June Artist of the Month... Stephanie Hatch

Meet our new Artist of the Month... Stephanie Hatch @quirkcreativecalligraphy. From a young age, Steph has always had that creative spark, which she now channels into her beautiful lettering! She offers workshops, hand painted signs, window illustrations and much more. Steph shares some sage words of wisdom for aspiring artists, so if you're just starting out in the art or calligraphy world, read on...

What is your background and when did your passion for Calligraphy and Lettering begin?

I’ve loved art from a young age and first remember bubble writing on the front cover of my school books. Soon all my friends were asking me to do theirs too, and I got the doodle bug! Having always been a creative person, I studied performing arts at college and danced up until my late 20’s when I had my first child. After that I tried a few things to spark my creativity again, trying lots of different things such as mosaics, upcycling and watercolour (I love trying new things) Then in 2019 I attended a calligraphy workshop and I haven’t stopped since! I love the variety it offers, which keeps things interesting!

Who / Where do you take your inspiration from?

I’m inspired by many amazing people online of course, the list of amazingly talented people is endless, but I find my love for the seaside and nature the best place for inspiration and new ideas.

What in your opinion is the hardest and the most rewarding parts of working in a creative industry?

The hardest part of being in the creative industry for me is keeping up with my own expectations and comparing myself to others. I’m sure this is a common one, as weall know it can kill creativity. I try to come away from socials from time to time and remind myself to trust the process– success rarely happens overnight and is progressive. The best part about being in this industry is the amazing support from the community, which is a positive thing about socials. The most rewarding thing for me, is being paid for work that I love.

Do you have a favourite style?

My style changes a lot which used to worry me but, now I really love that about my work. I’ve never been one to stick at one thingor one style–I love to keep trying new things and discovering new techniques too, which I think is a natural part of development and I love that I’m not defined by one thing. However, all types of brush calligraphy are my favourite.

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What are the most exciting projects you have worked on and what are you working on at the moment?

There have been lots of exciting projects, for me anything new is exciting, but one of the most enjoyable for me was working with a big jewellery brand at a live lettering event for their clients at Christmas; I loved seeing people’s reaction to my work in person, which we don’t get to see often in this line of work.

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How does your work relate to your everyday life?

As someone who works from home part time, I’ve always got some kind of lettering tool in hand; whether at my desk or on site, I am able to incorporate lettering into my every day. I must create every day and that includes holidays too!

What are your favourite tools to use?

Brush Pens are my favourite tools in general and are my go-to, although I love trying new pens and am particularly looking forward to practising my pointed pen calligraphy with my new oblique holder and Leonardt nibs!

What would your advice be to people new to the creative industry and any tips on how to get started?

My advice would be to try not to get too bogged down in comparing your work toothers. Take time to find what works for you and discover what you love the most– it’s the fun part. Most importantly you need to believe in yourself. The best things started happening to me when I decided to believe in my ability. There’s no perfect time to start either, so if you’re ready - start and enjoy the journey.

To see more of beautiful work you can follow her @quirkcreativecalligraphy and remember to follow @manuscriptpenco on social media where we will be showcasing her work throughout the month.