More from the writing symposium...

More images from my wonderful week at the Sunderland Writing Symposium - 'Lines of Continuity'. Here is a typical international mix at dinner time... Finnish, Australian, Belgian, Canadian, Japanese... and me from UK.

Susie teaching her beautiful Chinese lettering...


Ewan gives feedback to one of the workshop groups...

Manny Ling does likewise with the digital calligraphers...


Susan gave a superb presentation about her work on copying a page from the Codex Amiatinus...

...in St Peters Church Monkwearmouth, where the original was created! Bede walked through this very doorway when he entered the monastery at seven years old.

Beautiful lettering was in abundance from many clever and interesting people. I'm already looking forward to the next event in 2011.

Lindisfarne and Beamish

Emma, Phil and the children were up for a few days holiday. We managed to get out in the sunshine to Lindisfarne on Saturday and Beamish Museum Sunday.

Writing break...

I'm home for a one day break from the writing symposium. Catching up with emails and clients, making phone calls etc. There are some amazing people at the event, producing some fabulous work which is inspirational and challenging! Here are a few images so far... one of the pieces is mine... can you guess which one?

Writing 2009

I'm getting ready to go to the Writing 2009 International Calligraphy Symposium tomorrow. In the past couple of years I have found a renewed interest in calligraphy, something I first took an interest in at school and have dabbled with during my graphics career from time to time. A couple of classes during the past two years have given me more confidence in my ability and potential, and also joining The Northumbrian Scribes has been a massive encouragement.

I'm looking forward to what should be an exciting and challenging week, where I will hopefully be stretched in my abilities, learn new skills and meet lots of people who are on a similar journey. I'll also be enjoying the hospitality of my lovely sister for some of the time during the symposium, so there'll be time to catch up with her too.

In The Toon

Today I took a trip to The Toon in order to buy.... three sheets of paper. Not any old paper though.... special paper to hopefully do wonderful creative things with next week at the Sunderland Writing Symposium

Here are some photos I took around Newcastle... firstly looking DOWN Grey Street... I spied Cale Cross House, where I used to work on the 15th floor in the early eighties. I could also spy my own first ever studio near the top of Dean Street.

Then looking UP Grey Street... old and new jousting for position?

Then a beautiful piece of street architecture/lettering in the doorway of a redundant shop at the top of Grey Street that I will always call 'Marcus Price'...

Then to the Haymarket. This must have been a splendid hotel to greet weary travellers as they arrived in Newcastle down the A1 from Scotland. It is now the facade of an establishment called 'OZ Bar'
The tower of the civic centre wonderfully reflected in the windows of another new building for Newcastle University.

The Americana Festival

We went to the Americana Festival at The Sage yesterday. They had a free show in the concourse and we caught three acts. I say 'we' but in fact Bren went shopping half way through! First up were The Lost Brothers, who were not brothers and didn't seem to be that lost either, judging by the quality of their repertoire. Tight guitar patterns, lovely harmony vocals and a warm and easy stage presence made them very watchable and listenable.

Next up was Jon Allan, performing with and without his band. The guy had a good voice and is obviously a gifted song writer, but he left me kind of cold, mainly due to his rather annoying stage presence, which included jibes at the band, reference to being in Newcastle (not Gateshead) and finishing every number with "thanks very much folks". Is it me being pedantic, or could he have varied this a bit?

Then it was the turn of The Midnight Ramblers bluegrass band, who I had been looking forward to hearing. They didn't disappoint musically but were a bit too serious looking.... and I DO prefer my bluegrass bands to wear hats, a la Bill Monroe. Never mind, a brilliant set and extremely tight riffs from flat picking guitar, banjo and neat mandolin playing, backed up with a lovely walking bass throughout.

Also spied at the festival was friend Stephen, who was filming the sessions for The Sage.

Ruby Ruby Ruby Ruby!

Today was Ruby's very first birthday. We went along to join her and her proud parents in the celebrations, which also included a service of dedication. This is a Christian service which is akin to infant baptism without the water, and simply dedicates a child to God. It also draws support from those friends and family present to do their bit in terms of supporting the child as they grow, encouraging and stimulating their faith in God. Ruby is a very beautiful child, as you can see, and behaved herself impeccably throughout the proceedings. The celebrations coincided with 'Ladies Day' at Newcastle Racecourse. Being at an adjacent venue led to some interesting logistical issues, but it was entirely appropriate for Ruby to be the centre of attraction on Ladies Day!
Later in the day me and Bren took Gracie down to Blyth beach again and had a very nice walk along the coastal path to Seaton Sluice. This was a place I knew well in my youth, as my folks used to take us here occasionally on a Sunday afternoon. Gracie loved all the nooks and crannies in the sand dunes, and meeting other dogs along the beach on the way back. She emerged on one occasion with a large briar branch protruding from her tummy. Bren insisted I got a shot of it before we removed the offending item.