Corona Calligraphy


This past autumn I, along with a number of other local women, read C S Lewis' Letters to an American Lady. Several passages struck me, particularly as I thought of calligraphy and artwork I could exhibit at an upcoming conference on the Inklings. I had a partial sheet of 300 lb watercolor paper, left from another project, with a jagged blue background awaiting further inspiration. Before starting the calligraphy, I sprayed and splattered, dripped and ran darker blue watercolor over the tamer background wash. Finally, I added the gold and white lettering and fine white line around the edge. 

 

Then...the corona virus spread to the US, events began to be cancelled (including the Inklings conference in Lancaster), people feared for their lives, etc. This insight from Lewis seemed especially appropriate, not a sentiment to keep under wraps as I waited another year to show work in the conference art exhibit. 

One of the many recent changes (March 2020) has been "attending" church online, Wheatland Pres choosing to make the Sunday bulletin available and stream the whole service live...all the responsive readings, Scripture passages, hymns and songs, and of course the sermon. Two weeks ago the sermon text was the last chapter of Hebrews, and verse 6 stood out to me.

 

So we can confidently say,

“The Lord is my helper;

    I will not fear;

what can man do to me?”

 

The author is quoting Psalm 118:6-7a.

 

The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.

    What can man do to me?

The Lord is on my side as my helper;...

 

I drew out the lettering in pencil, filled in the lettering with masking fluid and let that dry, again sprayed and splattered and dripped watercolor (with something of an end result in mind) and let that dry, and finished the piece by pulling up the masking fluid (now dry, tacky, stringy) to reveal the white of the paper behind the lettering. None of the lettering is painted, just outlined by the warm, colorful wash.


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