Reflections on Norfolk

It has been nearly ten years since I last attended the annual North American conference hosted by IAmPETH. Over this time, I have been quite vocal about my personal distaste for the term “master” (hence my lack of capitalization), and the idolatry that some in our profession place upon practitioners with high levels of skill. I know that this has cost me friends who have taken my stance as a personal slight. To them, I professionally and personally apologize for my unintended disrespect.

As a result of this long hiatus, I wasn’t sure what to expect of this year’s gathering. I had my fears that I would be put face to face with the brash 24 year old version of me who last attended in 2016. In a way, it felt a bit like a high school reunion. People remember the version of you that they last saw. What if you aren’t that person anymore? I have spent a decade growing into the man I am, today.

Fortunately, I set out for this conference in partnership with Speedball in an effort to bring attention to the Masgrimes Lining Triangle. In that regard, I was to attend the conference with a clear objective in mind, and that helped me to feel that I had a purpose in being there. I do find that I have an easier time with events like this when I am made useful. I haven’t volunteered in the organization before, but I expect doing so would be similarly comforting.

Upon my arrival, I was met with resoundingly gracious and friendly handshakes, hugs, and hellos. My fears of not belonging were quickly swept away as I realized that for the first time in a long time, I was with people who had a deep love of the same thing I loved. Penmen, calligraphers, whatever they want to call themselves, are an interesting breed. There is a certain closeness you can feel with someone you’ve just met purely through the knowledge that they’ve spent thousands of hours of their life in the same way as you.

Lining Triangle demonstrations

I ran two demonstrations in collaboration with Paper & Ink Arts and Speedball to show off the Lining Triangle to conference attendees. I was nearly late to the first demo due to the unfortunate sluggishness of the hotel elevators and poor planning on my part. I entered the room with only a minute to spare and was met with a modest crowd of friends and onlookers. Tony Esposito, a DIS veteran, played some “theme music” as I got set up, and we were off to the races. I talked for 25 minutes. About a little piece of acrylic. Hah!

It just goes to show you that when you are passionate about something and in the right group of people, everything melts away so that you can be present in the moment. In reflecting on that first demo, I don’t remember exactly what we covered, but I do remember the laughter of the crowd and the smiles afterwards. I was fulfilling my purpose in bringing the Lining Triangle into the conversation, and I was gonna be alright.

Little personal brag: By the end of the week, Paper & Ink Arts sold every single Lining Triangle that they had on hand. I’m blown away by the support!

Where the magic happens

It isn’t widely promoted as such, but the real magic of the conference occurs each evening when the Study Room opens. From around 7pm to the early hours of the morning, this is a place where anything goes. There’s writing, games, food, drink, spills, laughing, trading of specimens, you name it. This room is the primary reason to attend the conference, in my opinion, as it is one of the only places in the world that you can sit with your penman contemporaries and talk shop.

I recognize, however, that the relative ease I felt walking into this room is a privilege afforded to me by my reputation outside of the organization. Although I did not wear my name tag for most of the week, I often found myself amongst people who knew who I was before I sat down, and that absolutely plays a role in making one feel as if they belong.

I noticed, on many occasions, newcomers and beginners with looks of social unease in this room. I know the look all too well, as it is how I would feel at any other convention. I earnestly attempted to sit down with people any time I noticed this, but the truth is that there are so many people that it’s easy to slip through the cracks. Sitting in a loud, boisterous room, one can still feel very much alone.

In discussing how one might combat this, the recurring train of thought is that it is very helpful to attend the Study Room with a buddy. The established professionals have connections that they can rely on at every turn, but the newcomer has only themselves and their interest in penmanship. Having another person to accompany you could absolutely make a big difference, so I highly suggest it for anyone who feels a bit socially anxious like me. A bit of bravery in asserting yourself also goes a long way.

From the other end of things, I would love to challenge those of you who have attended before to consider budgeting some of your Study Room time towards approaching beginners and first time attendees proactively. You might ask them what their immediate goal is, if they brought any work to share, or if you could share work from your own scrapbook. I am reminded of a very positive interaction I had in 2015 with the late Richard Muffler where he approached me and asked to see what I was working on. A small gesture can make a big difference! I remember it a decade later and the interaction lasted all of thirty seconds.

There is a tendency in the Study Room to stay up a bit too late. I admit that I was very vulnerable to this, and it resulted in a rolling fatigue that built up as the week progressed. I wish that the Study Room opened a bit earlier in the afternoon, or that there was a free day where it was open from morning to evening. Perhaps either of those might have resulted in me prioritizing my sleep a bit better throughout the week. Eventually, it starts to catch up to you, and the writing and bonding definitely suffers as you become The Grumpiest Penman this side of the Mississippi.

Some favorite moments

Although the week was filled with so many wonderful vignettes, I am perhaps most moved by the fact that I was able to meet several of my online students in person for the first time. After spending so much time together over the last handful of years, it is wonderful to be able to look them in the eye and shake their hands. I wouldn’t trade that for the world and I’d forgotten just how edifying such a thing could be. Here’s a lineup of a few Dreamers in attendance in the photo below.

This year also provided an opportunity to rub elbows with two luminaries of the Chinese American Penmanship community in person. Mr. Walker Chen (top, below) and Mr. Ritchie Wei (left, below) were both in attendance and their dedication to the art has been a constant source of inspiration for so many practitioners around the world. Ritchie and I first met in 2018, so it was a nice reunion, in that regard. They’re both outstanding penmen.

Thursday night’s Round Robin allowed for a bit of fun when Tony Esposito and I challenged visitors to our table to see who could be the fastest to line up a writing staff using the Masgrimes Lining Triangle. Things got a bit heated and loud, but President Ward eventually came out on top with a stellar 10.93 seconds. The fastest pencil in the West!

Overall, I am very thankful that I was encouraged to attend, that the Masgrimes Lining Triangle was so well received, and that there are so many wonderful penmen keeping the art moving in the right direction. My hesitations surrounding the future of the organization have been somewhat put at ease, and although I am not sure I will have the opportunity to attend every year, I know I will be back.

Until we next meet, I am,

Your friend,

David