October 2023 – Phawnda Moore

October Artist Demonstration with Phawnda Moore

Brushes are lettering artist Phawnda Moore’s tool of choice. She uses a variety of pointed and flat styles that might be recognized by painters in her demo on Oct. 12, 2023. “Become the brush” she says, while teaching the alphabet: “Breathe with it, move with it, let go.”

An award-winning author and artist, she has taught at the Crocker Art Museum, Mendocino Art Center and currently, at Sierra Community Education. Phawnda will share a few tips from her set of 4 rounds, “Apple Tree Seasons,” accepted in the 2023 California State Fair’s Fine Art Exhibition.

Phawnda will demo seasonal pieces. Join us to meet a few new brushes and see how lettering can be yet another dimension of creating!

Phawnda remembers her introduction to calligraphy in the 1970s. She watched an artist make these beautiful letters . . . and a light went on. Since then, her pilgrimage has led her to study with more than 60 international calligraphers and painters, finding joy along the way to share her love of letters with students, clients, and the community.

Words and images became Phawnda’s career. She completed the graphic design program at U.C. Davis in 1992 and spent several decades in publishing, sales and editing. It was good experience for her to create her own book, “Lettering from A to Z,” which received two national awards.

Phawnda currently works in pencil, ink, pastel, colored pencil and watercolor, with letters written in various pens and brushes. Her projects include greeting cards, journaling and life’s special events. For the past 5 years, Phawnda (who has corresponded with her college lettering professor for 50 years) has also led an international Mail Art Exchange to promote interest in handwriting and sending letters.

This year she worked with 20 local artists for Treewhispers, and created a set of four 12” rounds, “Apple Tree Seasons.” A second set of “Apple Tree Seasons” was her entry in the 2023 California State Fair’s Fine Art Exhibition.

Phawnda has taught calligraphy at the Crocker Art Museum, Mendocino Art Center, Haggin Museum, Sierra Community Education and in her Rocklin studio. She is a member of calligraphy guilds on the east and west coast and contributes articles and art for their publications.