Dates for your diaries

16 September 2023 – Pencil Gothics with Gwyneth Hibbett

Booking forms have been sent out to current members for this upcoming workshop. Contact Alison at swscribes1@gmail.com if you haven’t received yours.

2 December 2023 – Annual General Meeting and Christmas workshop

We’ve got our thinking caps on for this Christmas themed workshop but it will be led by one of our own members. Further information to follow.

2 / 9 March 2024

A ‘member-led’ workshop and get-together day. Further details to follow.


27 April 2024 – Saxon Scripts and Runes Revealed with Peter Lloyd

An adventure into historic lettering and translation of mystic symbols to open up new avenues for you to explore.

8 June 2024 – The Staffordshire Hoard with Linda Lewis

Animals and motifs using gold leaf and colour.

16 | 09 Gwyneth Hibbett – Pencil Gothic

Saturday 16th September 2023, Felindre Village Hall, 10am – 4pm.

This workshop takes a familiar tool – the pencil – to practice and create gothic letter shapes and use them in combination with a variety of different artistic effects.

The versatility of pencils and their range of “hardnesses” give the calligrapher scope for shading and many different textures, which can take your lettering in
different directions.

Soft graphite greys give a subtlety that sometimes the harsh black ink of ‘blackletter’ doesn’t, and the ease of adding some pencil embellishment can re-ignite a love of Gothic.

10 | 06 The Mariner’s Compass

Zentangle® Inspired Art Sheila Murray

Saturday 10 June 2023 – 10 am to 4 pm

Felindre Welfare Hall, Felindre, Swansea, SA5 7NA 

After our very enjoyable Zentangle® workshop last year, Sheila is paying us a return visit.

Following The Zentangle® Method, we will create a piece of art with a maritime influence known as The Mariner’s Compass.

During the creative process we will hand draw and use various ‘tangle’ techniques to enhance and decorate our compass design. Our finished piece will be flourished with cardinal pointers to the North, South, East and West.

We will also learn more about the history of the Mariner’s Compass and how it has been used for many centuries.  Don’t worry if you didn’t attend last year’s workshop – this one is still suitable for everybody.

Tea and coffee will be provided but please bring your own lunch.

Contact our Secretary – Alison to book your space

25 | 03 Bister Workshop

Hello everyone! We have a date for our next South Wales Scribes get together – Saturday 25th March 2023 at Felindre Village Hall.

We are planning to spend the morning experimenting with ‘Bister Inks’. (Water-based walnut ink – granules to which you add water – in varying ‘rustic’ colours/strengths.) We will have some Bister Inks available for you to use on the day and purchase/take away if you wish.

In the afternoon we will be making little frames that can be combined to make a concertina book and perhaps frame the morning’s masterpieces!

It should be a good fun and a great shared learning experience.
Contact Alison at swscribes1@gmail.com to book your place.

Festival of Calligraphy | Gwyl Caligraffi

2022 | THE WRITTEN WORD

The Festival of Calligraphy continues with the Tenth Anniversary Exhibition of the South Wales Scribes – ‘The Written Word – Y Gair Ysgrifenedig’ which opened on 26th August 2022 and runs until 6th November 2022.

Examples of works on display will be featured on this website and on our Facebook page, but seeing the work in the flesh is so much better!

So pop along to Swansea Museum before 6th November 2022. Opening times Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-4pm.

Demos and try-your-hand sessions with South Wales Scribes members will be running every Saturday from 11am-1pm for the duration of the exhibition.

All Welcome

September 2022

Words made beautiful

Come to a special exhibition
celebrating the centenary year of The Society of Scribes and Illuminators

The Words Made Beautiful exhibition is now moving to its third venue in the Swansea Museum. It will open there on Friday 5 August 2022.

This inspiring exhibition includes original work by more than 60 contemporary calligraphers and lettering artists and presents a beautiful reflection of one hundred years of expressive lettering nurtured by the SSI.

Words Made Beautiful brings together a display of pieces from current members and a number of seminal historical works that reveals the true breadth and diversity of calligraphy and lettering as a modern art form.

Source: www.calligraphyonline.org

A festive feast for the eyes

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this Christmassy calligraphic review.

2022 will be a significant celebration of 10 years of South Wales Scribes. We look forward to our first gathering of the year on 29th January to make exhibition plan. So, until then, Happy New Year to everyone and keep scribbling!

Autumnal Inspiration

Summer is well and truly behind us and many of us are looking forward to, or have just started another year of calligraphy classes or workshops.

We asked for some ‘Autumnal Inspiration’ from South Wales Scribes members and we weren’t disappointed. Thank you to everyone who responded to our request for details of work on an Autumn theme.

The days are now noticeably shorter, the mornings are cooler and mistier and the natural world around us is changing colour – from summertime green to the amber, rust, chestnut and deep reds of Autumn.

Our autumnal collages feature a wide variety of creative work using different media for written hands, drawn lettering, illumination and gilding. We hope they provide you with some inspiration for your own ongoing work. One advantage of the longer, darker nights is perhaps more time to settle down to some creative calligraphy without the distraction of good weather or the smell of a BBQ outside!

We look forward to seeing everyone at the upcoming Members Meeting in Felindre on October 23rd. If you can make it please bring along physical examples of current work.

Workshops in 2022

We are excited to announce that our excellent programme of workshops will restart early in 2022. Our very own Judith Porch has kindly offered to kick-start the programme with a workshop using her favourite ‘Finetec’ metallic paints.

‘Fun with Finetec’ is scheduled for January 2022 – actual date to be confirmed following our meeting on 23rd October 2021. Watch this space.