Give the gift of writing beautifully to kids and adults and receive your own illuminated initial.
I’ve been a teacher for quite a few years and I have been observing with growing preoccupation that kids don’t know how to write anymore. Sure, they’re great at tapping on a screen, but the basic and beautiful skill of handwriting has been lost. And what they are losing is not only a «historic» skill, but everything that goes with it and that calligraphy brings: therapeutic advantages, concentration, relaxation, develops mental and motor skills. I have been trying to bring my passion, medieval calligraphy and book illumination (illustration) into the classroom and promote it for adults in Switzerland and on the internet. But this takes a lot of time, requires space, material and equipment. My goal is to open a workshop where schools can come and learn how to write beautiful letters, learn about how books were made until not so long ago, as well as have a hands-on approach to making their own colors and learning where those colors actually come from.
Illuminated initials of 10 year olds with natural pigments and egg tempera 
illuminated initials of 10 year olds with egg tempera
My project is special because ...
ITH is an important project because it makes the beauty and benefits of medieval illumination and calligraphy accessible to all in order to keep this heritage alive. In many countries there is a revival of this art, but it is almost lost in our country. This art has a lot of benefits and they can be exploited especially in schools. Handwriting is no longer important in schools and it’s a pity: children are sensitive to beauty and are very enthusiastic when I give them a glimpse of calligraphy, illumination and preparing their own colors with the medieval methods. It also makes them see the world around them in another way…what? books were made of skin? and ink is made from a nut-like ball from a tree? and red is made from crushed insects? and we put egg in pigments? It is a world made of patience and not from plastic, a heritage we must not lose but that can help us in our lives every day.
This is what I need backing for.
Your support will serve to: -finance the creation of a workshop large enough to accommodate an entire class as well as workshops for adults: put the workshop into service, find storage space, tables, chairs, erasable whiteboard, paint, sable brushes, calligraphy pens and nibs ….
- for the purchase of material to record online tutorials.