At this time of year, it’s customary to do a little introduction on my blog, and so I wanted to write a little post just to say hi! My name is Claire and I’m a self-taught calligrapher from the Lake District (UK).
I spend my days writing beautiful letters, and that can be anything from family tree calligraphy commissions to special poems or one-off cards for really special birthdays. Over the last year, I have written wedding invitations, anniversary gifts, wedding poems and favourite readings for weddings – and even a proposal of marriage.
I’ve been doing calligraphy for over 20 years. Before that I was a marketing specialist. I took voluntary redundancy in 2005 and with the money I got then I began my calligraphy business. Every day I’m learning. Every calligraphy commission I write teaches me something. Calligraphy is a skill which evolves over time, and even though I’ve been writing for more than 20 years and consider myself a professional calligrapher there’s always more to learn. I do love it.
I grew up in the Lake District. I’m happiest in the fells. I’ve done the Wainwrights and the outlying Wainwrights. I spend a lot of time walking on the beach near my home and over the last couple of years I’ve been very involved with a campaign to save a local nature reserve, which we won. I live with my partner Steve and our two cats, Magic and Nola.
I’m quite political. I’ve decided I’ll be voting green next time I get a chance. People definitely call me woke, but the way I see it I’m empathetic and I think kindness is important. I also think it’s really crucial to talk to people about politics and to listen and have conversations which might be difficult, to try and bridge the divide our media platforms are creating.
I’m not a fan of Instagram or social media right now. I will still use instagram to share my calligraphy workshop dates, but honestly I’m happier practicing my art, working on calligraphy commissions for lovely people, and spending time in the real world instead of wasting it online. Small businesses feel so much pressure to create content, whether that’s videos or beautiful photography of every little project – and it sucks the creativity out of you: at least it does for me.
When I’m not ranting about social media or writing calligraphy, I am a fully paid up member of the grammar and spelling police. I do find great joy in spotting a stray apostrophe. It’s a skill that comes in really handy when I’m writing calligraphy commissions of poems and so on for my lovely clients.
I’m a good listener. I’m very careful with calligraphy commissions and orders. I do prefer to communicate via email because this means all of your requests for calligraphy poems and family trees are in writing and I can refer back to make sure every detail from ink colour to flower illustrations are exactly what you’ve asked me for.
Most of my time is spent at home in my little calligraphy studio with my cats. It makes it even more special when I get to host a calligraphy workshop, and I really do love meeting everyone and introducing people to the absolute joy of learning calligraphy for the first time. There’s something really magical about the way a calligraphy nib will dance and bounce and create beautiful letter swoops and swirls. Very often in my workshops people will say, “this is so therapeutic” – and it really is. Calligraphy is utterly wonderful.
It’s really important to me to be friendly and understanding when people get in touch about a calligraphy commission. I know that this is very often the first time you’ll ever have done anything like this: commissioning a calligrapher or an artist to create something especially for you, so I am always happy to offer advice, answer any questions that you might have, and talk through details of your calligraphy before I even set pen to paper.
To get in touch about a calligraphy commission or enquire about my calligraphy workshops in Cumbria, you can email me at calligrapherclaire@gmail.com
Really, ask me anything. Most people haven’t hired a calligrapher before: it’s all new to everyone. And I’m very friendly.