Here is my Master Penman Certificate, the beginning of my journey. The bird represents the Spirit of God. It is what brought me to and through my calligraphy journey. But looking at the title, it is also interceding, sitting on the scripture John 1:1, reminding me that “The Word was with God” first. So I must write where the Spirit leads me. I must write for the gospel. This spiritual heritage transitions into my earthly heritage in my Chinese name embedded in my English name written in the Chinese calligraphy I so love.
I give all the glory to the Father who made this possible, who worked all things for the good of those who love Him. I have been paralyzed before so I know with certainty that the fact that I can sit down, move my fingers and arm, control their steadiness; the fact that I can think and put my ideas to paper—this is all because of His grace and mercy. It is my prayer that life may be in the art that I present to you, so the Spirit may sow seeds of life in your soul.
I would like to thank my mentor Senior Master Penman William A. Lilly for seeing a potential in me, cultivating my talent, and recognizing me with this title. The first group of masters was identified by him based on the level of their work. And I am grateful and honored to be one of the seven Master Penmen he recognized in his lifetime.
To my mentor Master Penman John DeCollibus, I owe much love and gratitude. The care he took in examining my work and the encouragements he gave me throughout this process shaped this piece into what you see today. When I doubted myself he believed and pushed me onward. I am blessed to have these two loving mentors in my life who seek perfection in every stroke and flourish.
To all of you reading this, I thank you for being so encouraging and supportive throughout my calligraphy journey. This will be a lifetime journey onward. I must continue to focus and perfect my letterforms every day so I may continue to be deserving of this title. I want to be a Master Penman who teaches strictly and in the right way of how Mr. Lilly taught me. I want to be a Master Penman who continues to learn from past and current Masters. And I will begin by releasing a new series of in depth video tutorials on Engrosser’s Script free and available to all so I may truly promote the art of penmanship. For each of my classes, there will be one or more scholarship spots available depending on class size. It is my sincere hope to learn and grow with you all.
