Merry Christmas, everyo...
Hasyim Mohamad al-Baghdadi (1917-1973)
Abū Rāqım Hāshim b. Muhammad b. Hājj Dirbās al-Qaysī al-Baghdādī was born in 1335/1917 in the Khān Lawand Quarter in Baghdad. From early childhood, he was strongly attracted to calligraphy, studying briefly under Mullā 'Ārif al-Shaykhlī and then under 'Ali Sābir. Eventually he began practicing calligraphy under the supervision and guidance of Shaykh Mullā ‘Alī al-Fadlī, who gave him an ijāzet (“certificate” of calligraphy) in 1363/1943. In 1364/1944,...
Osman ÖZÇAY
Calligrapher Osman Özçay was born in Çaykara, in the province of Trabzon in 1963. He attended the same school as his brother Mehmet in Gerede and finished high-school there. After studying at the Islamic Institute in Erzurum for two years, he transferred to the Islamic Studies Department of Marmara University in Istanbul. He graduated in 1986.In 1982, even though he did not have a special interest in Islamic calligraphy, he joined his brother when...
Mehmed ÖZÇAY
Mehmed Özçay was born in 1961 in the Çaykara district of the province of Trabzon, in Turkey. He completed his elementary and secondary education in Gerede, subsequently graduating from the School of Theology of Atatürk University, Erzurum, in 1986. He studied naskh and thulth scripts with the calligrapher Fuat Başar, whom he met there in 1982. In 1986, he moved to İstanbul where he met M. Uğur Derman, who became his guide in calligraphy; this gave...
AKLAM, Calligrapher Association in memoriam
After the long browsing, I reply comment of Imron Aly. Kaligrafer who was also written about calligraphy. There is one interesting tag from his blog. It's AKLAM.As far as I know, AKLAM is the abbreviation of Associations Kaligrafer Darussalam. A Group of Calligraphy Lover in Modern Building School Gontor. Where, I also had learn calligraphy there, and become members.Given the means AKLAM remember when we first learn handwriting in the Saudi Building Level III VI. And sometimes must take extra training in night after night absent, to the senior...
The Calligraphy of Anna Zhao
I recently had a lovely visit from Richmond’s Anna Zhao, who studies and practices calligraphy in the Shou Jin style. She came bearing gifts — including this gorgeous fan on which she had written my name. She gave me this background information: The ‘Shou Jin’ style (literal translation being “slender gold”) was developed by empire Zhao Jie of the Song dynasty from AD1082-1135.He was a very talented artists gifted in various forms of artwork including...
Unsung Heros, Unsung Scribes
Strangely, it didn’t occur to me that when the Calligraphy Society of Ottawa invited me to teach a two-day workshop, that I’d be meeting Canada’s “national scribes”. Perhaps that was for the best. Had I understood that earlier, I would have been very intimidated by those in attendence at my evening slide presentation and weekend workshop!Though I had been to Ottawa many times, I confess I had never visited our national Memorial Chamber located in...
Sue Fraser: A Tribute
Calligraphers, at least most of them that I know, are a pretty laid back bunch. So when I started attending the events of the Fairbank Calligraphy Society, Sue Fraser quickly stood out. She was the one making wisecracks in the serious meetings, sat at the rowdiest table at our yearly YellowPoint gathering, and just generally lightened the mood of any room she entered. She also stood out as a talented watercolourist and calligrapher. A trip to Tuscany...
Ibrahim Abu-Touq
More beautiful Islamic art, this time the work of Jordanian calligrapher, Ibrahim Abu-Touq. This piece is called "Disappeared ...
Arabic Calligraphy Exhibition at Saqiyah el-Shawiy
Ramadhan karim…kullu sanah wentum bikhair. Hari kelima bulan Ramadhan yang lalu saya pergi ke Zamalek. Tepatnya ke bawah kubri (jalan layang) di ujung kota tersebut. Markas Budaya “Saqiyah abdul Mun’im ash-Shawiy”. Beruntung sekali ada kawan Mesir yang memberi tahu bahwa hari ini adalah pembukaan pameran khot oleh “Jam’iyyah Mashriyyah Ammah lil Khattil Arabiy”. Selain itu ada pameran tunggal oleh khottoth Hasan Hasubah asal Port Sa’id, yang digelar...
Noble Calligraphers
The lines of calligraphers have neither beginning nor end as they constantly link and unlink. The calligrapher's work lies in search of the absolute; his aim is to penetrate the sense of truth in an infinite movement so as to go beyond the existing world and thus achieve union with God. -- Salah al-Ali (quotes in Musee d'art et d'histoire. "Islamic Calligraphy: Sacred and Secular Writings". Catalog of an exhibition held at the Musee d'art et d'histoire, Geneva and other locations 1988-1989, p. 30) Calligraphers were dedicated to their...
Islamic Calligraphy
Arabic is written from right to left, like other Semitic scripts, and consists of 17 characters, which, with the addition of dots placed above or below certain of them, provide the 28 letters of the Arabic alphabet. Short vowels are not included in the alphabet, being indicated by signs placed above or below the consonant or long vowel that they follow. Certain characters may be joined to their neighbors, others to the preceding one only, and others to the succeeding one only. The written letters...
The Arabic alphabet
ARABIC is written from right to left. There are 18 distinct letter shapes, which vary slightly depending on whether they are connected to another letter before or after them. There are no "capital" letters.The full alphabet of 28 letters is created by placing various combinations of dots above or below some of these shapes. (An animated version of the alphabet shows the correct way to move the pen).The three long vowels are included in written words but the three short vowels are normally omitted – though they can be indicated by marks above and...
Cleaning your Pilot Parallel Pen
I recently had a question from Anonymous on cleaning pens, so I’m linking to a recipe for Pen & Brush cleaner which I found on Mary Lawler’s blog. I normally clean my nibs by soaking them in solution of glass cleaner (which contains ammonia) and water. This looks like a stronger version of that, which I’ll try if I have a major pen problem. Another option is Spray Nine, which works really well when a strong pen cleaner is needed. Also, Anonymous, take your Pilot Parallel pen apart as far as possible... that means right down to pulling out the...
More Malik
For those visitors who listened to our CBC radio interview, here’s a direct link to the pages of Malik Anas, who continues to produce amazing contemporary Iraqi calligrap...
Summer’s over... back to work
Okay, so I’ve been neglecting this blog! Blame it on the sunshine, the lure of a Canadian summer... maybe too much time spent on facebook or youtube... Anyway, summer is pretty much over, so I’ll start sharing some of the new links and work I’ve discovered. Let's start with the interesting work of Nikheel Aphale (not Nikhil!) of New Delhi, India. His blog felt so familiar to me... and I love his pieces which combine photography and calligraphy, ...
Letters in the blood?
This weekend, I will be exploring my roots: heading east to meet with my family in Ontario, then south to a family reunion in Carlisle, PA, where I was born. I hope to learn a bit more about one of my ancestors: John Bear (1761-1836) who was a scrivener in Berks County, PA. Some of his documents are stored in the Pennsylvania State Archives in Harrisburg. Which leaves me wondering: this strange interest in letters I have — which seems quite out of place compared to the interests of other members of my family(!) — does it possibly run in the blood?...
Calligraphy on CBC Radio...
On Saturday (05/31/08), I head to Vancouver to speak with Sheryl Mackay of CBC's North by Northwest radio program. I’m not sure when our taping will air, but it could be as soon as Sunday morning. I’ll post it here as soon as I know... ! [Li...
My first gilding!
I just sent an email to Georgia Angelopoulos, writing ‘I WANT MORE GOLD!’ I’m not usually so demanding(!), but I just completed the homework for Georgia’s class, and my first semi-successful attempt at gilding. I’m hooked. Georgia had been asking if we wanted her to order some gold leaf for us... and, until I finished this piece, I wasn’t that keen on it... but now, I DO want more! More, so I can continue to learn how to use it — it’s fickle material...
Uncials and Beyond...
The Fairbank Calligraphy Society is conducting an 8-week course led by Georgia Angelopoulos, with Lorraine Douglas, Kathy Guthrie and myself contributing. The focus is on uncials, and it’s been fun to revisit these letterforms with Georgia as a guide. Above is my homework assignment... text is Enya’s lyrics, “Pilgrim”. I wish I had taken my camera to class, because all the work of the students laid out together was very impressi...
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