Joan & Klaire: Calligraphy-lover’s Meet

J & K a travel and craft store in Banilad Town Center held a seminar on calligraphy on May 31 and June 1. For only P1950, attendees were given calligraphy pens, clipboard with their lettering exercises, a plain tote bag to be self-designed at the end of their seminar. They invited calligrapher and freelance designer Fozzy Castro-Dayrit as their speaker.

The attendees with their self-designed tote bags

Fozzy Castro- Dayrit lecturing at the J & K store in Banilad Town Center

Co-owner of J & K, Jacky Tan, a calligraphy enthusiast, wanted to bring it to Cebu. J & K’s first products were statement totes that were travel and beach-inspired. Tan created and doodled some of the designs on the bags herself.

“I wanted to learn it (calligraphy). For me, it was a different kind of art,” she said. “It adds character to it (statement totes).”

In Manila, this art form is booming with different talented artists advertising their works in social media sites like Instagram and Facebook. One of the calligraphers she adored was Dayrit. She contacted her and the conceptualization of the seminar began. J & K unknowingly had it on their anniversary to celebrate its successful year.

Because of the success of the seminar, they plan to hold another one this July 25-26 for P2, 200 at their store. They will be inviting calligrapher Abbey Sy. The final product of their seminar would no longer be a statement tote but a pin board.

The sponsors of the event were Zig Philippines for the totes’ fabrics’ expense; Stabilo for the pens; and the Henry hotel for their speaker’s accommodation.

For more information please follow them on twitter and facebook at Joan and Klaire or check out their website at www.joanandklaire.com

*pictures taken by Joan & Klaire