SPECIAL EVENT


Wednesday, March 6th, between 3:30 and 7:30

On Wednesday, March 6th, "Illuminated Letters" was held for its second time at Trinity United Methodist church and offered the public the chance to observe the work of calligraphers in action.

Twenty-two exhibitors demonstrated a variety of different ancient and contemporary styles, using traditional and modern media, and using alphabets from around the world as visitors walked through the silent, spot-lit space.

First devised and staged as "Brushes with Silence" in Belgium and Germany by internationally renowned lettering artist, Brody Neuenschwander, this intimate performance concept was repeated with great success in Japan and again by the Atlanta guild in January of 2012.

In this second year, we were fortunate in having a documentary short feature of the event produced by documentary videographer, Felipe Barral. The film may be viewed here:

Photo by Minh Doan

In an age of keyboards, touchscreens, handheld devices and the virtual disappearance of postal correspondence, handwriting is less and less a necessity of daily life. Actually watching this refined lettering as it was done is a completely new experience to many onlookers, and the impression is often one of fascination and wonder.

Set in the Fellowship Hall of Trinity United Methodist Church, the performance provides the opportunity to see fine penmanship and artistic letterform as it is constructed. Lighting will be dimmed and the workspaces illuminated by spot-lighting in an atmosphere of silence, allowing the artists and observers to enjoy more focused concentration. In this quiet environment, the guild hopes to distill what is most seductive and mesmerizing about the practice of putting pen to paper - the patina on a burled wood penstaff, the smell of newly ground sumi ink, the glistening sheen of wet goache, and the sound of a goose quill as it scratches and twists its way across a finely polished calfskin vellum.

Among the diverse styles, or "hands" demonstrated will be elegant Copperplate and Spencerian scripts, flourished Italic, Carolingian, Lombardic, and the non-Roman letterforms of Persian, Indian, Greek, Hebrew, Indian, Russian, and Chinese calligraphy. In addition to pure lettering, some demonstrating artists will be working with color, illustration, and gold leaf - long the treasured embellishments of ornamental manuscripts.

Held in the beautiful surroundings of one of Atlanta's historic churches, this secular event is free to the public and Friends of the Alphabet welcomes all who are intrigued by the mastery of the written word.

To get more information on this event, please call 678-463-7500 or write to info@friendsofthealphabet.org.