For one glorious weekend in February, we were lucky to host master penman Michael Sull for four incredible workshops and a fundraising lecture. Nearly 50 people learned about the history of handwriting in America, the founding of the American spirit and the legacy of “cowboy” cursive, Spencerian. Spencerian penmanship was the United States’ defacto script style from 1850s to the 1920’s. Platt Rogers Spencer based this form in nature utilizing ovals which allowed for quick business correspondence and elegant personal writing. It allowed the individual to use self-expression in writing style, a departure from the English form of copperplate. It was the precursor to the Palmer method which most of us today learned in school. What goes around comes around, a new generation is discovering and some of us rediscovering this decidedly American style once again.
American Cursive
Beginning Spencerian
Flourishing
Ornamental Penmanship (Advance Spencerian)
Adventures in American Penmanship: lecture and book signing at the Plant Museum
Michael Sull is a master penman and author living in Mission, Kansas, United States. An expert on penmanship, he was Ronald Reagan's calligrapher after his Presidency and is known worldwide for his skill and teaching ability. He regularly teaches handwriting, calligraphy, and engrossing programs throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.
Considered America’s foremost living Spencerian penman, he is author of Spencerian Script and Ornamental Penmanship, Learning to Write Spencerian Script, and American Cursive Handwriting, and publishes various other educational materials focusing on pen writing. He also manufactures period style oblique dip pen equipment for use by penmen today.
He is academic director for the Ink Academy and ambassador for the Zaner-Bloser Company, which has produced educational language arts materials for 125 years.