Calligraphy Guild Pittsburgh upcoming events

2026 Annual Meeting & Play Day (September 20, 2026)

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMT

2026 Annual Meeting &
Paste Paper
Play Day

Join us at Run Rabbit Gilding on September 20th from 12-2:30 PM for a Paste Paper Play Day with Lily Hoy, directly followed by our 2026 Annual Meeting from 2:30-4 PM.

ANNUAL MEETING

We will have a brief meeting to discuss our plans for 2026-27 program year. This is a great time to meet your fellow guild members and hear about learning opportunities coming up in the next year.

PASTE PAPER PLAY DAY

Paste paper is a decorative paper created by applying a colored, viscous paste, typically made from starch, onto a sheet of paper. This paste is manipulated using various tools to create unique patterns and textures.

Historically, paste paper has been used for bookbinding, greeting cards, and mixed media art, making it a versatile medium in crafts and art projects. Calligraphers enjoy creating paste paper to use as decorative backgrounds for their calligraphic art.

SUPPLIES TO BRING

Pencil & Eraser

Scissors

Apron -- this is a messy process!

If you have done gelli plate printing or paste papers before, please feel free to bring your tools, such as:

Wide tooth combs

Small pieces of corrugated cardboard and matboard

Wide acrylic brushes

Contour Shaper Tools and Wedges

Each participant will be provided with a half-sheet of Arches Text Wove, 20"x25", to use in the workshop. The Guild will also provide tools and demonstrate how to make them, so no need to purchase or bring anything you don’t already have.

Please note: Our paste papers will have time to dry during the annual meeting, though they may still be damp when you leave, so please plan accordingly for transporting them home.

Members: Free to Attend • Non-Members: $10 registration fee

Parking Information

This event will be held at Run Rabbit Gilding in the Point Breeze neighborhood of Pittsburgh.

Address: 201 N Braddock Ave Suite 324, Pittsburgh, PA 15208

Click HERE for a PDF map with address and parking instructions, as well as photos of the entrance.

There is free and plentiful off-street parking available. If you have any uncertainty about parking, please read the linked document.

The Elegant Italic Hand (October 10, 2026)

Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:00:00 GMT

The Elegant Italic Hand

Please join us for two days of Italic lettering exploration. This workshop is open to all levels from complete beginners to experienced calligraphers. Each attendee can work at their own pace to get the most out of the hands-on instruction.

Often times our Italic letters are perfectly fine but what if they could be more elegant, more dynamic, or more DRAMATIC?

In this workshop we will:

Review the basic strokes, letter families, and spacing
Share basic capital letters AND lovely swash capital letters
Demonstrate flourished ascenders and descenders
Provide personal feedback to elevate your Italic letter
Show lettering variations to switch up your style

Bring a phrase or quotation to layout as a final project on Sunday. Supply list will be provided upon registration confirmation.

Please note: Our featured online calligraphy instructor Sue Greenseth will be teaching Gothicized Italic in January 2027. She requests all students enrolling in the class have some Italic lettering experience.

Members $40 Non-members $60

Proceeds donated to Calligraphy Guild Pittsburgh for future

workshop instructor travel expenses

INSTRUCTOR: Karen Nordstrom Roberts

Karen began her calligraphy journey 30 years ago and has kept her pen wet ever since. She was a long-time student of Myrna Rosen at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. She enjoys classic historical calligraphy hands written with the broad-edge pen such as Roman, Italic, Uncial, and Blackletter but also loves to explore pointed pen writing styles including Copperplate and Modern Script. Karen loves to learn new styles and applications of calligraphy by attending live and zoom classes with instructors all over the world. She has taught calligraphy at several locations throughout Pittsburgh and online classes. Currently, she is teaching broad-edge calligraphy styles at the newly renamed Pittsburgh Center for Arts & Media in Shadyside.

If you haven't already done so,

please register ASAP. Seats are limited.

Parking Information

This event will be held at Run Rabbit Gilding in the Point Breeze neighborhood of Pittsburgh.

Address: 201 N Braddock Ave Suite 324, Pittsburgh, PA 15208. Entrance is on Thomas Blvd.

Click HERE for a PDF map with address and parking instructions, as well as photos of the entrance.

There is free and plentiful off-street parking available. If you have any uncertainty about parking, please read the linked document.

COFFEE, TEA, AND LIGHT SNACKS WILL BE PROVIDED

BUT PLAN TO BRING A BAGGED LUNCH WITH YOU.

The Elegant Italic Hand (October 11, 2026)

Sun, 11 Oct 2026 14:00:00 GMT

The Elegant Italic Hand

Often times our Italic letters are perfectly fine but what if they could be more elegant, more dynamic, or more DRAMATIC?

In this workshop we will:

Review the basic strokes, letter families, and spacing
Share basic capital letters AND lovely swash capital letters
Demonstrate flourished ascenders and descenders
Provide personal feedback to elevate your Italic letter
Show lettering variations to switch up your style

Bring a phrase or quotation to layout as a final project on Sunday. Supply list will be provided upon registration confirmation.

Members $40 Non-members $60

Proceeds donated to Calligraphy Guild Pittsburgh for future

workshop instructor travel expenses

INSTRUCTOR: Karen Nordstrom Roberts

If you haven't already done so,

please register ASAP. Seats are limited.

Parking Information

This event will be held at Run Rabbit Gilding in the Point Breeze neighborhood of Pittsburgh.

Address: 201 N Braddock Ave Suite 324, Pittsburgh, PA 15208. Entrance is on Thomas Blvd.

Click HERE for a PDF map with address and parking instructions, as well as photos of the entrance.

There is free and plentiful off-street parking available. If you have any uncertainty about parking, please read the linked document.

COFFEE, TEA, AND LIGHT SNACKS WILL BE PROVIDED

BUT PLAN TO BRING A BAGGED LUNCH WITH YOU.