Kirklevington is where North Yorkshire Calligraphers meet and we have just had a concentrated weekend studying, analysing and applying the working methods of David Jones. Nothing could be further form the truth here! David Jones works on a sheet of paper which he had painted in Chinese White. This would give the paper, some body and some 'tooth' When I saw his work, the paper had understated nuances of shading. I felt that a modern equivalent and wonderful surface would be to gesso over paper … [Read more...]
David Jones – looking back, looking forward
During the David Jones' workshops, we earnestly studied the art of David Jones, beginning with who he was as a man - a classicist, artist, scholar, poet, soldier (World War 1 trenches), a devout Catholic, a bachelor and an eccentric. He was a very complex, extremely gifted artist and poet. He worked with Eric Gill, Hepworth, Moore, Nicholson and Piper. In poetry, James Joyce counted him as one of the four greatest poets of his time. Joyce considered himself to be one (!) and identified the other … [Read more...]
Some lovely work from the David Jones workshop
Here are some pieces which show how excellently people worked within the colour limitations.This is just ONE aspect of the workshop. A lot of opening one;s mind and cutting DJ some slack was also needed (I mean, some of his letterforms would fail anyone on any course!) But we have chatted about How and Why his work is amazing despite...because of... Jenny Meyer from Cape Town Carin put a desert rose on each desk in Pretoria when we began the workshop, and the rooster kindly left a feather on … [Read more...]
Teaching about David Jones in South Africa
I am leaving for South Africa tonight and will be teaching in Jonanesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town. I'll be doing David Jones workshops in Pretoria and Cape Town. You won't usually find quite such a large variation of one form within a single panel - the variations are often more subtle and less deliberate in that the letters are simply drawn not traced and made to fit the space. There were a few other very similar G's in this panel as well. David Jones' Beautiful Letter Panels: David Jones' … [Read more...]