What initially drew me into calligraphy was spending time with words I loved in a very different way than I had as an English Literature major. By graduation, I was tired of analyzing. Writing ten pages on a 14 line sonnet meant getting very, very picky. I wanted to connect with big ideas and grand themes. I wanted to just enjoy the sound and flow of the words. I knew I would never consider pursuing further education in literature. My start in calligraphy came after a year doing clerical work in an office and four years teaching swimming for the Boston School Department.
Looking at this early piece, it's hard to see big ideas or grand themes or especially flow. It practically radiates the effort that went into each letter. I may have been struggling with letter formation and spacing, but at the same time my heart was singing as I wrote each word.
You can read a blog post with a positive assessment of the value of my English Literature degree
here.
No comments:
Post a Comment