Friends of Calligraphy
friendsofcalligraphy.org
Friends of Calligraphy
@friendsofcalligraphy.org
Our purpose is to promote the study and practice of calligraphy, to encourage individual excellence, to foster a wider appreciation and deeper understanding of calligraphy, its history and applications.
Our website is https://www.friendsofcalligraphy.org/.
This piece and more can be seen in the Richard Harrison Collection of Calligraphy & Lettering, Book Arts and Special Collections (@sfplbookarts), on the sixth floor of the SF Main Library.

#richardharrisoncollection #sfplbookarts #sfpubliclibrary #FOCremembers
January 20, 2026 at 5:13 PM
We continue to enjoy a day of fun with the Trivial Pursuits program she created and nurtured, now in the able hands of Lily and Charles Stevenson. Of course, there are a host of other ways people got to know Anne and to experience her sense of joy and love of letters and her warmth and humor."
January 20, 2026 at 5:13 PM
I was personally inspired by her dedication to serving others, perhaps most by her ongoing project of having calligraphers send beautifully lettered cards and envelopes with birthday wishes to San Francisco senior citizens, through Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly.
January 20, 2026 at 5:13 PM
Anne Yamasaki was a beloved member of the Friends of Calligraphy. Meredith Klein wrote this in her letter from the Prez, Bulletin 99, June 2010, "I write in sorrow at the recent passing of our very dear friend, Anne Yamasaki, who touched our lives in ways we will remember forever.
January 20, 2026 at 5:13 PM
We used his traditional kraft paper for exercises and Joyce Teta, who is the organizer, gave us some wonderful recycled paper to paint and write on. I had a fantastic time. The three details at the end show the varying effects of ink on this paper.
#FOCFeatured
January 10, 2026 at 4:38 PM
I am a past president of Friends of Calligraphy.
These pieces were all a part of a John Steven's workshop at Cheerio. John gave us so much to experiment with and learn about forms, balance, graphics, layout and even three letterforms to add to the mix.
January 10, 2026 at 4:38 PM
Later, I became a design and production consultant to the fashion industry and master educator of San Francisco Fashion Incubator. I also am a teacher of arts and crafts and work in various venues in the USA and volunteer at the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Mexico.
January 10, 2026 at 4:38 PM
I have been fortunate to win some recognition for my endeavors but have a long way to go. Creative calligraphy covers so much territory, and I want to find them all.
Creativity has been in my life since 1959 when I attended a fashion design school and went on to work with a manufacturing company.
January 10, 2026 at 4:38 PM
Pointed pen Cyrillic calligraphy piece by @calligraphira
January 8, 2026 at 8:33 AM
8-9-Workshop was at Letterform Archive. Rob Saunders pulled many interesting originals and books for us to see in person. He used Katie's workshop handout making his selections.

10- class photo

#friendsofcalligraphy #calligraphy #flourishing #letterformarchive @letterformarchive @kmdleavens
January 8, 2026 at 1:33 AM
6-student work, trying out the options, top to bottom, left to right: Joan Passarelli, Michael Starkman, Meredith Klein, Elena Caruthers, Meredith Klein
January 8, 2026 at 1:33 AM
1-Katie demo'ing one way of analyzing a flourish, Elena Caruthers's notes doing this analysis

2-3-4 three of Katie's many historical examples

5-student work, trying out the options, top to bottom, left to right: Dorothy Yuki, Laura Bernabei, David Samas, Dean Robino, Sarah Cortes, Jerry Lehman
January 8, 2026 at 1:33 AM
His career was an extraordinarily long one, starting in the depths of the Depression and active through the year before he died, 1993, age 86.
December 20, 2025 at 6:07 PM
This piece and more can be seen in the Richard Harrison Collection of Calligraphy & Lettering, Book Arts and Special Collections (@sfplbookarts), on the sixth floor of the SF Main Library.
#richardharrisoncollection #sfplbookarts #sfpubliclibrary #FOCremembers
December 20, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Much of his work and papers are in the Newberry Library, but you can see these bookmarks and much else in the Harrison Collection.
December 20, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Thank you to Don Moy, for his tribute in Alphabet, Vol 19, No 2, Spring 1994, the basis for this post. The Friends of Calligraphy recognized James Hayes as an honorary member in 1983. He did the logo design for the Harrison Collection’s bookplate.
December 20, 2025 at 6:07 PM
There are among us those who can letter with dazzling skill and there are those who can cite historical alphabets by chapter and verse, but those who can do both well are rare indeed. In James Hayes we count ourselves lucky to have known such a person.
December 20, 2025 at 6:07 PM
James Hayes was a gracious friend, a distinguished colleague, an enthusiastic supporter of the regional societies, and an invaluable source of knowledge and experience.
December 20, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Even in a complicated design, his certificates convey elegant simplicity, accomplished lettering and design skills, and an authoritative air of official recognition.
December 20, 2025 at 6:07 PM