|
“The early summer found me back in my hometown of Winnipeg. While helping a friend begin to sort through her recently passed mum’s possessions, amongst her many Ukrainian folk art supplies, there was a box of nibs and pens. It was a perfect pause in the heavy work to tune into light lines and the shared love of craft at a kitchen table - head, hand, and heart; reminiscences, symbols, and playfulness! While joining Ewan later in the summer in Abano, Italy for the ACI conference (what a vibrant group!) we received a follow up email from pre-pandemic times. A local school, The Montessori Place, was interested in having calligraphy for the full terms this year for year 7s. It’s been an exciting experience, watching and learning from a group of early-teens as they quiet, grab hold of the materials, and connect their burgeoning instincts to the paper. They very politely watch as I show a broad-edge alphabet, listen as I get enthused about how ink is made, and then marvel (a little self-consciously) at what comes out of their individual hands. It is a privilege to be a drop in their ocean of learning. And the timing was perfect as Ewan had told me that this September would be the completion of my apprenticeship and the beginning of the next phase as assistant and colleague at the studio. I had attended a Montessori pre-school myself, so it is something of a full circle.”
|
