Survey No. 9

Do you recall being interested in the alphabet at an early age, if so what age?

At the age of eight I was given a Speedball calligraphy set which was the beginning of my calligraphic journey. I copied the letters in J.R.R. Tolkien's books at first. I loved the beauty of those forms.

Do you recall being interested in penmanship at an early age, if so what age?

The Tolkien forms at age eight were what initially interested me. In other words, I was an early reader, but kind of asleep about forms.

Do you recall being interested in calligraphy at an early age, if so what age?

Age eight.

Was there a person or a book you ran across that had a big influence on your path?

My aunt, who gave me the Speedball set. Later, in my teens, I worked at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival scriptorium, where I worked with other scribes and eventually met my first mentor.

Did you discover lettering/penmanship/calligraphy at a much later age?

This is tricky. Lettering is everywhere. I am still learning it.

What do you enjoy most about writing?

The rhythm. The mystery of the forms.

What do you find most frustrating about writing?

Usually it's the tool. Sometimes I go through long stretches when I am not interested in lettering, which makes me feel completely useless.

Do you have a specific goal?

Perhaps a love of the work.

Can you describe any ah-ha moment where you discovered something that really helped with your journey?

I feel like this has happened more than once. I think it's related to the tools and that moment of becoming aware of something the tool does. The charisma of the teacher is sometimes a factor.

If you have taken classes, do you recall why you signed up for your first class?

I am not so good at taking classes. I learn things, but it takes time to fully absorb what I've learned.

Have your classes met or exceeded your expectations?

Perhaps exceeded, though I never realize it at the time since the courses are truly a miserable situation for me. I like to find my own way.

Do you think we all start with equal potential?

I have no idea. I would love to believe that we all have talent. For the purpose of my own art, I mainly have to believe that I have something to say or express.

Why do you think some people catch on faster than others?
Is anyone truly *hopeless* (at improving their penmanship)?

Maybe some people are not entirely interested in penmanship, or don't like the ways that it is taught, but that doesn't necessarily exclude them from working with letterforms.