June 2025 |
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OREGON STATE FAIR
We are hoping our VCG members will support the Oregon State Fair this year by submitting a piece in the Calligraphy exhibit portion of the fair!! Judy Black has put together an easy way to access the registration and submission details for us, so PLEASE consider entering!
Oregon State Fair information
Registration June 1, through August 6.
Drop off pieces for transport to State Fair by Thursday, August 7, at Judy Black’s house (text her to arrange drop off 541-485-2336)
Pick up is Tuesday, Sept 2. (Pick up person yet to be determined.)
To Register
Go to Oregon State Fair/Competitions/Creative Living https://oregonstatefair.org/competitions/creative-living/
Select Visual Arts https://oregonstatefair.org/competitions/creative-living/visual-arts/
Select Calligraphy https://oregonstatefair.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2025-Calligraphy.pdf and follow registration directions.
Oregon State Fair runs from August 22 - Sept 1, 2025 |
August 2025 |
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OREGON STATE FAIR
Drop off pieces for transport to Oregon State Fair by Thursday, August 7, at Judy Black’s house (text her to arrange drop off 541-485-2336)
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OREGON STATE FAIR runs from August 22 - Sept 1, 2025
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Valley Calligraphy Guild Summer event #2
9 AM-12 PM
Emmaus Lutheran Church
1250 West 18th Ave, Eugene
Check back for details |
September 2025 |
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Valley Calligraphy Guild General Meeting - |
October 2025 |
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Valley Calligraphy Guild General Meeting - |
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Calligraphy Exhibit at Mt. Angel Abbey - October 18 -November 15
Members of the Valley Calligraphy Guild, Capital Calligraphers, and the Portland Society for Calligraphy are invited to participate in this exhibit
Click for Information |
November 2025 |
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Valley Calligraphy Guild General Meeting - |
December 2025 |
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Recordings of past programs (below)
currently available only to VCG members |
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Valley Calligraphy Guild General Meeting - May 2024
With Sally Penley’s permission, Judy Black and Heidi Stolp will demonstrate how to make a Scroll Greeting Card.
Materials needed
- One 4 1/4” x 10 “ piece of text weight paper (Arches text wove or similar)
- Two pieces of card stock weight paper measuring 4 3/4” x 1 1/2” (can be decorative)
- 18” string
- Bits of coordinating paper for faux beads
Tools needed
- Bone folder
- Glue stick and/or craft glue
- Scotch tape
- 1/8” hole punch or awl
- 2 sheets of scrap paper for glue guards.
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Valley Calligraphy Guild General Meeting - April 2025
Monoline Lettering with Connie Furgason
Monoline lettering is not only the basis for understanding basic forms when learning a new alphabet but also a versatile “on- it’s-own” alphabet for journalling or as an addition to calligraphic pieces to provide contrast to broad-edged lettering. In this class we wil-l focus on ways to make our monoline crisp and clean as well as explore variations to make the alphabets/words design elements to add visual interest to pieces.

Link to exemplars
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Supplies
A variety of pencils: HB,2B and 3B; H, 2H, and 3H.
Note: You are free to experiment with any grade of pencil. To ensure seeing a contrast of results the above mentioned are helpful.
Fine liner such as Mars Staedtler Pigment liner or similar brand, size 0.2, 0. 0.3 0.5 and any other size that you would like to experiment with for contrast.
Paper: favourite practice paper White or gum eraser, pencil sharpener
Optional: a few coloured pencils |
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Valley Calligraphy Guild General Meeting - Borders for Calligraphy - March 2025
Members participatory meeting.
We will share border ideas for use on
the cards we will be making for the 2025 Authors and Artists Fair .
Make a border (any size or shape ) that you
can share along with the tool you used to make it. Have fun!
See everyone’s
ideas for borders.
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Valley Calligraphy Guild General Meeting - February 2025
Program - Color Chart Booklets
Angela Miller will demonstrate how to make color chart booklets that are both artful and functional. She will use watercolor for this project, however the technique can be applied to other mediums as well.
Supply List
1 piece of paper 6" x 12". This will be used for the cover so it needs to be somewhat rigid, about the weight of a manila file folder.
1 piece of watercolor paper 6" x 8". 140 lb.is best, but whatever you have on hand will be fine.
1 piece of printer paper 4.5" x 6"
1 mini brad or whatever size you have on hand.
1 piece of string, 12"-18". Can be waxed linen, hemp, ribbon, etc. Whatever you have on hand.
12 different watercolors.
1 paint brush, round or flat, any medium size
palette for color mixing
ruler
pencil
x-acto knife
cutting mat
bone folder
glue stick or double stick tape
circle punch 1" diameter if you have one
water for rinsing your brushes
paper towels
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VCG General Meeting - January 2025
Program - Debra Ferreboeuf presented a Fun, Flirty and Playful Alphabet
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Fun, flirty, light hearted and playful is the tone of this delightful little alphabet. Using a pointed pen you will incorporate your own sense of style to this unstructured “whimsical” hand of calligraphy.
Because of its free wheeling nature, you will find that it is perfect to use for personal notes
and correspondence, quotations that want to dance around on a page or any time you are just feeling sassy. Little pen capitals are the perfect accompaniment for quick and easy addressing.
The only prerequisite is to know how to write! So yes, it is for everyone.
After some play time with the pointed pen we will follow a “guide” for minuscule and majuscule letters and numbers.Then it’s off to a full fun fest of just writing. There will be lots of examples and ideas on how to use your new found love for Valentine's Day!
Supplies
• Whimsy Exemplar sheets (click to access)
• Several brand new, squeaky clean “more flexible” pointed pen nibs of your choice
• Brause EF 66 and Rose nib are my personal favorites for this
• Oblique or straight pen holder
• Smooth blank paper, Canson Pro Marker Layout, Rhodia or ClairFontaine Triomphe pads are good suggestions
• Non-waterproof ink of your choice
• Higgins Eternal that has a few drops of gum arabic works well or walnut ink is good too
• Sharpened pencil
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VCG General Meeting - December 2024
Program - Origami Book
Angela Miller and Anne Krush demonstrated how to make a folded book with an insert of text pages.
SUPPLY LIST
Folded Cover
3-5 sheets of 8 1/2” x 11” regular weight paper (copy paper, decorated art, scrapbook. No cardstock.)
Ruler
Pencil
Bone folder
Interior text pages
4-6 sheets of plain paper measuring 4 1/4” x 5 1/2”
Bookbinding thread ( waxed linen or hemp)
Tapestry needle to fit thread
Awl
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click for more examples |
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VCG General Meeting - November 2024
Program - Betty Locke presents Just Give Me A Pen
See examples and exemplar
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VCG General Meeting - May 2024
Program - Have you ever wondered about Scribbled Lives?
Judy Black has been a participant in Carol DuBosch's Scribbled Lives group for years.
Judy, Betty Locke and Carol Sterry shared their experiences and showed many examples of the weekly challenges.
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VCG General Meeting - April 2024
Program - Letter and Turn with Melanie Payne
Supply list
- Black paper - Canson, Artagain, or Bee Paper (spiral bound jet-black charcoal/Pastel paper from Blick)
- White ink — I use a Molotow Acrylic Marker 1.5 mm or 2.00 mm - OR - Uniball Signo White
- Colored pencils - Any kind will do
- I recommend jewel tones as colors, but people are welcome to use what they have.
- I will demo with Prismacolor Premier and Koh-I-Noor Tri-Tone pencils
- Metallic Silver and/or Metallic Gold color pencil to add highlights
- Ruler
click to learn about Melanie and see samples of her work
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VCG General Meeting - March 2024
Program - TAG BOOK
Judy Black and Heidi Stolp demonstrated how to create a little tag book from either commercial mailing tags or tags made from the provided template and card stock or decorated papers from your own paper supply.
Add your own greeting, drawings or quote as a gift for any special occasion.
Many sample ideas will be shared.
SUPPLY LIST
• Commercial mailing tags or cardstock or like weighted paper
• ¼” hole punch
• Ribbon or twine – 8”
• Bone folder
• Ruler/pencil/scissors
Tag book template
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VCG General Meeting - February 2024
Laura Drager took us on a quick tour of Ireland and the exhibit of the Book of Kells.
Then she showed us how to make some easy celtic knots.
Warning - the knots become an addiction once you start.
Supply list - pencil and graph paper
examples below
Simple Celtic Knot
Trinity Knot
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