The Calligraphy Studio

Alison has practiced Calligraphy for 21 years, learning her art in Auckland, New Zealand.

Alison purchased The Calligraphy Studio from Roehampton graduate, Deirdre Hassed 17 years ago, who has since continued to work in Melbourne, Australia. Deirdre is now a past president of the Calligraphy Society of Victoria, Australia. Alison explains-

"Calligraphy started as a hobby for me in 1989. It somehow seemed destined for me to take this up as a full-time career when my teacher Deirdre Hassed moved to Melbourne in 1993. With the input of visiting international tutors and a continued desire to explore and develop my skills, calligraphy continues to flourish and be a fascination to me. I enjoy a wide range of work from personal commissions to commercial lettering design.

I love the act of calligraphy- a clean white sheet of paper, the flow of ink and the scrape of your nibs and before your eyes dancing marks appear that interact with the space. I enjoy the challenge of making words visual- the interaction of words, colour and line on a page".

Alison's work has been sent to Queen Elizabeth, heads of state and government, the New Zealand All Blacks and Cricket Teams in addition to the regular corporate and celebrity design work for stationery and logos, certificates, and even proposals of marriage. Wellington clients include the New Zealand Parliament and Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa.

New Zealand calligraphy societies have regularly invited teachers such as Sheila Waters, Marilyn Reeves, Rosie Kelly, Thomas Ingmire, Denis Brown, Dave Wood, Charles Pearce and Jean Larcher to instruct in Auckland, all of whom Alison credits as major influences on her development and interest in a rare and passionate art form.

However Alison won her first competitive award for drawn copperplate lettering, with felt pens and the aid of the Speedball textbook, at age 10 from the Scripture Union, Auckland.

Alison organised a lecture series and workshop with world renowned art conservator Cheryl Porter in December 2007 titled "Inks and pigments on early manuscripts" at Whitecliffe College of Fine Art in Auckland, a subject that forms a core part of her continuing research. In September 2010 Alison had a poster presentation on her research shown at the Art Technological Source Research (ATSR) meeting in Vienna. The ATSR is a working group of ICOM, the International Council of Museums. The poster has also made Alison a finalist in the UK based Graduate Junction international academic poster competition in the Arts and Humanities category in December 2010. Also in December 2010 Alison has had her piece "Pokarekare Ana" included in "WordsWork: Calligraphy and Lettering Art of Australia and New Zealand", a 150 page full colour book published by the Australian Society of Calligraphers.

Many of the traditional roles of a Calligrapher are continued, for example inscribing memorial books. Additionally Alison has also worked as a "hand talent" in TV commercials. In recent years Alison has produced her own range of Christmas cards. Alison loves to teach whenever she can, special interests include a passion for journaling and the informed choice of pigments.

In 2006 Alison commenced Ph.D studies at Massey University in Wellington with supervision provided by Professor Philip Dickinson (Massey) and Peter Gilderdale (Head of Department for Graphic Design, Auckland University of Technology and long serving past President, New Zealand Calligraphers). Alison's research interest includes the occupational health issues involved in practicing visual art, specifically historic and contemporary calligraphy.

The Anne Geddes-Celine Dion Miracle Project represented an unprecedented opportunity and exposure for a contemporary Calligrapher. Alison endorses the values represented throughout the project and was delighted to contribute to another Anne Geddes publication. Alison designs and plans to publish her own books that communicate and inspire people through colour, images and words to beauty, creativity and love of God.

"I live and work in Wellington, New Zealand with two daughters, one son and my husband John. Apart from calligraphy I love spending time with my family, cooking, enjoying the natural world, listening to classical music, walking, swimming, riding and reading. I treasure quiet and solitude, and have an abiding faith in God in Christ".

Alison and family moved to Rona Bay in Eastbourne, Lower Hutt Wellington in November 2008.

Alison is married to John Barrand (Project Manager, Alison Furminger | Calligraphy Studio).

Contact John at projects@alisonfurminger.com