Watercolor Journals - The Colleagues of Calligraphy

In This Issue
Watercolor Journals with Sandy Muzzy
Front
Calendar, Workshops, President’s Message 2
Mini Workshops Registration Form 3
Photos of Mini Workshops Instructor’s Examples 4
Proposed By-laws Changes 4
Pointed Brush with Yves Leterme Registration Form 5
Kudos to Colleagues, In Books—Book Review 6
Stretching Your Boundaries, Midwest Retreat 7
Insight into the Jo White Scholarship Award 7
Photos of More Artwork
Sandy Muzzy is a very
creative artist. Her artistry
incorporates the nature
around her—paintings of
what she knows and loves.
(The following information is
in the artist’s own words.)
“Journaling with watercolor
is a wonderful pastime.
Calligraphy is just as much
fun.
What happens when you
COMBINE the two of them
can be pure magic!
Calligraphy and journaling
are two very complimentary
art forms. They go together
like peanut butter and jelly.
Once you’ve tried it, you’ll be
hooked!
Let me show you how to get started on
watercolor journaling—that’s what I am
good at. I will show you how to get color
and images on your page that evoke a
memory of your day, then I will leave it up
to you to add beautifully inscribed letters
that will tie it all together. The words will
be put to work with the watercolor to
complete the picture.”
Why journal?—to have fun!!!!
Small “journal” paintings can act as a
reservoir of good ideas that you can tap
into at a later date to create a full-sheet
masterpiece. Also on a low-energy day,
paging through your sketchbook may
stimulate creativity and get you going.
Back
Watercolor Journals
(Hands-on presentation by Sandy Muzzy)
Colleagues of Calligraphy
Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
February 2013
Saturday, February 16 th from 12:30 PM - 3:30 PM at Plymouth Congregational Church
Top photo: “Blueberries”—watercolor paintings by Sandy Muzzy.
Bottom photo: the artist herself—Sandy Muzzy.
Sandy suggests that each
individual bring a few supplies
such as a small watercolor
palette or watercolor pencils,
brushes, a full sheet of
watercolor paper to make into
their own journal, a Micron
pen, pencil, eraser, scissors,
a cup for water, and paper
towels. The watercolor paper
should have some flexibility
for folding, to create a small
folded journal. They can also
bring a journal sketch book
that works with watercolor.
In the photo to the left, Sandy
is holding a couple of journals
she made from collected
South African drift wood. She
is from South Africa, teaches
watercolor, loves painting things from
nature, even dandelions, and uses all
kinds of goodies around the house and
outdoors. She has also made painting
solutions from dirt— soils from Arkansas
or Missouri—even off of Summit or Grand
Avenue! She likes words to be used
along with her paintings to express an
experience and keep memories in her
journals.
You can enjoy galleries of Sandy’s
artwork on her web site (http://www.
sandramuzzy.com ) and on the MN
Artists web site (www.mnartists.org/
sandra_muzzy.)
-JoAnn Almich, Programs Director

Unless otherwise noted,
all meetings will be held at
Plymouth Congregational Church,
1900 Nicollet Avenue South,
Minneapolis.
Bus Routes: Nicollet/Franklin
Morning Beginning Italic Class
9:30 AM
Social 12:30 PM
Meeting 1:00 PM
(Evening meetings from 6:30 - 9:30 PM)
February
16
March 16
April 19
(evening)
May 17
(evening)
2013
Sandy Muzzy,
Hands-on Program,
Watercolor/Journal/
Nature Recording
Mini Workshops
Yves Leterme
(Workshop on 20 & 21)
Steven Skaggs
(Workshop on 18 & 19)
*Saturday programs begin at 12:30 PM;
Friday evening programs begin at 6:30 PM.
VIII:
A single ray in the dawn,
The bliss of our love
Is incomprehensible.
No sun shines there, no
Moon, no stars, no lightning flash,
Not even lamplight.
All things are incandescent
With love which lights up all the
world.
XLII:
How many lives ago
I first entered the torrent of love,
At last to discover
There is no further shore.
Yet I know I will enter again and
again.
-from the love poems of Marichiko
Registration for “The Pointed
Brush,” April 20 & 21, 2013, with Yves
Leterme, is now open! See page 5
for details and registration form.
“In Our Own Words,” May 18 & 19,
2013, with Steven Skaggs.-
classes by members
❧❧The final free-to-members
beginning Italic class, taught
by Kris MacDonald, will be
held Saturday, February 16 th ,
9:30 -11:30 AM. The class will
include warm-up exercises
designed to allow for a smooth
transition to learning the
double-stroke majuscules
(upper case). A special project
using black paper and gouache
will add a bit of magic and glitz.
❧❧Required supplies: slant
board with newsprint padding,
layout paper, pen holder with
2.5mm Brause or Speedball
C-2 nib, and ink.
❧❧Optional supplies: straight
edge, mixing/loading brush for
gouache (#4 cheap watercolor
brush), a few tubes of gouache
(light, bright or metallic colors),
small water container, and
mixing palette.
❧❧Kris will supply black paper
plus brushes and gouache
to share. Exemplars will be
provided. All members are
welcomed to attend for review
and/or practice. Please contact
Kris, at krisquillpen@gmail.
com, so enough handouts can
be provided.
❧❧Additional classes being
taught by members and offered
outside of the Colleagues of
Calligraphy (CoC) organization
are listed on the Resources
Page of our web site.
Happy February to all!
Though there remains a bit of winter, I
hope this Valentine’s month visits you
all with hints of the upcoming spring
and a desire to spread a message of
love to all those around us!
Don’t forget to consider filling one
of the Colleagues board position
vacancies in the coming year! The
board position descriptions are
available for viewing at each meeting
until the May meeting at which we will
vote for next year’s board members.
Please read the description and
explanation of the change to the
bylaws being requested by the board
as described in a separate section
of this newsletter. I ask that you all
consider this and vote YES to accept
these changes at the vote to be held
by all attending Colleagues at the
March regular meeting. Thanks!
Knowing how all of us are avid
collectors of quotations, I thought
it a good idea to close with a few
quotations and poems that may help
sustain your pens and spirits in this
month of romance. (Two follow—the
rest are scattered throughout the
Signet.)
See you at the meetings!
My love for you is a journey;
Starting at forever,
And ending at never.
–anonymous
We are each of us angels with only
one wing. And we can only fly
while embracing each other.
–Lucian de Croszonza
Signet is a publication of the Colleagues of Calligraphy. Submission deadlines are 30 days prior to the next monthly meeting. The editor is responsible for final decision on
content. Mail submissions to Signet, Lori Tews, 8791 Allison Dr. Unit F, Westminster, CO 80005 or write2lori@hotmail.com. Information and products mentioned in articles do
not imply endorsement by the COC or BOD. Copyright 2013 by the Colleagues of Calligraphy. No portion of the Signet may be reproduced without the written permission of
the COC. For membership, see www.colleaguesofcalligraphy.com or write COC, P.O. Box 4024, St. Paul, MN 55104.
2

Mini Workshops
Saturday, March 16 th from 1:00 - 3:30 PM ✒ Plymouth Congregational Church ✒ $15.00 Fee
Look Ma!—No Ink!
Instructor: Jean Formo
No rusty nibs! No potential ink spills! Who would have guessed that
multi-hued calligraphy could come from a dry pen? Experiment
with dry and semi-dry pen techniques on a variety of papers. The
magic ingredients are oil pastels, a whisper of watercolor pigment
and a little elbow grease! Make a suite of mini samplers in class.
SUPPLIES: Edged Pen Nibs: Brause sizes 2, 2.5 and 3mm nibs,
OR Speedball C2. (NOT Mitchell nibs or Speedball B Series nibs!)
This technique requires a sturdy, stiff, broad-edged nib. Flexible
nibs will NOT work.
Other Supplies: Pen holder, pencil, eraser, list of favorite words,
pan watercolors, small pointed watercolor brush, water container,
ruler, embossing tool or empty ball point pen, X-Acto knife #11
(or snap-off utility knife), colored pencils, drafting tape, sturdy
pointed nib (like Nikko G), cutting mat, nail polish remover, and 10
Q-tips. Optional: Larger, poster-size sturdy nibs or pens.
SUPPLY FEE: $8.00 for oil pastel set, a variety of pre-cut papers,
mediums, handout, and miscellaneous materials.
Arts and Crafts-Style Lettering
Instructor: Phyllis Stratman
The monoline lettering we all recognize as Arts and Crafts-Style
is endlessly variable and just plain fun to do! Use it for addressing
envelopes, name tags, quotes or your grocery list. Bring your
sense of fun and go back in time to the turn of the century.
SUPPLIES: Black Pigma Micron, Sharpie for paper (or any other
fine-point fiber-tip pen); #2 pencil (mechanical preferred); colored
pencils; glue stick; ruler (6 or 12 inches); scissors. Optional: gel
pens or pencils in earth-tone colors.
SUPPLY FEE: None
The FABULOUS Five
Instructor: Emily Cooper
Explore five wonderful origami folds: the Meishi Cover, which can
be used as a cover for a signature book or as a stunning business
card presentation; the Criss-Cross Photo Wallet, great for inserting
photos (or money!) in its pockets; a sweet little Gift Enclosure;
a Folded Packet to hold a greeting card; and a Pocket Book that
can hold either wallet-sized photos or Artist Trading Cards (ATCs).
SUPPLIES: Bone folder (if you don’t have one, bring a spoon),
pencil, glue stick, scissors, 12-inch ruler.
SUPPLY FEE: $5.00
All That Glitters is Gold and MORE!
Instructor: Sharon Healow
Have you ever wanted to try a gold paint or metallic medium
that you haven’t used before? Come and try a variety of different
types of gold (and metallic) paints, materials, pens, leaf products,
and SURPRISE items. We often work on white or cream colored
papers. What would all of these media look like on black paper?
Let’s find out!
SUPPLIES (Bring if you have no need to buy): Water container;
2-3 mixing brushes; flat brush (1/2” or smaller); Sharpie (or other
permanent marker); pencil and paper for note taking.
SUPPLY FEE: $3.00
Mini Masterpieces
Instructor: Lynn Ohlhorst
Does the size of large original artwork intimidate you? Experience
this mini workshop. Walk through simple steps – a few at a time –
on a small area of paper. Sure enough, you will be surprised with
the artwork(s) you create. Complement these pieces with your
calligraphy after the workshop.
SUPPLIES: Several watercolor paints, water container, misc.
mixing and paint brushes, Pigma Micron / Zig Millenium / Sharpie
(misc. sizes) permanent markers, glue stick or Elmer’s / PVA /
Sobo glue, paper towels (Don’t buy anything special – we all will
share our supplies.)
SUPPLY FEE: $3.00
(Supply fees are payable directly to the instructor at the
workshop).
Photos of instructors’ examples are on the next page of
the Signet!
Our CoC Mini Workshops meeting is a fund-raising event. Members
volunteer to teach sessions sharing callligraphic and related art
techniques, tools and project ideas! Register for one workshop.
In the event that a workshop fills, we ask for your second and third
choices as well. Guests are welcome—invite your friends!
Name:
Address:
Cut & send this portion to Lynn Ohlhorst, 5616 Thomas Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55410
(Make your $15.00 Mini Workshop registration check payable to “Colleagues of Calligraphy”)
Phone:
Email:
Please number your 1 st , 2 nd and 3 rd choices:
Look Ma! No Ink! The FABULOUS Five Mini Masterpieces
Arts and Crafts Style Lettering
All that Glitters is Gold and MORE!
3

Mini Workshop Instructor Examples
Counter-clockwise, from left: Look Ma!-No
Ink!, by Jean Formo; Arts & Crafts-Style
Lettering, by Phyllis Stratman; Mini
Masterpieces by Lynn Ohlhorst; All That
Glitters... by Sharon Healow; and The
FABULOUS Five, by Emily Cooper.
proposed by-laws changes
Request to update Colleagues by-laws to allow Board
of Directors to make service payments in support of the
Colleagues mission:
The current wording of the Colleagues by-laws prevents
the Colleagues Board from being able to make monetary
payments for services performed in support of the mission
of the Colleagues without a vote by the Colleagues
membership. This makes it impossible for the Board to
effectively perform its duties of best supporting the mission
and activities of the Colleagues.
Because of this, the Board needs your help in voting to
change the wording of one sentence of the organization’s
by-laws. What follows is the current wording of the relevant
section of the by-laws, and the proposed change.
Current by-laws wording:
Article II, Paragraph B of the by-laws states:
“B. The Colleagues of Calligraphy is a non-stock, non-profit
organization established and operated exclusively for the
purpose (of the Colleagues of Calligraphy.) No part of the
income of the organization shall accrue to the benefit of
any individual except that legitimate expenses incurred
by members in carrying out the Colleagues of Calligraphy
business may be reasonably reimbursed.”
Requested change: Replace (only) the second sentence
of Article II, Paragraph B of the by-laws with the following
wording:
4
“The Board shall have authority and responsibility to
determine and disburse funds in support of the stated
mission and purpose of the Colleagues of Calligraphy.
Board members will perform their stated duties on a
purely volunteer basis, and will not be paid for services
rendered to the Colleagues in fulfillment of those duties,
with the exception that legitimate expenses incurred by
Board members in the carrying out of the Colleagues of
Calligraphy business may be reasonably reimbursed at the
discretion of the Board.”
Procedure for updating by-laws:
The by-laws require (after appropriate time is provided for
review) that a majority vote of all attending Colleagues at
a designated regular meeting determine whether these
formally specified by-law changes will take effect.
Accordingly, these proposed changes will be listed for your
review in the January and February Signet newsletters,
and the vote for these by-laws changes will be held by all
Colleagues members attending the March 2013 regular
meeting of the Colleagues. Mark your calendar accordingly,
so that your vote can be recorded on this matter.
Contact president@colleaguesofcalligraphy.com or any
current board member if you have questions about this
recommended change to the by-laws.
Thank you for reviewing and voting on this change to the
by-laws!
-Gary Berosik, President, Colleagues of Calligraphy

The Pointed Brush with Yves Leterme
Two-day Workshop for Intermediate to Advanced Students
April 20 - 21, 2013 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM Edina Art Center
The pointed brush
is such a versatile
instrument that
one could consider
spending the rest of his
life on a desert island
with only that tool to
comfort him.
In this course, we’ll learn
how to get the different
strokes on paper
and how to stimulate
our inventiveness in
producing all kinds of
variations. As you can
see on the samples
shown here and on the
back cover, it will also
deal with the principles
of gestural writing.
Check out Yves’ web site at http://www.yleterme.be/
and be inspired and amazed by the energy and layers of
textures in his work!
An example of expressive gestural brush-lettering by Yves Leterme.
Yves Leterme is a
professional calligrapher
from Bruges, Belgium.
Having been an avid
student of Brody
Neuenschwander for a
number of years, Yves
was (and still is) favorably
influenced by his vision
on contemporary
calligraphy. Over a period
of time, Yves developed
the gestural style for
which he is internationally
acclaimed.
His pieces can be found
in museums and private
collections all over the
world. Yves is the author
of Thoughtful Gestures,
the first book on gestural writing.
-Workshop description provided by Yves Leterme
Fee: $90 Members; $125 Non-members*. Make checks payable to “Colleagues of Calligraphy.”
Please complete the registration form and return it to
Dawn Darner, along with your check by April 7, 2012.
Call Dawn at 651-295-8495 or email her, Dawn@
LetteredInInk.com with any questions.
Established CoC workshop guidelines state that registration
fees are not refundable unless we can fill your place with
someone from the waiting list.
*Non-member fees include a one-year membership to the Colleagues
of Calligraphy in addition to entrance to the workshop.
Cut & send this portion to Dawn Darner, 5152 Woodlane Drive, Woodbury, MN 55129.
Name: CoC Member Non-Member
Address:
City/State/Zip:
Phone(s):
Email:
I would like to help with (please number your 1st, 2nd and 3rd choices):
Digital Photos Instructor’s Lunch Write workshop review
Teacher's Assistant - Saturday Teacher's Assistant - Sunday
Everyone will be expected to help clean up! Yves Leterme 04.20.13
Get your registration in by March 15!
5

Kudos to Colleagues
exhibiting complementary talents
Ardie Gallant is one of three
artists featured in an exhibit
that runs until the first week
of May at North Heights
Lutheran Church, located
at 1700 West Highway 96,
Arden Hills, MN 55112. The
exhibit hours are weekdays
from 7 AM—9 PM, and
Saturday and Sunday from
8 AM—9 PM. (Check with
the church to be certain—
call 651.797.7800.
Ardie has also designed a
book cover for a political/
Book cover designed by Ardie Gallant.
financial thriller—the first
in a series! While not
incorporating calligraphy,
she did use Waters Titling font for the text. Visit the
author’s web site at www.mpzorn.com.
Watercolor self-portrait by JoAnn
Almich, programs director.
Our program director,
JoAnn Almich, has been
very busy! “The Trio,” her
pen and ink Zentangle
composition of three
fish, is one of five pieces
selected to be featured
during the Alexandria
Orchestra’s performance
of “Five Glimpses in
the Art Museum,” in
Alexandria, MN, on
February 24, at 2:00 PM
at the Discovery School,
on McKay Avenue.
Congratulations to
both of you incredibly
talented women!
Our new Colleagues library is not only coming to each of our meetings, it is also starring online
at www.colleaguesofcalligraphy.com. The library catalog is arranged by category, enabling
you to easily find titles that pertain to your interest. Use the catalog as a sort of book list,
checking off the books you want to read. To reserve books in advance, just contact Jean Formo
at librarian@colleaguesofcalligraphy.com with your request. She will bring your reserved
library items to the next Colleagues meeting! In addition to books, we have guild newsletters,
calligraphy periodicals, slide sets, DVDs and some audio tapes. Visit the library table this month!
WE HAVE THE STUFF YOU WANT!
Book Review
An Introduction to Japanese Calligraphy
by Yuuko Suzuki
An Introduction to Japanese Calligraphy
by Yuuko Suzuki
Published 2005, 2007, 2008 Search Press
For any student of Japanese calligraphy,
whether a beginner or more experienced, this
unassuming book is well worth a close look.
The accomplished author, Yuuko Suzuki,
covers more than the basic introductory
material.
She discusses the history of Japanese
calligraphy, including a chronology of
Japanese and Chinese historical eras.
Materials are fascinatingly explained, citing “the four
treasures”—the brush, ink, inkstone and paper. Thick
and slender brush calligraphy using kanji (characters),
hiragana (one of two syllabaries), and katagana (the second
syllabary, used for foreign words) are skillfully illustrated.
6
Suzuki shows tables of the two syllabaries
along with step-by-step examples of how
to write them, using her own beautiful
technique. Additionally, she shows examples
of more intricately involved work, as well as
the calligraphy of others.
The book is filled with excellent photos,
explaining technique, posture, and ‘how-to’
for Japanese calligraphy. In the back is a very
helpful glossary of terms, too.
Yuuko Suzuki’s An Introduction to Japanese
Calligraphy gets a double thumbs-up for
everyone!
-Janey Westin, February’s Book Enthusiast & Reviewer
The Chinese/Japanese character for “Love” was lettered by Janey.

march challenge
The goal of the monthly challenges is to have members “try
their hand” at as many of the suggestions as they would
like and bring their projects to the following meeting to
show and share with fellow Colleagues of Calligraphy.
For March, you are encouraged to do the following:
✒✒Try your hand at this free composition technique,
from the Art Journal Freedom book by Dina
Wakley, incorporating calligraphy into any step.
(The full link will be published on our web site.)
✒✒Participate in the Graceful Envelope Contest
(Details may be found at www.calligraphersguild.
org/envelope.html). Deadline is February 25 th .
✒✒Explore any of the previous months’ challenges,
such as “Textural Letters,” as found on the Events
& Workshops page of the CoC web site.
Carleton College,
Northfield, MN
August 15—18, 2013
Sponsored by
Minnesota’s Colleagues
of Calligraphy
Check out the web site for exciting updates!
https://sites.google.com/site/midwestretreat/
For questions, contact the director, Joyce Francis, at
midwestartandlettering@gmail.com
Please visit the web site link above for updated
information on our fabulous August retreat!!!
Insight into the Jo White Scholarship Award (JWSA)
In the article below, Katie Beery, the recipient of the
2012 Jo White Scholarship Award (JWSA) responded
to questions raised by Sue Filbin, chair of the scholarship
committee. Katie joined the Colleagues of Calligraphy in
1978, served on numerous committees and initiatives, and
held the office of president from 1991 to 1994. Katie and
Colleagues member, Kris MacDonald,
ran the Scriptorium at the Minnesota
Renaissance Fair from 1982 to 2005.
They shared a business until 2007 and
remain best friends.
What is the topic for your calligraphyrelated
study?
I would have to call it something like
Reviving My Lettering Skills.
What inspired you to select this topic
on which to focus?
I submitted a proposal for the JWSA with
the hope of getting my lettering back in
shape. A few years ago, I thought that my
lettering skills had “slipped”, and I simply didn’t like much of
what I was doing. At the same time, I became interested
in advancing my technology skills both for my job as well
as my own gratification. I was also expanding my growing
interest in photography and video shorts. I’ve enjoyed these
pursuits very much, but after spending more than 30 years
learning and using calligraphy, I really didn’t want to give it
up for lack of practice or because I had developed other
creative interests. In applying for the scholarship, I was
seeking a strategy that would keep me engaged, inspired,
and focused on continuing to do hand lettering for the long
term.
How will you pursue learning about this topic?
Katie Beery, 2012 JWSA Recipient.
I will spend four days at the Midwest Art and Lettering
Retreat studying Italic Variations with Martha Ericson. She
is a terrific teacher, and she happens to be a “calligraphy
friend” whom I’ve known for years. Her class will be focused
on intermediate to advanced students—which I think will
be an ideal situation for me. I am looking forward to an
intensive learning opportunity that will
help me get past the bad habits that have
sneaked into my lettering and degraded
my confidence.
How do you anticipate sharing what
you learn with the Colleagues?
I consider the “give back” part of the
scholarship program to be very important.
I want to plan a mini-workshop for others
who are “not writing that much anymore”,
so I can help them jumpstart their interest
in lettering and rediscover the talent that
lies dormant within them.
What advice or words of
encouragement do you have for other Colleagues
members to apply for the JWSA?
Our guild is so lucky to have a program like this. It makes the
Colleagues of Calligraphy one of the best in the country! The
scholarship request requires some thoughtful consideration,
but it is otherwise not difficult to complete an application.
Everyone who meets the membership requirement of being
a member for two full years as of September 30, 2013,
should consider applying! For whatever it’s worth, I did not
receive a scholarship the first time I applied. I am so glad
and honored that the second time was the charm!
The application process is easy as outlined on the CoC web site:
http://colleaguesofcalligraphy.com/resources.html.
7

P.O. Box 4024
St. Paul, MN 55104
A combination of calligraphy and collage graces the
front of this greeting card created by Emily Stout.
We lie in each other’s arms,
eyes shut and fingers open,
and all the colors of the world
pass through our bodies like
strings of fire.
–Marge Piercy
An example of the highly expressive and gestural brush lettering by Yves
Leterme. Check out page 5 for information on the workshop, “The Pointed
Brush,” that Yves will be teaching here on April 20 - 21.
An example of double-stroke Italic majuscules by
Kris MacDonald - the subject of the final freefor-members
Beginning Italic class to be held
Saturday, February 16 th , from 9:30—11:30 AM.