About the Artist

SUSAN LLEWELYN ELVIDGE NDD ATD

CALLIGRAPHER; ARTIST; TEACHER

QUALIFICATIONS
   *National Diploma in Design,  (Leicester)
  * Art Teaching Diploma with merit (Southampton)

 


Whilst at college I won the '
Duncan Henderson Award'- Enabling me to study calligraphy in Frankfurt and at the Klingspor Museum in Offenbach am Main, Germany.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE 
As a specialist teacher of Arts & Crafts in secondary education for 12 years I gained experience in Grammar, Secondary Modern and Comprehensive schools, and taught evening classes in Adult education in the UK.
I worked for one year as a freelance artist, and as a tutor in Graphics at the college in Cape Town , South Africa

After a break from teaching whilst my children were small I became a tutor of Calligraphy and Painting  and for over 20 years taught classes on Adult Leisure Courses, at several different campuses in Hertfordshire..

I have also taught a number of one day or short residential courses to adults, on Calligraphy or aspects of Drawing & Painting and give demonstrations at various venues in Hertfordshire.

In 2005 I decided to reduce my teaching hours to allow me to concentrate on commissions and my own work.
My commissions now include :-

CALLIGRAPHY:
Traditional eg
Books of Remembrance, Dedications.
The St Albans High School for Girls 'Book of Honours',
and St Albans City & District Council Mayoral and Aldermen Books & Certificates.
Wedding and Events stationery: Invitations, place cards. table plans etc.
Creative calligraphy
Expressive interpretations of words and images using water colours and gold leaf.
Poetry or prose, with or without illustration, colour. gold leaf
I have developed and now specialise in illustrated calligraphic panels depicting the memorable moments in the life of the subject. (see examples in the gallery)
*These are usually commissioned as special gifts to mark a milestone in the
recipients' life, eg special birthday or anniversary. They involve many hours research and detailed work so must be ordered well in advance.

MURALS
In 1992 & 1997 the Education department at St Albans Abbey asked me to design and supervise the making of two collages for the Nave, depicting the early history of the Abbey. They were each 13 metres long by 1 metre high and were made in collaboration with several hundred 11-12 year old schoolchildren who spent a day at the Abbey as part of an 'educational experience' visit. Working in groups of 30, the children helped to stick fabric pieces onto the drawn design to fill the images with colour.

In 2000 I was asked to produce a third panel, as a Millennium celebration to hang in the Abbey Refectory. This mural subsequently won First Prize in the St Albans City & District Council section of the Art at Work Awards in December 2000.
All three panels are now permanent fixtures in The Abbey.
As a result of these collages I was asked to produce a 
mural to celebrate the 125th Anniversary of St Michael's Church School in St Albans. All those involved with the school helped to apply the fabric to the images I had drawn- with children aged from 4 to 12 years of age working with teachers, governors and parents to make the finished result a real community effort.

PICTURES
Landscapes, and Portraits of people and animals using pastels or water colour paints. (see gallery)
My work has sold to both public and private clients in the UK and abroad and I have demonstrated and given talks to a number of organisations.

DEMONSTRATIONS & TEACHING

In 1997 and 2002 I was invited to be a demonstrating exhibitor of Calligraphy at the two National Exhibitions of 'Flowers & Crafts' in the St Albans Abbey.

CLASSES & TALKS/DEMONSTRATIONS
Calligraphy continues to be popular but qualified teachers are scarce, so I still teach a group in St Albans on a regular basis, and am happy to promote the craft through talks and demonstrations to small groups.

ENQUIRIES:
If you are interested in learning Calligraphy my classes run on Friday pm,once a fortnight. 
 Call or email for more details.

I exhibit when possible but I work mostly to commission.
My work is in collections in the UK and abroad.

  NB. Pictures shown on 'the Gallery' are mostly past commissions and therefore may not be for sale.
For further information or to commission work yourself please feel free to contact me to discuss options
:

Email sue_elvidge@hotmail.com

 

 

Detail from wedding Anniversary panel. Water colours and gold leaf