Thomas Ingmire •
| J U N E 2 5 — J U L Y 2 • 2 0 0 6 |
Trinity Lutheran College • Issaquah, Washington
Thomas Ingmire is one of the forerunners of the modern western calligraphy movement in the world today. Focused on the exploration of calligraphy as fine arts medium, he has exhibited widely in the United States, and his works can be found in the San Francisco Public Library’s Special Collections, The Newberry Library in Chicago, The Victoria & Albert Museum in London, The Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry, as well as many other public and private collections throughout the world. Published work is in numerous issues and annuals of Letter Arts Review, and books including Calligraphy Masterclass by Peter Halliday, Calligraphy by David Harris, Lettering Arts by Joanne Fink, and Painting for Calligraphers by Marie Angel. Words of Risk, The Art of Thomas Ingmire by Michael Gullick, documents a large body of Ingmire’s work.
The uniqueness of Thomas Ingmire’s art work lies in its relationship to the traditions of calligraphy. Testimony to his talent as a craftsman was his election in 1977 to the English Society of Scribes and Illuminators. Ingmire was the first American and first person outside of the United Kingdom to receive this honor. Ingmire has also been an important teacher in the world calligraphy community. He has taught since l978 and has conducted workshops throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, and several countries in Europe as well as in Japan and Hong Kong. A recent publication Codici, edited by Ingmire, reveals insights into his teaching and working philosophies on modern calligraphy. For additional documentation of Thomas Ingmire’s works please check the following websites:
www.thomasingmire.com
www.scriptsf.com
www.wordsforpeace.org
Words for Peace Project:
Exploring the Drawn Capital Letter • 5 days
The Words for Peace project has been an installation at a number of spaces in the United States including the first Black and White Conference environs and most recently at the Sunderland University in the UK. One activity of this workshop will be for the students to create a small installation which can either be an extension of the ideas of the original project (that being the development and hanging of lanterns) or depending on the will of the class, a completely new theme for presenting messages about living in a peaceful world.
(see www.wordsforpeace.org)
The calligraphic theme of the class will be the drawn capital letter. In the western calligraphic tradition it is possible to find a wide variety of drawn forms, yet this history has seldom been the theme of modern teaching. In the workshop students will begin by analyzing a variety of historic drawn capital letters. The purpose of this first stage will be to become familiar with the techniques, tools and philosophies that have guided the making of these letters.
With this foundation we will explore the application of modern drawing techniques and philosophies to the creation of contemporary letters. Expressive line development, the 20th century artists’ use of space and color will be the primary guides for our studies. We will look at the works of a variety of 20th century calligraphers and fine artists including: Imre Reiner, David Jones, Hans Schmidt, Paul Klee, Ben Shahn, Joan Miro’, and William de Kooning.
As the work will be used in the creation of peace messages (single words or short phrases) lively discussions on the visual/verbal issue are bound to surface. Students at all levels of experience are welcome.
- Supplies:
INK: Black ink: Chinese or Japanese stick ink (with grinding stone) or small bottle of sumi ink
COLORS: (and materials for using colors) Water color set or at least 5 tubes of colors ( include a red, yellow, blue, white and black)
Gouache: bring what you have; again include at least 5 colors (a red, yellow, a dark blue like prussian blue and cerulean blue) and a white
a color palette, water container, paper towels
BRUSHES: Bring a few small brushes for mixing colors
Two or three good quality small to medium in size- water color brushes.
Small Japanese writing brushes 2mm, 6mm, and 8mm diameters will work quite well and won't cost as much as western water color brushes.
PAPER: Two sheets of BFK Rives paper or other similar papers. Something smooth that works well with water colors.
PENS: Mitchel nibs #5, 4, 3-1/2; automatic pens #4 and 5; a ruling pen
OTHER SUPPLIES: Straignt edge, ruler, compass to draw circles and curves, pencils (H, HB, F), white eraser, tape, scissors, white glue, water container.