In Copperplate Calligraphy class, the graceful letters seem to appear magically under the pen nib of instructor Karen Gorst. After week four of this five week course, I'm beginning to be drawn into the mystery myself. For the average novice, learning calligraphy is an exercise in patience. Self-awareness, careful hand control and an eye for shape analysis are some of the skills acquired by the scribe. Judging by the range of talent in the class, this complex skill set is amazingly within the reach of human ability.
For me, after week two in the class, it was easy to forget that humans were responsible for inventing calligraphy. While some of my classmates were excelling under Karen's instruction, I needed remedial attention before advancing to new letterforms. Thankfully, the meditative quality of calligraphy actually helps to prevent frustration, and after a few more classes, my skills had improved enormously. The motions begin to become automatic, the eye recognizes patterns, the hand starts to gain purpose and can execute the elegant transition from thick to thin and back again. Karen's class has provided a technical foundation and has offered a seductive glimpse into the practice and possibilities of calligraphy, both formally and psychologically.
Corinna Zeltsman is an artist, printmaker, and staff member at the Center for Book Arts. To see more pictures from this class, click here.
