The 59th Annual Convention

The 59th Annual IAMPETH Convention was held on August 4-10th La Quinta, California at The Embassy Suites Hotel and Spa.

Instructor Biographies

Pat Blair has been a professional calligrapher for over 20 years, being owner of the lettering studio, Calligraphy & Design, in New York, and currently in Virginia. Her work has been published in the Calligrapher’s Engagement Calendar, Letter Arts Review, Tabellae Insatae, and Martha Stewart Weddings. Pat’s love of pointed pen lettering led her to study Copperplate and Spencerian letter forms. She uses these styles in her invitation designs, which are her speciality. Her clients include Georgetown University, the Presidential Inaugural Committee, and the Vice-President’s Residence. Pat is currently the Chief Calligrapher at The White House and was inducted as a Master Penman at the 2005 IAMPETH convention.

Barbara Close has been a freelance calligrapher, graphic designer and instructor for a number of years. Her studio, BCDezines, is in southern California. She has taught many classes and workshops in various cities in California and in many states across the country. Looking at her work, you can tell that she thoroughly enjoys her creative passion and the exhilaration of discovery in playful experimentations with paints, collages, lettering and other mixed media. She also enjoys teaching a variety of classes that range from studies of many calligraphic styles to other unique assortments of classes with mixed media. Her work can be seen in Glen Epstein’s calendars, the Artful Letter Calligrapher’s Engagement Calendars and SfC’s Artful Book of Days Calendar. She has exhibited her work in several juried shows throughout the United States. Barbara also participates in many calligraphy conferences and has taught at many international conferences. She has studied with many renowned calligraphers and wishes to acknowledge them graciously with their guidance and support. She continues to be an active member of the Society for Calligraphy, Southern California and currently is serving as Past President and Public Relations Chair. Barbara has designed several greeting cards for Marcel Schurman Company and has designed the logo for Somerset Studio Magazine, and is their lettering consultant. Her work and articles have been featured in several issues. Her love of lettering and design continue to show in her work. Her philosophy: Follow Your Heart.

John DeCollibus has admired good handwriting and was never happy with his own, blaming it on his left-handedness. When his cousin Steve gave him an Osmoroid pen set in 1975, he saw potential. He soon discovered the Zanerian Manual and pointed-pen script. A year later he re-penned the Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights. Requests for wedding invitations and certificates soon followed. In 1980 he established Beyond Words studio and began to sell his work at arts and crafts shows throughout New England and wholesale shows across the country. In 1996 John served as the IAMPETH president and in 2001 was inducted as a certified a Master Penman.

Nan DeLuca, a professional calligrapher in NYC for over 15 years, works only in pointed pen. Nan has had her work featured in InStyleWeddings, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Entertainment Weekly, as well as providing props for photo shoots and TV shows (Law and Order: Criminal Intent). She had been a member of the Society of Scribes, NYC Board of Governors for nearly 10 years, planning and teaching classes and workshops and has been an IAMPETH Member-at- Large.

Sharon Eisman of Starr Design in Rhode Island, graduated from Butera School of Art, Boston, with a certificate in Sign Painting in 1976, when it was unheard of to be a woman in that business. Her history in the arts dates back to childhood. Her formal studies in the arts began at Saturday morning classes at the Rhode Island School of Design and Sharon has considered herself to be a perpetual student ever since. Over the years she has enjoyed a variety of mediums including oils, watercolors, drawing, pen & ink illustration and more. In addition, her passion for lettering began in high school and has continued to this day. With her attention to each student, Sharon has taught Calligraphy in several venues over the past 20 years including Brown University’s Learning Community, local Adult Education Programs, and a local Senior Citizens Center, where she called her students “kids” and they loved every minute of it! Classes and workshops were also offered at Masscribes, and IAMPETH conventions. In 2003-2004 as president of IAMPETH, Sharon had the honor of hosting the 55th annual convention in Providence, Rhode Island in July 2004, with a loyal and always eager group if members dedicated to the art of writing. Sharon has exhibited in Rhode Island, Massachusetts , New York, and Austria. Her art is also part of private collections around the country. Her clients include Brown University, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Citizens Bank of Rhode Island, Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Kent Hospital, The Miriam Hospital, and the Rhode Island Medical Society. Her calligraphy for wedding accessories can be found in Wedding Invitations, Announcements, Place Cards, and More by Bette Matthews. In more recent years, gardening has become her passion, her yard has become her canvas, and the rich soil has become her new medium. While standing on the edge of her property for hours thinking and planning where her next plant will “flourish”, her neighbors drive by and wonder about the woman on the corner and what will she do next!

Linda Carol Gray’s obsession with art began at a very early age when she discovered that she could draw at age 5. Throughout her school years she was encourage by many teachers. Her hobby continued to develop and grow by taking many classes and workshops. Calligraphy began to make its way into her work by the late 80s. Linda’s obsession became a passion by 2000 when she made a decision to leave her public school career to begin Linda Carol Arts, a full-service calligraphy design and art studio. A chance encounter with Rosemary Buczek brought her to her first IAMPETH convention, Chicago, 2001. Since then, her passion continues to grow. Linda has served on the board of directors of the Philadelphia Calligraphers’ Society for 4 years, a past leader of a local business group, a member of a local art league, a co-founder of an art support group and she volunteers in her local Art Goes to School Program. She has recently been published in NJ Design, Inside Weddings, Brides Philadelphia and The Penman’s Journal.

Bob Hurford, from Wrightstown, Pennsylvania, is completing his seventh year as Editor of the IAMPETH Penman’s Journal. He has more than 30 years experience in the graphic arts industry, particularly in printing. He has written extensively on the history and techniques of penmanship and has given lectures and penmanship demonstrations throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Vivian Mungall began to study calligraphy in 1976 with Larry Menser in Plantation, Florida. Moving to Kansas City, Missouri, Larry suggested that she meet with Stephen A. Ziller, owner of Ziller of Kansas City, a professional engrossing art studio. Steve, a 1932 graduate of the Zanerian College in Columbus, Ohio, was the second owner of the engrossing studio founded in 1895 by Frederick W. Tamblyn, a well-known penman. Vivian started to work full time with Steve Ziller in August 1983. Her first job was to fill in the name on 8,000+ certificates for the American Nurses Association. Her husband, Richard, became the victim of corporate downsizing. So, with his business expertise and her artistic expertise, they became partners in the studio. Creating certificates, diplomas, awards, scrolls and resolutions the business doubled in size during these early partnership years. Vivian specializes in broad pen lettering, engrossers script and illumination. She works with a wide variety of companies, schools and organizations nationwide. Vivian serves as the Second Vice President in IAMPETH, and is a Master Penman.

Linda Schneider is a professional calligrapher and watercolor artist working out of her studio in Liberty Lake, Washington. Her favorite style is Ornate Pictorial calligraphy done with the pointed pen. Currently, Linda is a commissioned artist, creating designs for greeting cards and writing the text in calligraphy for The Papyrus Stores, Marcel Schurman Designs and Authentic Models, an international company. She was also commissioned to paint three large animal sculptures which are now on display in the city of Spokane. Linda has been a member of the Spokane Watercolor Society since 1995 and past President of Scripts and Scribes Calligraphy Guild. Graduating in 1974 with a degree in art education, she has always had a love for teaching and has instructed fine art in numerous schools and as an Artist in Residence, teaching special needs and high risk children. Linda has several published works including cover art of a national medical journal and numerous pieces of calligraphic art in the Somerset Studio Magazine. She is also a Graceful Envelope 2007 Honorable Mention Contest Winner. Her work has been exhibited in national and international juried shows and has won several awards. One of Linda’s favorite quotes is by James McNeill Whistler, “An artist is not paid for his labor but for his vision.”

Michael Sull is a Past President of IAMPETH, Master Penman Michael Sull is the author of numerous Spencerian Writing educational publications, founder of the annual week-long program known as the Spencerian Saga, and has recently developed the American Cursive Handwriting curriculum. A professional Penman and Engrossing artist, Mike has worked for Hallmark, worked on a collaborative piece with Kathy Ledeker displayed at the Kansas City Public Library, and his work is in many private collections. In addition to running Lettering Design Group, he has conducted workshops on Spencerian Script and Ornamental Penmanship throughout the United States and abroad, and is recognized internationally for his efforts to re-introduce 19th century American handwrtiting to today’s generation of students.

Dr. Joseph Vitolo is a specialist in Engrosser’s script and the webmaster for both Zanerian.com and the Ornamental Penmanship Group on Yahoo. In 1999, he developed a passion for script in the Copperplate style, specifically Engrosser’s script. Dr. Vitolo is also an avid historian of the golden age of American Ornmental Penmanship and a current board member of IAMPETH. He has written extensively on penmanship and calligraphy and lectures around the country on topics ranging from calligraphy to science. Dr. Vitolo holds two doctorates: a D.D.S. (Dentistry) and a Ph.D. (Biochemistry).

Debi Zeinert has been doing lettering and calligraphy for most of her life. Left-handed and self taught, she’s been a wedding calligrapher for the past 23 years. In 1999 she put up her first website, and by early 2001 she quit her full time job and The Blooming Quill was born. Debi loves brides, helping make a beautiful event for almost 200 of them each year.