The Guild is an incorporated body under the Associations Incorporation Act 1987 of Western Australia.
Browse or download our constitution, provided as a PDF file.
You may download Adobe Reader here. CGWA Constitution March 2019
In 1982, twenty students of the late Eric Tristram, who was a lecturer in Calligraphy at the University of Western Australia’s Extension courses, met with a desire to encourage and assist each other in practicing the medieval art and craft of calligraphy, forming a ‘Calligraphy Club’.
At their first meeting, the name was changed to The Calligraphers’ Guild. The rules then set out are not too far removed from our presently incorporated group, The Calligraphers Guild of Western Australia (Inc.).
Donald Jackson was the first overseas contact as he was with the Society of Scribes and Illuminators at that time. The Guild had decided to borrow some exhibition slides and purchase a book, The Calligraphers Handbook. Now the Guild holds its own exhibitions and has an extensive library of over 250 books. In 1984 three members went to Albury, NSW to learn directly from a Donald Jackson visit.
The late Peter Evans, an accomplished Calligrapher and retired Senior Art lecturer , arranged for Guild meetings to be held at the University in the mid 1980’s. This allowed good facilities and your writer well remembers several visits by Rosemary Sassoon. Despite Western Australia’s tyranny of distance we are no strangers to many of the international Calligraphers visiting Australia. Peter commenced a full time course in an Associate Diploma of Arts (Visual Arts and Crafts) with a major in Calligraphy in 1987. The change to a University from the Tertiary College of the time saw the demise of that course but not before most of Peter’s students joined the Guild.
The heady years from 1987 – 1990 saw a change in venue to a community centre, the Incorporation of the Guild, and a growth in numbers rising to 170. In 1989 it was decided to produce an annual diary. The cover of our first issue in 1990 was designed by Eric Tristram who died in March 1990. The diary was a success story. Most years a theme, for example ‘Australiana’ in 1999, was chosen for diary pieces. Sadly, due to rising production costs, the diary is no longer produced.
Our members are mainly from the metropolitan area with a few from country areas. Over the years we have had several from interstate as our members migrate, as well as some from overseas.
The Guild’s magazine was an extension of a handwritten single sheet by Eric posted to members. It is now called ‘Quillo Talk’ and is issued prior to the monthly meeting.
Compiled by The Late John Hinwood
Link here to REMINISCENCES of the Late Cliff Stevenson, a long time Guild member and supporter.
Written by Jennifer Young
