Winter 2013 - Parishes Online

Winter2013 Les Nouvelles 17
Artist and Calligrapher
example of Barbara’s work: a manuscript recording the
names of the 23 ladies who worked on the St Martin’s
Tapestry. Wherever they appear, Barbara’s creations are
there for an important reason and are there to stay.
For someone whose work is so visible, it is surprising that
Barbara has been able to stay so far “below the radar”. On
meeting her, this becomes less surprising. As is typical of
truly gifted people, Barbara is unassuming, taking her rare
skills in her stride. And they are rare indeed. In medieval
times illuminated scripts required at least two people – a
scribe to do the calligraphy and one or more artists to
perform the intricate scrollwork and gilding of the border.
Barbara, however, is both calligrapher and artist: no labour is
outsourced for her creations. In this modern age of
computers and the printing press, her skills are so rare as to
be almost extinct, perhaps because the patient temperament
required to develop them is becoming so scarce.
Her skills have taken years to perfect. A love of art and
drawing as a child led Barbara to Loughborough Art College,
where she studied Fashion Design. A brief career in fashion
followed, before she changed creative direction to book
illustration. This led to work designing wrapping paper and
greeting cards, introducing her in the early 1980s to word art.
Barbara in
her studio
Designing text was
something Barbara
discovered she had a talent
for and a well-timed gift of a
calligraphy kit set her on a
new course.
Calligraphy started as a
hobby but became more
than that with a job teaching
at Highlands College in the
mid-1990s. Soon
commissions started coming
in for wedding stationery,
family trees, book
inscriptions, personal verses
and myriad other tasks
where beautiful handwriting
was required. As word
spread, official jobs came Barbara’s way, with requests for
the writing of certificates of service, entries into memorial
books and, eventually, illuminated addresses.
Above: A
favourite subject
Barbara finds illuminated scripts especially enjoyable because of the artwork
element, which provides a chance for her to express her creativity. Importantly, it
also allows a little flexibility for mishaps. A mistake in the artwork can be turned
into an adapted design, whereas an error in the text, such as omission of a letter,
can only be turned into a restart. With the cost of error so high, infinitely patient
people only need apply for this line of work. A steady hand and the ability to
concentrate intensely for long periods are further requirements of the job.
Fortunately Barbara is able to find professional balance with more relaxing
artistic work. She loves to draw, with pencil her favourite medium and dogs one of
her favourite subjects. Doggie portraits take
pride of place in her sitting room, where her
cocker spaniel, Ruby, is a
constant companion. Drawing
has also replaced calligraphy
when it comes to teaching.
Barbara currently teaches a
number of drawing courses at
Highlands, one of which is
called “Drawing for the
Terrified”.
Barbara didn’t invent the
course’s title, but it must have
been written with her in mind.
No-one could be better suited
to putting apprehensive artists
at their ease.
Above: An
illuminated
wedding
list
Above:
A Address to the
ex-Connétable,
Silva Yates
Above: The opening part of Jersey's Loyal Address to the Queen