July Happenings
Summer is in full swing here in Marblehead and what a joy it is! The gardens are blooming, the harbor is full, and it's not unusual to see a giant whale floatie seemingly walking down the street toward one of the beaches! The Fourth of July is always a big deal here and if you haven't come to visit during our four-day Festival of Arts celebration you should definitely put it on your bucket list.
Continue reading to learn about:
My folded-concertina manuscript, shown here and now complete!
A new website in the works
New items in our Etsy shop
A fabulous exhibit on Tarot at The Morgan Library
Guided Independent Study
Happy summer, everyone!
Maryanne Grebenstein
Calligrapher & Lead Designer
Folded-Concertina Manuscript -
It’s Finished!
Some of you might remember in the last few newsletters I've provided an overview of the process I went through to create this fun little manuscript. It's bound now - by awesome bookbinder Stacie Dolin (@njstacie on Instagram) - utilizing leather and hand-marbled paper from Chena River Marblers. I've made a (silent) video of it that you can view by clicking the image with the red and white arrow.
The manuscript contains text that relates to the year - the months, the seasons, and the Celtic festivals. Each month contains a poem that describes some aspect of that month. In a break with tradition, I put the colophon at the start of the manuscript rather than at the end, and I've explained that I took inspiration from a manuscript at the British Library (Add MS17367). The last bit gives attribution to the poets.
I'm also resending a few stills that I included in May's newsletter because it's easier to read them than in the video images.
New Website in the Works
Over the last month or so we've encountered a few technical issues. Our website was down for several days, and once it was back up there were some payment-processing issues, and then our Etsy shop went mysteriously black. We've decided to turn these lemons into lemonade, as the saying goes, and so we have a new website in the works! It's very exciting and to give you a little taste of what is to come, I'm including a sketch of our refreshed logo. With any luck we'll be able to send a link to our new, streamlined website in the August newsletter.
Our Etsy Shop
Now that we've rebounded from our mysterious Etsy black-out we invite you to check out some recent additions. My good friend, Janet Bouldin, recently came to my shop and painted items from around my shop, like the moutarde jar and blue inkwell shown here. Check out all of her designs in this grouping by clicking the image or this link. Keep an eye out for her next grouping, and all our offerings on our Etsy Shop.
New Exhibit on Tarot at The Morgan Library
The Morgan Library in New York City has just opened Tarot! Renaissance Symbols, Modern Visions and it promises to be an amazing show. Open through October 4, the show explores the "origins of the earliest surviving tarot decks" from the fifteenth century in contrast with modern interpretations which "opened doors to imagination and symbolism." As usual, The Morgan has published a fabulous catalog for the exhibit, and their shop is chock full of great merch relating to tarot and their history. Don't miss it!
Guided Independent Study
Try something new! Like, gilding perhaps (shown). Recently we've seen an uptick in interest in our one-on-one calligraphy classes. If you are among those looking to move away from group instruction, please consider our Guided Independent Study. It can be conducted virtually or in our studio & shop in Marblehead, MA, and the subject range is broad. Sessions can also be purchased in the form of a gift card in person at the shop, or online here.
Guided Independent Study can be structured for any level of learning - from beginners who have never picked up a pen, to experienced calligraphers looking for help with a particular project or wishing to learn a particular skill. People who have learned primarily from books and videos benefit greatly from Guided Independent Study as they receive specific feedback on how to properly use the tools to achieve consistency in their calligraphy.
Marblehead is a great destination with its picturesque harbor, historic architecture, and proximity to Boston. With lots of inns and Airbnb options, it's a great getaway location. Whether your interest is in virtual or in-person instruction, please check out our Guided Independent Study.
Suggestion Box
Do you have comments or suggestions you'd like to share with us? Perhaps a recommendation on a workshop you'd like to see offered? Have you encountered a difficulty in your calligraphy that you'd like us to address when we include our Calligraphy Tip of the Month write-up in the newsletter? Click our "suggestion box" to submit your suggestion or request. We look forward to hearing from you!
