Welcome

South Wales Scribes is a regional group for people interested in calligraphy and lettering arts.

We welcome members from across South Wales, from professionals to enthusiastic amateurs and those just starting out in calligraphy. Our aim is to ensure that everyone develops their calligraphy skills and that they have great fun doing so. Consequently we enjoy working together and supporting each other as we learn.

We usually meet in and around Swansea approximately five or six times a year: four workshops with external tutors well known in the calligraphy world and two meetings led by members where we work together, including our annual general meeting.

Membership is currently £15 per year. Workshop costs can vary but are around £35 for the day. For more information, please contact the secretary@southwalesscribes.co.uk / swscribes1@gmail.com.

South Wales Scribes is a non-profit making organisation and is affiliated to the Calligraphy and Lettering Arts Society. www.clas.co.uk

Croeso

Grŵp rhanbarthol yw Ysgrifwyr De Cymru ar gyfer pobl sydd â diddordeb mewn caligraffeg a’r celfyddydau llythrennu.

Croesawn aelodau ar o draws De Cymru gan gynnwys caligraffwyr proffesiynol ac amaturiaid brwdfrydig a’r rhai sydd newydd ddechrau gwneud caligraffeg. Anelwn at sicrhau bod pawb yn datblygu eu caligraffeg ac yn cael hwyl wrth ei wneud. Felly, mwynhawn weithio gyda’n gilydd a chefnogi ein gilydd fel rydyn ni’n dysgu.

Rydyn ni’n cwrdd yng Nghanolfan Cymunedol Glais yn Abertawe. Fel arfer, rydyn ni’n cael pump neu chwe chyfarfod y flwyddyn, pedwar gweithdy gyda thiwtoriaid allanol sy’n adnabyddus yn y byd caligraffig a dau gyfarfod a arweinir gan aelodau lle rydyn ni’n gweithio gyda’n gilydd, gan gynnwys ein cyfarfod blynyddol cyffredinol.

Ar hyn o bryd y pris aelodaeth yw £15 y flwyddyn. Gall costau gweithdai amrywio ond maent yn tueddu i fod tua £35 am y diwrnod. Am wybodaeth bellach, cysylltwch â swscribes1@gmail.com.

Nid ydy Ysgrifwyr De Cymru’n gwneud elw ac mae’n gysylltiedig â’r Calligraphy and Lettering Arts Society www.clas.co.uk

NEWS

'Goodbye' to Gordon

In our last newsletter to members we announced that, after a 10 year tenure, our Chair, Gordon Wood, was standing down due to his move across the border.

Gordon was a founding member of South Wales Scribes and committed to the craft of Calligraphy. He was a major driving force for our society, steering us successfully through two exhibitions marking our 5th and 10th anniversaries, and was an invaluable contributor in all our joint endeavours

To say ‘Thank you’ from South Wales Scribes we produced a gift of a collaborative concertina book which was bound and presented in a small wooden box (pictured). It was sent to Gordon in December following his official retirement at the AGM in November.

On receiving the gift Gordon said:

I was totally amazed to receive such a beautiful and emotional gift as a piece of outstanding calligraphy prepared for me by my friends at South Wales Scribes. It is something that I will treasure and means a very great deal to me to have such a lovely tribute. I am aware to the difficult task of organisation in making sure everyone involved knows the specification and sometimes the timed schedule seems to be a movable feast. To achieve the end result so quickly is a tribute to everyone involved.

… the most wonderful gift of such a beautiful piece of calligraphy. It is absolutely delightful and I will treasure the beautiful presentation forever.

Thank you to everyone who took part in creating this meaningful gift.

AGM & Christmas workshop

22 | 11 | 2025

with Alison Allan

We had such a fun festive day!

After the business of the AGM was concluded in the morning, SWS member and secretary Alison led us in our afternoon activity making these beautiful calligraphic Christmas decorations.

We also held our first 'Gordon Wood Award - Christmas Card Competition'. The beginner's section (under 4 years of study) was won by Elise Jenkins, with the more experienced section winner being Ann Sear. Congratulations to both winners who received a Scribblers Gift Token.

Workshop Programme 2026

Forthcoming workshops in 2026:

14 Feb

Spring Unfolding

with Judith Porch

'Spring Unfolding'

Further details to follow on this paper folding and calligraphic workshop

Venue: Fforestfach

11 Apr

Tessie Cooling

Illuminated Letter with detailed illustration

Venue: Felindre

11 Jul

Janet Smith

Designing Family Trees

Venue: Felindre

Nov

AGM & Member-led workshop

Workshop Theme tbc

Venue: Felindre

Past Workshop Reviews

Group Projects

Periodically we like to involve all members of South Wales Scribes in a combined group project or submit contributions on a theme.

It is always interesting to see the variety of contributions from individual members in response to the same brief and specification.

See more Group Projects

Exhibitions

Transformation : Trawsnewid

February 2016 | Swansea Museum

Tenth Anniversary Exhibition

The Written Word : Y Gair Ysgrifenedig

August - November 2022 | Swansea Museum

Gallery

Archive

Heritage Craft Bursary News

We are delighted to let you know that Lesley, a long-standing member and committee member of South Wales Scribes has been awarded the Heritage Crafts Association and Society of Scribes and Illuminators (SSI) Training Bursary.

Lesley went through a short-listing and interview process to achieve the bursary and has been described by the two societies as “showing huge potential” and “an outstanding candidate”.

The bursary, funded by the SSI but awarded by the Heritage Craft Association, will pay for a year’s tuition with three Fellows of the SSI, helping Lesley as she develops her career and furthers her training in both calligraphy and illumination . This is a wonderful opportunity.

Heritage Crafts is the national charity for traditional heritage crafts. Working in partnership with Government and key agencies, they provide a focus for craftspeople, groups, societies and guilds, as well as individuals who care about the loss of traditional crafts skills, and work towards a healthy and sustainable framework for the future. For further info visit https://www.heritagecrafts.org.uk

The Society of Scribes and Illuminators is the oldest Calligraphy Society in the world, founded over 100 years ago at the beginning of the modern revival of edged pen writing. Over the century calligraphy has flourished in dynamic and varied ways: formal documents and public lettering, print and digital applications, personal and unique artworks. www.calligraphyonline.org

Congratulations Judith Porch FSSI!

We at South Wales Scribes are on Cloud 9! We are absolutely thrilled that one of our founding members, Judith Porch, has attained Fellowship of The Society of Scribes and Illuminators.

She is only one of 42 Fellows worldwide so joins a very exclusive club!

CARDIFF CASTLE Broadsheet by Judith Porch FSSI

Spring has sprung - finally!

It has been a long time making up its mind, but it looks like Spring has finally arrived. Enjoy the longer days, sunshine, fresh breezes, rain and rainbows. The spring bulbs and new growth bring a brighter colour palette of yellows, oranges, pinks, purples and bright, light greens. Better late than never - here is a little tribute to Spring from South Wales Scribes.