Saturday, January 7, 2012

A Letter A Week, 2011

I am part of an online group creating a letter a week, for 52 weeks - resulting in 2 alphabets. It is great fun to participate - motivating myself to create something every week and then thinking of ways to display the final alphabets - a book form being the most obvious. There are some brilliant alphabets out there and I am so impressed by the calligraphic skills of so many people.
Fiona is the co-ordinator, and the project is open to newcomers. Check out the blog site for 2011 and email Fiona if you want to join.
I completed one alphabet on time - an alphabet of photos of letters taken on my trip to Morocco and Europe early last year, and presented as a concertina book.
..some details -
M from Gaudi's Casa Mila rooftop tiles in Barcelona,
N from a painted sign in the Moroccan desert saying 'nomad',
O from the bronze doors of Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, and  
P a parking road sign in Porto, Portugal.
I have just put the other alphabet together. I went a bit off the beaten track with this one - making 7cm shapes with copper wire, teabags and gold wax rubbed over the top. The letters are based on the Mayan alphabet - a civilisation which has long fascinated me. The teabags lend themselves to being 'seen through', so I wanted the alphabet to work against a window - with daylight and night light - a bit of a compromise and a challenge. Here is the result - the shapes sewn onto a clear perspex offcut and dangling from a lovely piece of driftwood.
...and here is the alphabet hanging in a window with the light filtering through the letters -
a Mayan jungle, perhaps?
...some details.
...a, b, c, d taken with flash,
...a, b, c, d, blu tacked to the window, taken without flash.
Hopefully we can exhibit the alphabets at some stage - many of the participants are from overseas - Fiona is working on finding a suitable venue for a show.

10 comments:

  1. N-both the finished products have turned out well. You have used the recycled perspex cut-out very creatively well done. Photo with the foliage in the background is great. Go well. B

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  2. je trouve ce travail formidable et j'ai visité aussi les divers autres artistes .. très beau! bonne idée!

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  3. Both works are beautiful!
    Great following their realization!
    All the best for 2012!!!

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  4. You did so well with these Noela... you're an inspiration.

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  5. They both look beautiful. Not good at something like this but will enjoy following the blog and seeing what you are all doing.

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  6. Wow - I really love this project. I am a calligrapher and have recently completed my Zen-Alphabet book. Have always been fascinated with lettering. Love the mobile effect with the letter tiles.

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  7. Hi Barry, Penny, Jo, Elfi, Anna and Ruth - thanks for the thumbs up - good to get your feedback as I was a bit 'over it' by the end,

    and a message from Mem Graham...

    "Hello,I just wanted to say I thoroughly enjoy your blogspot……and thanks for loads of inspiration"

    ...thanks Mem, so glad I am inspiring you - motivates me to 'get on with it'!!!

    xoxoxo

    Regards

    Mem Graham

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  8. Love these Noella, you alphabet of Travel really touches me. Wishing you all the best for 2012 and lots of wonderful creative endevors.{that must be spelled so badly that my dictionary can't even find it, but hope you know what I mean.

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  9. I do love letters and lettering and calligraphy and yours are wonderful

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  10. wow I really enjoyed your blog.
    I will return!
    //Kristiina

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