Berkeley, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 05/03/2017 --The Ink Academy launched a crowdfunding campaign for the first International School of Calligraphy on Indiegogo April 27. The school was founded with a goal of saving this endangered art form that has fallen by the wayside in recent years.
The lettering arts have been practiced on every continent around the globe for centuries, but children around the world are no longer learning cursive and adults have minimal options when it comes to effectively learning calligraphy.
Through Ink Academy, students will have access to a full online curriculum of classes, accessible from anywhere in the world. They'll also gain full one-on-one mentorship in the art of calligraphy to save this art form from extinction. The curriculum will also include practical applications, like sign making, tattooing and graphic design.
Ink Academy also has a wider goal of encouraging calligraphy and other styles of handwriting as a form of expression and a cultural touchstone. According to Master Penman and Academic Director, Michael Sull, "Handwriting is a window into a person's soul. You can see what they feel, you can see what they are passionate about, and it's done in a sense that's very individualistic."
Ink Academy will offer the following types of education to students around the world:
- Online education classes for students from beginner to advanced
- Online proficiency and Master's Certification Program
- Live workshops held at the headquarters in Berkeley, CA
- International retreats in Siena, Italy beginning in 2018
- Documentary series featuring calligraphy masters
The school's faculty members will provide personal mentorship to the students. As these mentors previously studied under other mentors, this will provide a link between current students and the calligraphy masters of the past, carrying on the rich history of calligraphy and the lettering arts. Faculty members include:
- Michael Sull - America's foremost living Spencerian Penman and Academic Director of Ink Academy
- Barbara Calzolari - first European Master Penwoman
- Pat Blair - White House Calligrapher
- Giovanni de Faccio - founder of the first modern Italian Calligraphic Association
- Tom Kemp - leader in formal brush writing
The Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign has a funding goal of $250,000. The goal is flexible, so the school will receive any funds raised by the end of the campaign. At the time of this release, the campaign had generated over $12,00 from more than 50 contributors.
About Ink Academy
Ink Academy is the first international calligraphy school, offering students access to both live and online courses, as well as a documentary series. All of these programs will be taught by calligraphy masters.