Calligraphy was the first art I made money with, back before airbrushing. It was just names on certificates, before a computer would do that nicely, another handmade thing that has gone away. It was tedious as hell, and painting names on t-shirts with rainbows or a palm tree in the background felt - and was - much more rewarding, but it was still calligraphy. In seventh grade I had an art teacher who had actually studied calligraphy in college and used it in her curriculum, and it was so easy. Funny to watch fellow students work at trying to hold a dip pen, as if that wasn't the most natural thing in the world. Many years later, following directions from "Many Lives Many Masters" from Brian Weiss, I tried self hypnosis past life regression and got, among other things, sitting in a small room copying manuscripts (my neck hurt abominably). I am drawn to illuminated manuscripts but highly critical (sloppy job, that...) and appreciate the good stuff. I've been wanting to do it again, but the only thing that is appealing to me is Rumi quotes and I'm wondering if, like a lot of other art I'm drawn to, if this isn't that sneaky little higher voice wanting me to touch the mind of the master and get on another page, and if I have to write over and over "wherever you are and whatever you do, be in love." until I get it, so be it. Some students are more stubborn than others and you just have to put them at the chalkboard writing sentences. All day.
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