Illustrated Letters

[Erica McPhee]

I went to see the Beatrix Potter exhibit at the Frist Gallery in downtown Nashville yesterday (after a fabulous Nashville Calligraphers Guild meeting). I have loved Beatrix Potter’s work since I was a child. It was incredibly inspiring. She began drawing (incredibly) around age 7. By 10 her work was masterful. Her Peter Rabbit series began as letters to children. She said she didn’t know what to say so she wrote stories and drew pictures.

Really impressive to me was the extremely delicate hairlines she achieved in both pencil and ink. Also, many of her drawings were no bigger than 3” x 5”. Astonishingly small! With such incredible detail. She and her brother used to either stuff their dead pets or boil their bones for study. She was also quite interested in mycology and was quite the scientist. They had a pet bat, snake, and of course bunny (which was quite expensive back in the day). Beatrix Potter Society

Today I came across this feature about Illustrated Letters . Not calligraphy but still very cool. 

[Mary_M]

I love Beatrix Potter too. Who could resist her adorable animals dressed in clothing and the soft colors she used. She was quite the landowner and farmer as well as a gifted artist. She donated a lot of land at her death to protect it from development. I wish we had more people doing that in Florida. Another lot was cleared in my neighborhood this morning and a beautiful hawk was looking on sadly. I think they destroyed his tree. 

[Erica McPhee]

@Mary_M Yes! She donated 4,000 acres to preservationists.

I understand what you’re saying. Here in TN, the farmland is disappearing every day.