Calendar of Events

Our meetings are open to all who have an interest in learning, sharing or teaching calligraphy or any of its related arts.

Where and When We Meet

Our meetings are held at 6:30 PM (**Please note this new start time**) on the first Thursday after Labor Day in September, and the first Thursday of every month, October through June at the Community Center of the Capital Manor Retirement Community in West Salem.

Capital Manor Retirement Community
1955 Salem-Dallas Highway NW
Salem, Oregon 97304: Click here for a map to Capital Manor

March 31 - April 24, 2025

Location:: Western Oregon University; Monmouth, Oregon

Spring Capital Calligraphers Exhibit

Join us at Western Oregon University for beautiful displays of calligraphic art by the Capital Calligraphers.

April 3, 2025

Time:: 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Location:: Capital Manor Community Center; Salem, Oregon

The Magic of the Parallel Pen with Suzie Beringer

The Pilot Parallel Pen is a powerful and versatile tool. Suzie will share with you some of her favorite things to do with this amazing tool.

If you choose to follow along while Suzie is demonstrating the below items are what she'll be using. She recommends that you follow along with her as she pulls the basic strokes in the beginning of the presentation - in which you will only need a 6.0 parallel pen & layout paper.

Supply list:

Basic Calligraphic Tool box
6.0 parallel pen (*please note the size)
Watercolors (either pan or tube)
water-pot - paper towels
6 well palette
natural bristle loading brush
pencil, eraser, ruler (I prefer a C-thru), scissors
layout paper (#37 Boris Marker Layout) Borden &Riley
Tracing paper
5X8" or larger scraps of Arches text wove (Velin) or Arches MBM
Black non-waterproof ink : Higgins Eternal Ink or similar ink such as: Pelican 4001
Ecoline 718 Warm Grey (or something similar)
Circle maker or a drawing compass (with lead in one end)

Suzie Beringer is a lettering artist who makes her home in the Pacific Northwest. With a degree in commercial art with a life-time passion for calligraphy and mark making, she is constantly exploring new possibilities and pushing herself creatively. Her work has been published in Letter Arts Review as well as other publications. As a teacher she loves to share her passion for mark making and design with others. As an artist Suzie loves the challenge and discovery that lettering on different surfaces brings. It has been said, that if something around her doesn't move quickly enough it may end up with letters on it! You can see more of her work on Instagram: penstrokedesignstudio or visit her web site.

May 24 and 25, 2025

Time:: 9 am to 3:50 pm PDT
Location:: Hybrid (in person at Abiqua School, Salem)

Fraktur with Nina Tran

Fraktur is a 16th century German style of Blackletter that combines the dense vertical texture of Gothic Textura and the lively curves of Gothic Batarde hands. The name Fraktur, derived from the Latin word fractura (meaning "broken"), appropriately describes the distinctive fragmentation of joined strokes in both the minuscule and majuscule forms.

Our first day of class will begin with broad-edged pen basics and a quick study of Gothic Textura minuscules, from which we will directly derive our version of Frakturminuscules. Our second day will focus on Fraktur majuscules and to adorn them with flourishes.

All skill levels are welcome! Please see the workshop flier for instructions on how to register.

End Mini Workshop -->