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In a basement studio,
Evette Goldstein puts ink to paper and creates flawless, flowing
lettering.
The Castle Pines
North resident and former rocket scientist began addressing wedding
invitations to provide an income after a layoff from work.
"I said, 'I've
got to do something,' because there weren't any engineering jobs,"
Goldstein said.
She now is a professional
calligraphist, spending 12-14 hours a day, seven days a week writing
words in various fonts and colors for her clients, which include
the Colorado State House of Representatives and Senate, and Saks
Fifth Avenue.
"I had sort
of an unknown fascination with [calligraphy] since I could write,"
Goldstein said.
A natural artist,
Goldstein realized she could recreate fancy letters.
"I've always
been able to draw what I can see," she said.
Goldstein has books
of fonts clients can choose from or they can provide a specific
style.
Although she still
addresses a large amount of envelopes, Goldstein also pens menus,
seating charts, place cards, wedding vows, invitations, family
trees and certificates, among other documents. As a member of
the Greater Castle Rock Art Guild, she frames famous quotes and
poems written on her original paintings and sells them at art
shows.
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"Addressing invitations provides my livelihood, but I love
it when I get to do something artistic," she said.
Everything Goldstein
writes, she writes at least twice.
She uses the first
copy to determine the justification and spacing she wants. That
copy is then placed over a lighted board and the final copy is
traced. For mass quantities, such as menus, Goldstein uses a digital
copier to recreate the handwritten copy.
But the digital
copier is used sparingly. The motto of Goldstein's business, PrettyWriting.com,
is "meticulously preserving the art of calligraphy one envelope
at a time."
"There are
basically two different viewpoints," Goldstein said. "Those
who truly value the art form and the time and talent that goes
into it. Others are more interested in how to do it cheaply."
Goldstein refers
the latter to a company that does digital calligraphy.
"My clientele
really value the uniqueness of hand-done calligraphy," she
said.
Goldstein's not
limited to English, and with an alphabet to reference, can produce
calligraphy in various languages, including Hebrew.
She insists calligraphy
isn't a lost art and is teaching others the craft at Arapahoe
Community College. The next session of beginning and continuing
calligraphy, a five-week course taught on Wednesday evenings,
starts Sept. 19.
Goldstein is inspired
by famous handwritten documents that have endured through the
centuries.
"My hope is
that 700 years from now, someone will have something I wrote hermetically
sealed," she said.
Contact Jess Buskirk
at 303-663-7171 or jbuskirk@ccnewspapers.com.
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