LR

Upcoming events

Our lectures are an opportunity to hear celebrated lettering artists, crafts practitioners and designers talking on a variety of subjects.


You don’t have to be a member to come along, everyone is welcome. They are held at The Art Workers’ Guild in London and whenever possible they are also live-streamed.

Apr

17

Jamie Clarke Lecture Pic

Jamie Clarke

Lettering, illustration and type designer

Led by letters – circular creativity in type and lettering

From his Bristol-based studio, Jamie Clarke designs illustrative lettering projects alongside contemporary typefaces. Balancing these two letter-led, but distinct disciplines, has led him to discover an endless cycle of fresh ideas and new opportunities as well as giving him freedom that comes from switching between activities. In his talk, Jamie will share how his approach to drawing letters developed and explain how his two specialities interconnect and influence each other.
jamieclarketype.com

This is an in-person and live-streamed event
Members £7, non-members £10, students £5
You can pay at the door or book tickets in advance via Eventbrite

17 April 2024
18:30 – 20:30

The Art Workers’ Guild
Map

May

15

Mahmoud Mostafa Lecture Pic

Mahmoud Mostafa

Arabic calligraphy artist and instructor

Into the heart of Arabic calligraphy

Mahmoud is an award-winning Arabic Calligraphy artist, instructor, and designer from Egypt who has been fascinated by the art of calligraphy since a young age. After many years of studying calligraphy, Mahmoud started to share his art and thoughts to let people see the beauty beyond this magnificent art. Through this talk, Mahmoud will share with you his passion for Arabic calligraphy and why he considers it a unique art by questioning different aspects historically, technically, and artistically.
callimoud.com

Note that this is a live-streamed event via Zoom only
Members £7, non-members £10, students £5
Tickets need to be bought in advance via Eventbrite

15 May 2024
18:30 – 20:30

Jun

12

Paul Shaw Lecture Pic

Paul Shaw

Calligrapher, typographer, design historian, educator

The calligraphy and lettering of W.A. Dwiggins

An overview of the calligraphy and lettering of American graphic designer W.A. Dwiggins (1880–1956) from his roots in the Arts & Crafts movement to Art Deco-influenced lettering and idiosyncratic scripts.

Paul Shaw has been researching, writing about and lecturing on the life and work of W.A. Dwiggins since 1977.
paulshawletterdesign.com

This is an in-person and live-streamed event
Members £7, non-members £10, students £5
You can pay at the door or book tickets in advance via Eventbrite

12 June 2024
18:30 – 20:30

The Art Workers’ Guild
Map

Past events

Mar

13

Susie Leiper Lecture Pic

Susie Leiper

Calligrapher, lettering artist and painter

Writing and painting: same source 书画同源

‘Writing and painting share a common source’ is a Chinese maxim. It is true of Chinese calligraphy and painting because both are executed with the brush. For Susie it is not so different. Having begun her lettering career with the pen, Susie has gone on to develop many forms of brush lettering before taking the brush further, into the realm of abstract painting. How have those beginnings in lettering influenced her painting? How does she now navigate between the two disciplines?
susieleiper.com

An absorbing and informative article about Susie and her work can be found on the Art-Scot website at art-scot.com/susie-leiper

Feb

21

Julia Humfress Lecture Pic

Julia Humfress

Letterpress artist, graphic designer & art director

Typographic control & artistic freedom

My love of letterforms has developed throughout my career and how I use them has changed dramatically. As a corporate designer and art director working for luxury brands, such as Harrods and Condé Nast, through to my work as a printmaker in the Wood Words Letterpress Studio, I’d like to explore how I have used both digital and analogue typography to capture an audience, communicate ideals and to make art and how corporate constraints and artistic freedoms have affected my work.
woodwordsletterpress.com

Dec

13

Richard Kindersley Lecture Pic

Richard Kindersley

Lettercarver

Looking forward reaching back

Over a long career starting in 1966 when he set up his own studio in London after 5 years working for his father David, Richard has undertaken hundreds of prestigious public and private commissions around the world involving lettering and sculpture in a wide variety of materials, some on a large architectural scale using innovative techniques. He has inscriptions in many public places including the Supreme Court, Parliament Square London, and in great churches and cathedrals around the country including St Paul’s and Westminster Abbey. Several successful lettercarvers owe their training to Richard, who has also been awarded an Honorary Fellow of the RIBA.
kindersleystudio.co.uk

Nov

15

MWTS Lecture Pic

Michèle Woodger and Tszwai So

Design writer (MW) and Architect (TS)

Remembrance now: 21st century memorial architecture

Architect Tszwai So and writer Michèle Woodger discuss a selection of contemporary architect-designed memorials from the 21st century which feature in their recent book ‘Remembrance Now’ (Lund Humphries, 2023). Chosen from a wide geographical spread, the memorials are hauntingly eloquent and often make surprising use of materials; their architects’ insights – gleaned from interviews – will be shared. So will discuss his recent memorial projects in London and for the EU parliament, Brussels.
lundhumphries.com/products/remembrance-now

Oct

11

M Cook Lecture Pic

Martin Cook

Lettercarver

The good, the bad & the ugly

I’ve been a lettercarver for 45 years. The first dozen years as a trade lettercarver. I was then inspired by a slate carving I saw by Richard Kindersley. Set about the long journey to become an artist/lettercarver with a lot of help from Alec Peever and some from Suzanne Haines and Michael Harvey. I set up my workshop 25 years ago. I have had some amazing commissions including The Great Court of The British Museum. I also designed 1 silver/gilt and 2 gold medal winning Chelsea Flower Show gardens.
martincookstudio.co.uk

Jun

14

VE Lecture Info 2

Vera Evstafieva

Type designer and calligrapher

All letters, translucent and dense

The way of letter creation, movement or stability, halftones or the solid black, and many other distinct characteristics of typographic and calligraphic letters are a fruitful field for exploration and insight. Vera is going to speak about the properties of letterforms in type and calligraphy that she experiences in her projects. Opposites and similarities of these forms’ nature provoke new ideas to evolve in both fields.
behance.net/VeraEvstafieva

May

17

Barmer Katab02

Andreu Balius

Type designer

Typecraft Initiative: Type design as a tool for transformation

Type design is an activity that goes beyond the mere creation of new forms to provide an increasingly saturated market of typefaces. As a specialized activity, it can contribute to a more inclusive dialogue within the framework of our global society. Typecraft Initiative organizes and develops type design workshops in which communities of artisans (mainly women) are involved to link their skills and expertise in drawing letters. A strategic aspect is to use these workshops as a way to introduce design methodologies to local communities in India.
andreubalius.com
typerepublic.com

Apr

19

Louise Tiplady Woodkirk bench crop

Louise Tiplady

Lettercutter and sculptor

Changes

Many things can cause a change in design or working practice. These changes often have a positive influence on current and subsequent work. I predominantly take on commissions for individuals and families. Collaborating with clients to develop designs feels very rewarding. It leads to unexpected changes in direction, and can frequently spark exciting new ideas.
(Photograph by Douglas Atfield)
louisetiplady.com

Mar

15

Portraitwith Woodentypeletterpress DSC 3254

Helene C Jenssen

Calligrapher, graphic designer and bookbinder

All things creative are connected

I believe all things are creatively connected. All the books, pens, type, printing-presses, computers, paints, fabrics, postcards, empty cans, tools, rags, pigments, glasses, magazines, scanners, book-presses, yarn, threads, needles, nibs, brushes and all the other things I have forgotten to mention that are crammed into my studio. They are all part of my creative process together with the people you meet and places you go. In this lecture I will look at the red thread that connects them all in my professional life.
kalligrafi.no

Feb

15

150223 lecture pic 1

Barrie Tullett

Typographic artist, designer and lecturer

The joys of commercial obsolescence

A talk about the pleasure to be found in using commercially obsolete print processes to create typographic art; the delights of the analogue; and the ‘thingy-ness’ of books.

Barrie Tullett is a lecturer and graphic designer, who, for over thirty years, has been working on a project to typographically illustrate each Canto of Dante’s Divine Comedy using a different ‘commercially obsolete’ technology for each book.
the-case.co.uk

Dec

14

2 Swashy G

Dan Forster

Lettering artist

Adventures in lettering – an unexpected journey

Being a lettering artist was never my plan. That was something my Dad did. My teenage toe-dip into calligraphy was swiftly deemed both extremely boring and way too difficult. But after career-ing off for 20 years exploring most corners of graphic design, I find myself today firmly fixated on drawing letters, for clients around the world. My talk is about this journey, what it is about letters that keeps me coming back and my obsession with seeking out new (yet familiar) forms within the 26 pre-defined set of shapes that constitute the lettering artist’s ‘blank canvas’.
danforster.com

Nov

16

Voice Of All The Gods Detail

Seb Lester

Lettering artist

Peace, Hellfire & Unicorns

Seb Lester charts his life in letters from student days to working for some of the biggest companies in the world. The presentation includes a section on designing a logo for a NASA space mission. Lester discusses new passions and obsessions, how he ended up with two million followers on social media, and how he became the first visual artist to be offered a one year contract by Apple.
seblester.com

Oct

12

PL William Morris

Peter Lawrence

Wood engraver, designer

The lettering of William Morris

Of all the crafts that William Morris undertook, his calligraphy was perhaps the most personal, his painted manuscripts being either for his own pleasure or as gifts for friends. The time, patience and detailed execution required for these writings contrast with a popular image of Morris as someone who didn’t have the temperament for such painstaking, repetitive work.
peteralawrence.co.uk