05/02/2024
TEN years ago I began an exciting new chapter in my life: I was hired as a full-time calligrapher for the County of Los Angeles. In terms of what the job entailed and what my skill set was at the time, it was a perfect match. I'm celebrating with TEN of my favorite scrolls from over the years (if you follow me on FB, you've probably seen some of these...), as well as TEN musings on my job.
1. I LOVE my job. I feel eternally blessed to be one of those fortunate folks who loves going to work.
2. I get to do ART for a living...and get paid for it. What a blessing is THAT! Not just any art, but I get to nerd out doing calligraphy! I get excited creating a beautiful Roman M or a well-balanced Italic W with a perfect flourish.
3. I can't say for certain--because it is less than once or twice a year that I get feedback from the recipients of my work--but I'm pretty sure that people like getting a handmade scroll, by ANY of the talented artists in my office. And that is a GREAT feeling: knowing that, in the end, my job is about brightening someone's day, while adorning her or his wall.
4. It's humbling to reduce the amount of ego in my work...I don't sign my pieces. I just have to do the best I can on each piece, and be okay with that. It makes me think about all the nameless, faceless people who had a hand in creating the stuff that makes MY life better.
5. You wouldn't know it if you only listen to the evening news or read the paper, but there are a LOT of people doing magnificent works to make this a better, cleaner, more equitable and just and fair world. I'm honored to honor them!
6. I love being part of the lineage carrying on what people think is a dying art: calligraphy. I grateful that the five Supervisors of Los Angeles County think that this is important to keep alive. Our studio is well known and well respected in the calligraphy community.
7. It's great working around other artists! Until age 50, I earned a living being a freelance artist working on my own. Which has its ups and downs. One of the "downs" is not being around other artists on a regular basis. I'm inspired by my colleagues and their immense talent!
8. It's pretty cool having a job that VERY few people in the country have. We did a deep dig a few years ago and found that there were only THREE governmental offices in the whole United States that employ calligraphers: one is the COUNTY of Los Angeles, the second is the CITY of Los Angeles (right down the block from our office), and the third is the WHITE HOUSE! I hope I'm wrong about this and that it has changed to become more...
9. It's great having a job that allows me creative freedom...to an extent. I like having boundaries, but it is fun being able to grow and improve. My calligraphy is SOOOOO much better now than it was ten years ago, mostly because I get to do it every day. Over and over and over again.
10. I will NEVER become a rich man doing this work. I'm a public servant with a modest salary and good benefits for me and my husband. There is only ONE step to a modest promotion, and coincidentally, that happened just last week because of the recent retirement of a senior colleague. So, I'm happy to move into my second decade at this job as Senior Graphic Artist-Calligrapher. I don't think it will be ten more years there, but who knows!?
