Ten highlights from 10 years in business
Creative Calligraphy is celebrating 10 years in business in 2024.
Here are 10 highlights – one for each year – from the last decade.
2014 – I was invited by artist Mark Gibson to contribute to a public art installation he was working on for Tyne and Wear Metro. Convergence remained in place at Bede Metro Station for several years and also brought a smile to my face as I travelled through it.
2015 – The workshop side of my business started when I was invited to run classes for The Cultural Spring in South Tyneside. Many of the people who came along there are still members of my weekly classes and I still work closely with The Cultural Spring.
2016 – Weddings have always been a big part of the commission side of my business and in this year, I took part in my first styled shoot. I’ve been involved in a few proposals down the years too!
2017 – With my weekly Thursday group now running independently of The Cultural Spring, we successfully applied for Your Art funding from The Cultural Spring to work with a guest artist on an illuminated lettering project. This laid the foundation for future funding bids and activities!
2018 – I was delighted to be asked by Stellar Projects to be part of Pages of the Sea at Redcar, writing in the sand as part of the national Armistice Day commemorations marking 100 years since the end of the First World War.
2019 – Workshops were flourishing and I set up Facebook group and in-person practice club for workshop attendees. The Facebook group is still going strong, but the practice club didn’t last long! Always worth a try though.
2020 – A year most people would rather forget, but as the Covid-19 pandemic hit, I was called upon to provide at home craft kits and produce online demos for The Cultural Spring, Shipley Art Gallery and South Tyneside Libraries.
2021 – I brushed up on my own calligraphy skills via The European Pointed Pen Collective, taking part in online workshops and being paired with my calligrabuddy Jo Taylor Calligraphy.
2022 – The Lindisfarne Gospels returned to the north east and I successfully applied for an Arts Council England (ACE) Project Grant that enabled my weekly groups to take part in activities inspired by the exhibition at the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle.
2023 – The Inspired by Lindisfarne project continues with a touring exhibition.
2024 (So Far) – Celebrating 10 years in business!