Dying art
There are currently twelve master penmen in the entire world. Jake Weidmann is the youngest.
He became the youngest person to receive his Master Penman certificate in July 2011. He works across several mediums including drawing in pencil and charcoal; pen and ink; painting in acrylic, airbrush, oil and gouache; sculpting in wood, bone, antler and clay; and is versed in numerous forms of calligraphy. He is best known for the integration of flourishing and hand-lettering in his art. He travels the globe, reintroducing this Old World art form and cultivating its relevance in the world of today, of tomorrow, and forevermore.
Watching this took my breath away, he is an amazing artist and penman.
What is the future of writing in the digital age, and why does it matter? Check out his TED talk, here. Jake explores the connections between the pen and how we learn, think, and carry our cultural heritage at a time when the very act of writing is being dropped from school curricula across the country.
