Calligraphy Q&A with Suzanne Cunningham

"Calligraphy is the most intimate, private, and spontaneous expressive means. Like a fingerprint or voice it is unique with every person." German Zapf

An Inspired Interview with Suzanne Cunningham

We could have chatted with Suzanne for hours, and it was indeed a delight to have her share a bit of her story as a calligrapher with us during our live Instagram Q&A session. After all, who wouldn't be elated with the chance just to sit and listen to her talk about the joys of calligraphy? 

Keep reading to learn about Suzanne's getting started story, how she landed her first wedding client, and what to do if you're technically challenged. 

Enter the world of Kalli Camp Academy, a community to learn, flourish, and grow in the art of calligraphy. We aim to make it possible for artists at every skill level and culture to grow in their craft and connect with others on a deeper level through true friendships centered around shared passions. We also aim to support each other and help grow our small businesses as a result of this collaborative endeavor.

Who is Suzanne Cunningham?

Suzanne is a 29-year calligraphy veteran residing in Florence, Alabama, specializing in Copperplate calligraphy for weddings. She teaches her techniques at learncalligraphy.com, an online learning platform hosted by Kestrel Montes. Suzanne is also the co-editor of the Speedball Textbook 25th edition.

What is the best way to learn a new skill?

Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned artist, continuously honing your skills is necessary for growth. Suzanne suggests taking courses on the same subject from various teachers because you are sure to learn something new since everyone teaches differently. Hearing and seeing something multiple times is very helpful to grasp new concepts or take your skills to the next level. 

What inspired Suzanne to learn calligraphy?

Suzanne's mother was an artist and frequently referenced the Speedball Textbook (19th edition) for her designs. Suzanne would see the book and leaf through its pages, intrigued mostly by Engrosser's Script. During that time, she would take out paper and pencil to practice the letterforms she found so fascinating. It was a natural move into the world of calligraphy and pointed pen because Suzanne was already familiar with the correct letterforms because she had practiced them extensively. 

How did Suzanne begin doing wedding calligraphy?

At the age of 25, Suzanne was an enthusiastic calligrapher who took samples of her work to a local wedding stationery store in Birmingham, Alabama where she lived at the time. Just think, this was all before social media! There were no websites or Instagram to help spread the word that she was available for commissions. Her only form of advertisement was her envelope calligraphy. The relationship she built with the store owner helped to advertise her work and led to her getting clients who hired her to address their envelopes. Suzanne expressed how grateful she was for each order she received and how they helped her to grow her business.

How does Suzanne prevent pain or discomfort while working?

If you've done calligraphy for any length of time, you know that writing for long periods of time can cause neck pain or discomfort. Aside from sitting at the proper angle to the table or desk to prevent strain, Suzanne suggests combating discomfort by getting up at least once every hour to stretch, walk around, or complete a house chore that gets you moving. You may want to work for blocks of time, then break those blocks up by running an errand, or preparing dinner. Like Suzanne, you might use a FitBit to remind you to get up and take some steps so you aren't sitting for lengthy periods of time. 

What can you do if you're technically challenged?

Rather than reinventing the wheel or overwhelming yourself with learning new software, you can simply hire someone to do your tech work. Some calligraphers may want to simply stay on the pen and ink side of graphic design rather than learn how to vectorize their work. For Suzanne, this is her preference and she's perfectly okay with that. She found a calligrapher (Graham Carraway) who is also proficient in Adobe Illustrator and uses her scanned designs to vectorize her calligraphy for wedding stationery. 

Do you need a studio to be a calligrapher?

Absolutely not! When Suzanne shared her humble beginnings of doing calligraphy from her couch to the current space of her kitchen table, we felt instant admiration for her.  She doesn't feel like she's missing out on anything by not having a studio. If she can be a world-famous calligrapher, so can you! 

Where can you find Suzanne's classes?

If you want to learn from Suzanne, you can find her specific classes here. She teaches through learncalligraphy.com with a host of other artists. Suzanne's upcoming classes will be Deck the Halls: Holiday Envelopes (September 2023), Flourishing: The Art of the Oval (October 2023), and Script Monograms (2024).

Aren't you glad you had the opportunity to get to know Suzanne Cunningham more? We sure are and we're also grateful for you being here.

Until next time, stay creative!

Written by Angenise Rawls, Independent Marketing Assistant and Special Projects Coordinator

Calligraphy Artisan at The Graceful Pen Studio | Instagram: @thegracefulpenstudio | www.thegracefulpenstudio.com