Claire Gould | calligrapher

In 2005 I picked up a calligraphy pen for the first time in fifteen years. What was a hobby in my teenage years turned into a full time career writing beautiful commissions for people celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and weddings all over the world.

Since I launched my calligraphy business full time, I’ve written props for BBC and Channel 4 television programmes, been published in Kirstie’s Vintage Home and Kirstie’s Christmas Crafts, added names to certificates for film industry awards and written names on place cards for both the House of Lords, and - I’m far more proud of this one - NHS awards events.

My calligraphy has travelled worldwide, to wedding receptions in Barbados, Australia and all across Europe, with over 2,500 sales from my Etsy shop - many of those to the US and UK.

My calligraphy style of choice is flourished, modern lettering based on copperplate. I use high quality art papers for commissions, and work with Japanese inks, gouache paints and 23 carat gold leaf. I take commissioned work for more traditional styles too: from Gothic lettering in headings on my traditional calligraphy family trees and my classic print of Rudyard Kipling’s ‘If’, to italics and more modern hand lettering styles for wedding stationery.

I also write the English Wedding Blog. I launched this website in November 2009 - a quiet weekend when I had completed all my calligraphy orders. The UK wedding industry was evolving into a truly collaborative space, and wedding blogs were taking over from printed magazines. My wedding blog has been listed in the top UK wedding blogs ever since. English Wedding is now a platform for independent UK wedding suppliers to grow their online visibility through regular publishing opportunities.

Through the year my calligraphy work changes with the seasons. In January I mostly sell calligraphy kits, curated with all the best suppliers for beginners in modern calligraphy. From February and through the spring I write wedding invitations, address envelopes and take bookings for summer wedding calligraphy. Summers are busy with wedding table plans, place name cards and handwritten menus, as well as bespoke calligraphy poems - truly one of my favourite commissions all year round. I illustrate these with simple botanicals, and finish them with 23 carat gold leaf. From September, I’m a bauble machine - I sell hand painted ceramic baubles personalised with names in calligraphy. These sit beautifully alongside my simpler family trees, which combine beautiful artwork and illustration with handwritten calligraphy personalisation.

I’m immensely proud of my roots. I was born in Derbyshire, and in 1980 moved to the west coast of Cumbria, which I’ve called home ever since. Together with my partner Steve, I love nothing better than a day on the fells (in sunshine only!), a squished peanut butter sandwich on a Wainwright summit (all done!), and a pint in a cosy country pub on the way home. It’s important to me to protect the natural landscape from over tourism, which is an increasing problem affecting Cumbria’s communities and wildlife habitats.