Calligraphy

When I first began teaching myself calligraphy, in 1985, I practiced the 'Foundational' hand alphabet a letter at a time, day after day.  Although I longed to master the art of beautiful writing, I was constantly frustrated;  To painstakingly write out a poem only to make a mistake on the last line and have to begin again, was infuriating.  After a few months I decided it was too laborious, and put my pens away.

A couple of years later, I unearthed my calligraphy pens when sorting out my studio.  Curious to see if I would remember the alphabet I'd taught myself, I wrote it out on a piece of parchment.  Very encouraged at the result, I began practicing with fresh enthusiasm.  Yes, calligraphy can be frustrating, and takes a lot of practice and patience, but I find the end result incredibly rewarding.