About Us
Born and raised in Long Island, New York, I received a BFA from the Rochester Institute of Technology and moved to Boscawen, NH in the early 1970s. My husband and I dairy-farmed together until 1984 when I started my calligraphy and graphic design firm, Cornerstone Design, in Concord, New Hampshire. In 1990, I opened the retail store, Caardvark, in downtown Concord, NH. Then in 2005, I traded in some of my retail talents to focus more time pursuing my calligraphy and mixed media artistry. I began working full time in my studio, The Paint Box, in Webster, NH. In 2015, I decided I needed a larger and more visible location so I moved my studio space to TWIGGS Gallery in Boscawen, NH. TWIGGS Gallery showcases New Hampshire and regional artists. It is also has three workshop spaces for classes that run in the spring and fall. There is additional space downstairs which houses my studio, Cornerstone Design. Within the upstairs is an expanded retail space, SPRIGGS Shoppe, which sells my calligraphy and mixed media works as well as my husband’s antiques collections, funky gifts, cards, and other uniquities.
My Work
I would describe myself a self-taught mixed media artist. Since 1975, I have been a member of both the League of NH Craftsmen and the NH Art Association —juried in mixed media, photography and calligraphy. Trained as a technical photographer, I was delighted to discover alternative ways of developing photos, including Polaroid/Fuji transfers and Lazertran copy material. It’s created a great way to combine my photography with my love of calligraphy.
Many of my pieces incorporate my own handmade paper as a surface for calligraphy, whose texts are drawn from sources as varied as traditional Shaker songs, Lao Tzu, and Winnie-the-Pooh. I like to transform the written dimension into lettering art and then accent the verse with watercolors, my own photos, or natural found objects.
I am guided by Edward Johnston’s eloquent quote:
“Our task is simply to make good letters and to arrange them well.”
