particular a variety of nibs, ink, layout/practice paper, ruler, pencil, a board to lean on, and colour (gouache).

Angela will bring lots of short texts for us to work with, but if you have some favourite words with which you'd like to work, then do bring them.

The Society of Northumbrian Scribes meets on the third Saturday of the month at Bede's World, Jarrow, Tyne & Wear.

ELIZABETH LAMB

We were sad to learn at our meeting in January that Elizabeth Lamb had died some time before Christmas. Elizabeth had been a Scribe for many years, but was taken ill about a year ago, and looked far from well all last year. Sometimes she felt too unwell to lift a pen, but still continued to attend meetings. Northumbrian Scribes only heard about her death when the Scribes’ Christmas cards were forwarded to her address.

Elizabeth had had an interesting life as a nurse. She had twice worked her passage to Australia intending to settle there, but had returned both times to Sunderland. She had also worked in India. Lately she spent time helping neighbourhood friends with health problems and hospital visits, and she also much enjoyed doing craft activities with nephews and nieces.

Extracts from a description she wrote of herself are as follows:

* 50 years’ nursing experience, including 10 years’ voluntary work in many countries with Save the Children, British Red Cross, International Red Cross and International League of Red Cross. Began as a pre-student nurse, later specialising in midwifery , orthopaedics, oncology, cardiothoracics, h.i.v. and Aids-related diseases. Left the NHS to work in industry and occupational health.
*Hobbies: driving, decoupage, watercolours, calligraphy, travel, cats and conservation. Elizabeth was particularly proud of a calligraphic book she wrote and had printed about the Venerable Bede. She also sent out printed cards of her watercolours. But, in my view, her special forte was Pergamano (lovely lace-like designs pricked out on very thick waxed paper).

We shall miss her companionship at our meetings.

Janet Ashmore

Northumbrian Scribes February workshop...

The next meeting of The Society of Northumbrian Scribes will be on Saturday 20th February at Bede's World, Jarrow. We will be looking at extreme italics with Mike Mavromichaelis, and will start by writing a simple italic script before moving on to slimmer things. You will be offered guidance in writing a compressed hand but you will have time to explore and to enjoy writing slim letters. Please bring your favourite nibs to write with but also do bring any large nibs you may have (up to 12mm).

Extreme italics are usually informal so that your own adaptations can be introduced and you may choose your own directions. Please bring: your usual writing kit and paper up to A3 size are all that are needed.

Members... please remember to bring your draft artworks of the calendar contribution to the February meeting.

Northumbrian Scribes pressed into action

The Shields Gazette visited Bede’s World recently to see some members of Northumbrian Scribes in action. Dominic James, Judi Postle and Susan Moor demonstrated their art to reporter Johnny Wilson who bravely agreed to have a go himself. There was a good write up of the meeting in the Shields Gazette of 4 January and the full article can be viewed here.

The first workshop of 2010

On Saturday, members mainly devoted themselves to drafting pieces for the 2011 calendar which we intend should be published and made available at our May meeting. It was very useful to share ideas not only about our theme, Northumbrian Song, but also about aspects of the calendars so that they were more convenient for users. Dominic brought words for many traditional songs to ensure that everyone had words to write. Thus we all had a starting point for creating a calendar or an exhibition piece. Mike Mavromichaelis co-ordinated our ideas for the 2011 calendar ensuring that we were all using different songs. We agreed that drafts of the calendar entries would be brought to our February meeting and that finished artwork would be ready to hand in at our March meeting. The co-operative nature of the day was encapsulated by agreement that both drafts and finished pieces should be proof read by at least one other scribe before these were collected for publication. It was good to welcome two newcomers Susan and Alan. (Mike Mavromichaelis)

Our January meeting was dedicated to designs for the calendar for 2011 on the theme of traditional Northumbrian songs. Well, not all that traditional because ‘Tunnel of Love’ by Dire Straits and Lindisfarne’s ‘Fog on the Tyne’ may well feature too. Judi Postle’s draft of ‘Tunnel of Love’ with its description of the now gone and much lamented funfair at the Spanish City in Whitley Bay is below. Some folks were able to think up layouts there and then at the meeting, others prefer to work up their ideas at home. Roughs and layouts will be brought in to the February meeting and finished pieces to the March meeting. The production timetable is tight to get the calendar ready for sale earlier this year. All work to be in black and white ready for reproduction. Anyone who missed the meeting and wants to do a layout is welcome to bring in ideas. Please contact Mike Mavromichaelis. (Hazel Abbott)

January 2010 workshop

The Society of Northumbrian Scribes first workshop of 2010 takes place on Saturday 16th January at Bede's World, Jarrow. The workshop will be led by Mike Mavromichaelis and will focus on Northumbrian songs and pieces for the Scribes 2011 calendar, for our exhibition and for pleasure.

As a creative stimulus for the anticipated endeavours this coming year, please take a look at this exquisite paper art. Here's an example...