The Washington Calligraphers Guild is so deeply honored to induct the following members for the status of Honorary Membership:
Doing so allows this Guild to show our heartfelt gratitude for the constant stewardship and representation that each of these recipients has given in devotion to WCG throughout its 45-year history.
Michael Clark
Michael Clark provided over two decades of editorship and innovative layout design in producing our journal, Scripsit. Within his range of more than a dozen issues, he enlightened us and expanded our knowledge by introducing what was changing and trending within the calligraphic arena; ensuring that we became aware of the evolving batch of new calligraphers, both domestic and international, arriving on the scene. Michael Edward Clark passed away on Feb. 26, 2024 at age 71. He is survived by his wife Melissa, three children and four grandchildren. Also surviving are myriad calligraphers across the continents that he personally mentored and tracked and remained loyal to right up to his last days.
Gretchen Elson
A Charter Member of WCG, Gretchen Elson has served in the many positions of President (1989-1990 & 2005-2007), Vice President, Hospitality Chair, Scripsit Liaison and Membership Chair. Her long memory, guiding knowledge and wisdom, and advisement to the WCG Board have been and continue to be invaluable.
Sue Flory
Sue Flory is known for being that gentle, welcoming “voice” during her long-term tenure as our Membership Chair. She handled that connection between the members and the Guild with warmth, precision and impeccable record keeping at a time before computer databases were available and widely used (not an easy task seamlessly tracking the flow of 500+ members). Through the strong partnership with her husband, the late Bob Flory, they handled Scripsit sales and facilitated the annual fundraiser, Calligrafest, for eight years. Their friendship and direction in having served on the WCG Board bolstered the development of this Guild throughout the years. We lost Sue in May 2022, three years after Bob died.
Pamela Klinedinst
Pamn served initially as Member-at-Large, then continued as the WCG Treasurer for over two decades. She became President for a remarkable 5-year term, one of the longest in WCG history (2011-2016). She currently is our Bulletin Liaison and Administrator for WCG’s Facebook page.
Marta Legeckis
Marta, an award-winning watercolorist and former calligraphy instructor for the Smithsonian Associates, ably served WCG in many roles: President (1996-97); Co-Director of WCG’s international calligraphy conference Letterforum 2006; Workshops chair; Exhibits chair; and handled the maintenance and allocation of the Zapf Scholarship.
Lorraine Swerdloff
Lorraine's service began as Publicity Chair in 1997, then as President (1999-2001). In 2000 she debuted the WCG website, serving as primary webmaster for many years, as well as worked on the charter committee to launch the first Holiday Calligrafest (our fundraiser). In 1995 she helped transfer to the WCG (upon the request of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Postal Museum) the Graceful Envelope Contest, then maintained its annual promotion and development for 16 years. She has produced nine Scripsit journals, including two memorable Pens & Protocol: The Calligraphy of Official Washington and five issues reviewing the Graceful Envelope Contest through the years. Currently, Lorraine oversees communications.
Christine Tischer
Chris was our Workshops Chair for an impressive span of years; and was the primary driving force in expanding our offered selection of classes and topics, as well as importing the fresh talent of international instructors. She is known and respected for her calm, creative approach to solving problems, presenting outside-the-box thinking. Her influence continues to inform the function of workshops to this day.
Julian Waters
Julian became a Charter Member of WCG at the tender age of 19, later lending his eye and discernment in redefining the style of WCG’s journal, Scripsit, for over 7 years. Because of his graphics design efforts in presenting a clean, visual impact, Scripsit became a model for other guilds’ journals. Noteworthy, too, was Julian’s mentorship and professional collaboration with the late Hermann Zapf, culminating in a deepening relationship with the Guild as a whole. This connection in the late 1980s resulted in Professor Zapf bestowing international support upon the Guild through an endowment that later created the Zapf Education Fund (which continues to be granted annually). Currently, Julian has developed an in-depth portfolio over his 40-year career of commercial and personal work both in calligraphy and typography; and is a world-renown instructor and editorial contributor.
Thank you all, and may you continue to support this Guild and enjoy the merits of becoming Honorary Members, joining this rank along with the four original inductees:
Sheila Waters (founder of WCG)
Hermann Zapf
Charles Hughes
Ieuan Rees