Venice: Personal Geographies.

Last October Monica Dengo ran a course in free-style expressive calligraphy (that’s not keeping to straight lines) at Ca’ Pesaro on the Grand Canal. Apart from being liberating in terms of inky mark making, it made me realise that Venice is the most wonderful place to take a workshop. So when selecting locations for this year’s world tour (see the two minute film about it here,) the water-bound city of light came top. And because its alleys and bridges and canals are notoriously confusing to navigate, a theme involving mapping seemed right.

The view from our front door.

Five adventurers travelled across wide oceans, over high mountains, armed with cutting mats and determination, to chart their own personal geographies. Undaunted by the ninety-six steps up to our attic studio…

Fueled by caffeine i think….

…to find deluxe goody bags filled with Hazell Designs Books treats, including tape, labels, stamps, envelopes, a propellor pencil, a note book and a map of Venice.

Preparing goody bags; a favourite job.

We quickly bound a couple of journeys (one sewn, one folded,) then started work on the main project: Measuring and scoring a spine-piece, collating sheaves of papers, mocking up a story-board. The view over terracotta rooftops and spires proved distracting:

Kate and Rachael. Windows and Apertures.

Fortunately there were incentives. Delicious!

Thanks to Monica!

Highlight of the week, apart from living out a dream, was visiting the Museo Correr Library’s Special Collections, where Monica Viero (this post is monopolised by Monicas; kisses to all of you) had selected some rare and wonderful books for us to pore over.

The smallest volume, gilt-edged.

Palpitations of awe, inspiration and overwhelmed camera batteries necessitated liquid refreshment at Harry’s Bar.

The obligatory Bellini, with olive stones.

The results of such charting and exploring were gratifying. I am proud of these Personal Geographers.

Mapping route from hotel to workshop: The legend.

The best binding: An Extraordinary Expandable Sketchbook Journal

Here is the testimonial of Monica Watson-Peck:

Midnight flight home after a molte fabulosa personal geographies workshop week in Venezia with the inspiring Rachel. So delighted with my book & mini books & superb origami envelopes…not to mention what books we should read, and restaurants to try and where to find the best gelati. A woman of many talents.

There are still a couple of places for Stars and Celebrations, in Paris, in December. Different city, different stationery emporium….

Sue Lewington

Some of this summer has been spent in Cornwall; teaching, festivalling (Port Eliot), reading, catching up on correspondence, making lists and working on a book proposal. Oh and a long slow week’s holiday on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly. Bliss.

The best bit? Time out from the internet. No wifi, no signal. Unplugged for the first time in months.

I met Sue, c.1996 at North Farm Gallery on St Martin’s, when I wandered in and mentioned out-of-season bookbinding workshops. We share a love of islands, cava, maps and BOOKS.

Her studio is full of inspiration, every drawer and surface spilling over with paper, print and paint. Text hangs from clothes pegs.

Swallows nest there, for goodness sake (with bubble wrap and bamboo shit protectors erected by Norman) and chirrup on the rafters. Snails leave silvery trails over artwork and have a penchant for ink. Shelves sway with boxes bursting with labels, envelopes, ripped edges. Books tustle and lean together, stacked and piled.

Baskets overflow.

A wooden chest is filled with rubber stamps and ink pads in each compartment. Somehow other people’s studios are always more appealing than one’s own. I got to play too, and talk through ideas. There are few places to be happier.

Sue is well-known and revered for her watercolour painting, capturing light and energy. People collect her books, calendars and framed works. Last week she started on three large pieces based on Admiralty charts of the Isles of Scilly. I was lucky to watch the process:

Once framed, the work will travel to St Martin’s by ship and boat, to join the current exhibition at North Farm Gallery.

Sue doesn’t really ‘do’ social media stuff, but there’s a glimpse of some work here and a home page (from 2003) here.

Discovery

Spent so long gazing and aching and harking back that i nearly spent the night here.

Norway: Not forgotten

Such good memories. Thank-you Claire and Jan, for re-telling the stories and re-visioning the pictures. More soon I hope.

Norway: The Fram

By quirk of circumstance, Tore takes me on a tour, ending at the museum district, pointing out the Folk, Viking and Fram museums. I stay with the polar ship ’til closing time, aching with ice-longing.