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idaho inkspots

calligraphy guild


Welcome


Welcome to the Inkspots!  

If you are interested in calligraphy in any way, please contact us. We'd love to meet you at our next meeting and help further your calligraphic pursuits.

Monthly prompt

The Idaho Inkspots Calligraphy Guild is a non-profit organization for calligraphers of all skill levels.

We meet monthly in the Boise area, and anyone interested in learning calligraphy is welcome!

Membership


For new and returning members, click here to view options:

Join

Inkspots Calligraphy Exhibit 

Go to our online Gallery to see our members' entries to our annual Inkspots Calligraphy Exhibit.  The Exhibit travels each month to select Treasure Valley public libraries for display. The current exhibit schedule is listed in the Gallery. 

Gallery

 

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Upcoming Events

    • September 17, 2026
    • 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
    • CWI, RM Pintail 1302, 1360 South Eagle Flight Way
    Register

    September Guild Meeting

    Fun with Flourishing
    & Member sharing

    with Anne Dickau & Victoria Choules

    Thursday, September 17, 2026
    6:30pm - 8:30pm
    CWI:  Boise Campus  
    1360 S. Eagle Flight Way, Boise, ID 83709
    Room: APIN 1302

    Meeting Topic:
    Anne and Victoria will share flourishing techniques using The Postman's Knock guides. See what members have been working on.


    Supplies

    Pointed pen with nib of your choice

    Ink of your choice

    Pencil & eraser

    Any bond paper or paper that won't bleed for experimenting

    If you have a light box, it might become handy, but not necessary.

    Patterns and guilds will be provided

    Sharing & Growing & Inspiration

    Please bring any finished or "I'm still working on it" project to share.  


    • September 19, 2026
    • 9:00 AM
    • September 20, 2026
    • 4:00 PM
    • 555 S. Cole Road, Boise ID 83709 IGC Conference Center
    • 12
    Register

    Carrioka, Pen Boogie, and Other Dances with Carrie Imai

    So thrilled to announce that we will have a workshop with Carrie Imai this fall, in-person here in Boise!

    If you love color and dynamic forms that make words move across the page, Carrie is joining us to teach her own script Carrioka and a topic that she calls Pen Boogie: both expressive and exciting hands aimed at exploring a broad edge pen and its possiblities.

    Aside from the pen techniques that can be applied to enhance other scripts and letterforms you may already know, each topic will also culminate in a project to practice what we learn.

    Below are a few more details.

    She designed this sweet, funky alphabet as an easy entry into a pen manipulation, better known as Pen Dancin'.  You're going to love this easy-to-learn hand and the manipulation skills you'll gain from learning it.

    Learn to have fun “playing” with your pen.  We will push, pull, wiggle and corner our pens to create new strokes and shapes.

    Materials students should have:


    • 1 large, edged pen - prefer Pilot Parallel pen (Blue lid),
    • Luthis FLAT pens (#4, #5 or #5a) OR, 
    • Automatic pen (#3A or #4A) OR , 
    • the old, original wood-handled Automatic pens.   
    • Luthis pens can be found at John Neal - http://www.johnnealbooks.com/ or Paper & Ink Arts at https://www.paperinkarts.com/pipape.html
    • Free flowing ink, Pelikan 4001 ink (any color), Bister Ink or Walnut Ink - please only these
    • Paper that doesn’t bleed – lots of it. Layout bond pad (any brand, any size) i.e. Canson or Strathmore Sketch OR Drawing paper pad
    • 3 pieces of paper cut to 4” x 10” for project
    • Pencil & ruler
    • X-acto knife & cutting matt or back of paper pad cardboard
    • Watercolor palette – i.e. Prang 

    Where: IGC Campus - Conference Center

    555 S. Cole Road, Boise, ID  83709

    When: September 19 & 20th 9AM to 4PM

    Cost: $60 for Members


    • September 23, 2026
    • 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
    • Oldspeak Bar, 3640 W Chinden Blvd, Garden City, ID 83714
    Register

    September Pen Meet

    OLdspeak bar

    Wednesday, September 23, 2026
    6:00pm - 8:00pm
    Oldspeak Bar
    3640 W Chinden Blvd, Garden City, ID 83714

    This is an informal meet up. Drop in to work on your exhibit pieces, share, & connect with fellow calligraphers.


    • October 09, 2026
    • October 10, 2026
    • 2 sessions
    • 1360 S. Eagle Flight Way Boise, ID 83709
    • 19
    Register

    Paste Paper and Bookbinding

    with Judy Sommerfeldt

    We didn't do as much as I'd hoped last spring, but this fall we have a lot lined up! Judy Sommerfeldt with the Salt Lake City Calligraphy Guild, Utah Calligraphic Artists, is coming to Boise and is going to put on our second fall workshop.

    The first part will be open to all Guild Members and will be a Friday evening paste paper making meetup. Below are some details about the event.

    Paste Paper Play

    Paste paper is one of the oldest decorated papers used by bookbinders for centuries.  The process of making paste paper involves applying colored paste onto the surface of the paper and working it into rich patterns using a variety of tools and techniques.  In this session we will make several sheets of paste paper that can be used in handmade books, cards, art or calligraphy backgrounds, collage, or whatever way your creative muse imagines. 

    Participants are asked to bring the following:

    *4 quarter sheets of Arches text wove   (Those not attending Saturday’s workshop can bring Arches or other fine art papers such as Canson Mi-tientes or Ingres, 90 lb watercolor paper.  Printer paper, cardstock, or heavier papers are not good choices for this activity.

    *2-3” chip brush

    *kitchen sponge – about 3x5”

    *two large yogurt or cottage cheese containers

    *paper towels

    *apron – we will be working with acrylic paints


    This will be held on the Friday before the bookbinding workshop at our regular meeting time 6 - 9 pm, although we will be picking a different venue that can handle a bit more mess.

    Those that sign up for the workshop will take their paste papers and use them the following day at the bookbinding workshop, which is described below.


    Boise BookBound 2.0

    In this workshop participants will be making two books – a hardcover pamphlet stitch book and a multiple-needle Coptic book. 

    The hardcover pamphlet stitch book is a contemporary version of the historic chapbook.  It is a good beginning structure for those new to bookbinding as it introduces basic bookbinding terms and techniques.  The finished project is a lovely book perfect for use as a notebook, journal, or sketchbook.

    The Coptic binding was developed in the 2nd century, the earliest known binding of the codex format.  It was adopted and altered by many different cultures and became a major influence in subsequent historic book structures.  Today because of the beauty of its exposed link sewing and its ability to lay flat or open 360o, modern variations of the Coptic structure are popular among book artists.

    Workshop participants will learn more about the history and significance of these two structures and will leave with two completed books.  


    Workshop Fee: $75

    Materials fee:  $25 (this covers the paper that will go in the books, thread, and other bookbinding supplies the teacher will provide)


    Tools and supplies participants are to bring:

    Self-healing cutting mat at least 18” X 24”

    Metal ruler – 18” works best

    Sharp cutting blade – scalpel or Xacto with #11 blade

    Scissors

    Book binding awl – if you have one

    0.5 mechanical pencil and eraser

    Bonefolder – instructor will have a few extras

    Sewing weight - if you have one

    Small spray bottle

    Water pot – glass jelly jar, pint jar, mug  - anything with a wide base that won’t be tipped over easily


      Where: CWI Campus

      1360 S. Eagle Flight Way Boise, ID 83709** 

      **Subject to change

      When: October 9th 6- 9PM

      For all members where we will make paste paper

      Cost: Free

      When: October 10th 9-4 PM

      Registered members, the bookbinding workshop with Judy, where we use out paste papers to create hard bound books. 

      Cost: $75 + $25 material fee for Members


      • October 15, 2026
      • 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
      • CWI, RM Pintail 1302, 1360 South Eagle Flight Way
      Register

      October Guild Meeting

      Calligraphy Engraving
      with Britiney Slaughter

      Thursday, October 15, 2026
      6:30pm - 8:30pm
      CWI:  Boise Campus  
      1360 S. Eagle Flight Way, Boise, ID 83709
      Room: APIN 1302

      Meeting Topic:
      Learn about calligraphy engraving on glass with Britney.

      Supplies:
      TBA


      • November 19, 2026
      • 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
      • CWI, RM Pintail 1302, 1360 South Eagle Flight Way
      Register

      November Guild Meeting

      Gothicized Italic
      Basics & History

      with Victoria Choules

      Thursday, November 19, 2026
      6:30pm - 8:30pm
      CWI:  Boise Campus  
      1360 S. Eagle Flight Way, Boise, ID 83709
      Room: APIN 1302

      Meeting Topic:
      Victoria will share the history of the Gothicized Italic script and demonstrate the basic strokes.

      Supplies:
      TBA


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    Idaho Inkspots Calligraphy Guild
    1740 E. Fairview Ave #3

    Meridian, Idaho 83642

    Email us at: info@idahoinkspots.org 

    The Idaho Inkspots Calligraphy Guild is a registered non-profit corporation (D) with the State of Idaho, No. 630468

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