Bstudio Style Presents Suzanne Cunningham

So this time we proudly present to all our friends, pen enthusiast, authors, calligraphy lovers and more, our friend and an outstanding calligrapher, Suzzane Cunningham.

It is certainly a privilege to share with you our first interview of a woman artist and calligrapher with such a marvellous trajectory, simple, elegant, stylish, with impecable presence and perfect calligraphy.

I know it’s been a while that you haven’t heard from us, a lot of changes have been taking place in order to provide the best experience to our friends and followers into what we love.

We hope you enjoy this interview as much as we did!

You are always welcome to leave your comments and tell us about who will you like to read about in our interviews.

Sincerely yours,

Miguel A. Briones

“The Power of Thoughts”.

What was your first contact with calligraphy and how did it impact you?

My first contact with calligraphy was the Speedball Textbook, 19th edition. My mother was an artist and would do some Old English lettering from it. As a child, I would copy the letters from the Engrosser’s Script page with a pencil or ballpoint pen. I didn’t realize it was calligraphy I was copying, I just knew I wanted to create the same beautiful letters. 

When did you decide to make a career out of this field and what were the first challenges you faced?

I took samples of my calligraphy to several stationery stores in 1993 and began addressing wedding envelopes. There was no social media, so I had no advertisement except word of mouth. I had many brides that would save envelopes they had received from other weddings and would choose my work over other envelopes. This was a huge blessing and helped me get my name out to the public. 

What is the creative process like for you? Do you approach your personal and professional assignments differently?

The creative process depends mainly on what the client wants and how much freedom I have. My personal projects take much longer and are more in-depth because I am super picky since it’s for myself lol. Lots of pencil drafts, critiquing, going back and visiting the piece with fresh eyes, and finally inking (which sometimes takes several attempts). If I have time, I’ll completely redo a piece even though I haven’t made a mistake just because I know I can do it better the second time around. 

How did you find your first clients and what do you recommend for someone aiming to make calligraphy their profession?

Thanks to social media and 30 years of experience, I don’t have to find clients, they find me (yay!). For people who want to make calligraphy their profession, I suggest starting by showing your work on social media and trying to build your audience. Showcase the projects and pieces you’re interested in being paid to do, because those are the ones for which you’ll most likely get commissioned. 

Only about 35% of calligraphers are men, do you have any insights as to why this profession is more appealing to women?

Honestly, no. The only thing I can think of is that calligraphy (especially Copperplate, which is what I do) is very elegant, refined, and classic, which I feel tends to have a more feminine look. I usually see more men doing broad edge styles of calligraphy, like gothic and italics than pointed pen work. 

There is now an AI realistic handwriting generator, how do you feel about the development of these new technologies?

I personally don’t think AI will ever compete with the human hand that creates calligraphy. I can even easily tell a difference in the look of calligraphy done on an iPad in Procreate. There’s nothing that will equal an actual hand creating those beautiful swells and strokes on paper. 

How do you define the discipline of calligraphy and why it is important to preserve it?

I feel like learning calligraphy and mastering it is just like learning to play an instrument, for example, the piano. You have to start with learning the basic strokes in calligraphy just like you have to learn the keys and hand positions on the piano. You have to do drills in both calligraphy and piano to be proficient. I always tell my beginning students, the goal of the class is for your mind to learn how to make the strokes. With diligent practice over time, your hand will catch up. I think it’s so important to preserve calligraphy because it’s part of our history. It should be studied and learned, not forgotten. We should always learn about from where we came.

 Which is your most precious writing instrument? And which the favorite project you have worked on so far?

My most precious instruments are all of my pointed pens. I have a collection of around 50 from different pen makers and love them all for different reasons. They feel like an extension of my hand. My favorite project to date is designing my daughter’s wedding invitation suite a year ago. Hours upon hours went into it from the concept to the finished suite and I will forever treasure it. 

What is the response to your work that has moved you the most?

The thing that has moved me the most through calligraphy is the friends that I have made and the special moments with them. Calligraphy has allowed me to cultivate best friends with whom I have made great memories. It also led me to have a wonderful conversation with someone on their deathbed before passing. I will never forget that phone call. It wouldn’t have happened if not for the connection of calligraphy. 

About Mariana Briones our collaborator

Mariana Briones is a Mexican US based journalist and producer. She has published articles for magazines including Newsweek, Elle, Marie Claire and Cine Premiere, and has worked as line producer for Canal + and Television Espanola among other networks. 

Throughout her career she has interviewed over 100 international personalities including Sir Anthony Hopkins, Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, Clint Eastwood, Diane von Furstenberg, Bradley Cooper, Alex Wang and Oscar de la Renta.

Based in Miami Mariana is now a special editions editor for Ferraez Publications of America and a freelance PR constant. She recently launched Mariana Basso, an artisanal line of gold and silver plated accessories and decorative objects made by silversmiths in Mexico City. 

You can follow and contact Mariana in her IG account @marianabassodesignsand @agavediaries