Saint Michael’s Musical Piece
I was asked recently by a local church to create a piece for their retiring organist. Here’s how I approached creating this lyrical piece.
Eight Ways to Stay Happy and Busy During Social Distancing
We’ve all been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and many of us are really feeling the cabin fever. So we’ve compiled a list of eight calligraphic things you can do to help you stay entertained and feed your interest in calligraphy.
A Different Kind of Lettering Project
A typical calligraphy project for me consists of using a dip pen with ink and writing on high-quality art paper or calfskin vellum. But recently a job came my way utilizing completely different materials.
The Geometry Book of Lydia Bishop
Created in 1797 by 13-year old Lydia Bishop, this book is a 22-page manuscript of geometry written out when Lydia was a student at Mr. Wyman’s School in Medford, Massachusetts.
Old Documents and Bindings
By Maryanne Grebenstein – I took a group to London and Cambridge this past February/March to view manuscripts and participate in a workshop in Cambridge. While in Cambridge, we came upon a wonderful antiquarian bookseller’s shop called G. David. I purchased a few old...
Workshop with Patricia Lovett
By Maryanne Grebenstein – This post is the third in a series describing a week-long trip I organized to take a group to London and Cambridge. The first post talked about the manuscripts we saw in London and the second post is about the exhibits and manuscripts we saw...
Lions and Tigers and Bears! A Visit to Cambridge, U.K.
By Maryanne Grebenstein – This post is a follow-up to my recently published blog, A Visit with Some Manuscripts at the British Library. It’s the continuation of the chronicle of a trip recently offered by The Abbey Studio to London and Cambridge to view manuscripts...
A Visit with Some Manuscripts at the British Library
By Maryanne Grebenstein – One of the very fun aspects of my work at The Abbey Studio is that from time to time I organize trips – sometimes domestic, sometimes international – related to illuminated manuscripts and calligraphy. I recently took a group to London and...
Making a Small Bestiary
Many of you know that bestiaries are medieval books about beasts. They contain beautiful paintings and elaborate descriptions of natural items – primarily animals, but they can also include fish, rocks, and fantastic beasts.
Golden Rule for Book Design
By Maryanne Grebenstein – True confession: I’m a total traditionalist. Although I have a great appreciation for the fun and spontaneity of a wild, modern layout that runs off the page, in my own work I like to stick to the classics. I enjoy using historic examples as...
