Calligrapher Who Cares

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Calligraphy Inside Secret:
Ask your Calligrapher to match the ink they use to your stamps or invitation colors.

You don't always have to do basic black ink.
Be creative and allow your guests to get that
thrill of a colorful announcement in the mail.
It's like a herald blowing a trumpet to get a blast of chocolate brown, or an inviting note of violet, or an ocean wave of blue!

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. When my client Clea came to me for calligraphy services and she showed me her invitation I was inspired. She had engaged a designer to create a pattern for her invitations that incorporated a special Script font "C" since both she and her intended's last names began with "C" . So I created a special style that I now call "Clea Italic Script" which combined basic Italic with a special Script Alphabet used for the first letter of the names and addresses. She loved it!

My creativity allows my clients to engage their creativity and personalize their calligraphy style!

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. What I love most about my job is meeting new people!
Human beings are amazing creations. And I love being able to provide a pleasant, creative and calming experience for a wedding component that can be nerve wrecking for many brides.

And in this day and age more and more "Grooms-to-Be" are being given the assignment of finding and working with the calligrapher.

So I am especially sensitive to the tough guy on a tight schedule who is trying to support his Beloved. I usually meet them at a Starbucks near their home or job, so they can kick back with some coffee and feel relaxed!

Life is hard for everyone, so I do my best to create an environment for calligraphy that brings out the best for the business angle and the creative energy!

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. Clients usually don't understand how much time calligraphy takes. "Can you do 300 invitations in a week," they often ask.

My answer is "I can spin on a dime." But then I go on to explain that clients should book a calligrapher weeks in advance -- at last 4 to 6 weeks in advance.
Calligraphers aren't just sitting around waiting for you.
They set a calendar and block out time for each client. If you're expecting a calligrapher to turn a job around in a few days or a week you're going to pay dearly.

The calligrapher will have to totally rearrange their work schedule. But since I'm "The Calligrapher Who Cares" I build in emergency time each week, because inevitably I get the "Can you help me" emergency call!
I always want to be able to say "yes" so I don't crowd by schedule.

Q. Do you have a favorite story from your work?

A. The Elton John AIDS Foundation had a stellar gala at
Cipriani Wall Street in October 2010. l was hired to do the placecards for the celebrity studded event which included live performance by Elton John and Leon Russell.

The day of the event there were innumerable last minute changes. And although my job was only to
write the placecards, I was on site at Cipriani 8 hours previous to the event.

I coordinated all the changes table by table which was a major task, since I was also making the changes simultaneously.

The production company AAB, who hired me, was wonderful to work with despite the pressure everyone was under in making sure the sound and lighting checks were perect, the table seatin was perfect and the event was fluid.

When I finally finished sat down to have Elton John seranade me from the stage I was thrilled. To hear him life -- since I had loved him since my college days -- for major payment! God bless him for all the joy he was brought us over the decades.

Don't forget to check out his new album with Leon Russell "The Union" -- here's the link: http://ww2.eltonjohn.com/union/index.html