Calligraphy by Raoul

Jacques Chesnais Quote

Posted on March 4, 2019 by raoulpat

Jacques Chesnais (1907 – 1971) was a French engraver, painter, illustrator and marionnettiste. His troupe, Les Comédiens de Bois de Jacques Chesnais, performed throughout Europe. A friend of mine who is a puppet enthusiast commissioned this piece.

Citation attributed to Jacques Chesnais
De tout temps les hommes ont cherché à pénétrer le mystère de la vie et à défaut à créer l’illusion de la vie. La marionnette reste bien la plus touchante et la plus parfaite réussite de cette auto-suggestion.
Translation: For ages men have sought to penetrate the mystery of life, or at least create the illusion of life. The puppet remains by far the most touching and most perfect achievement of this self-illusion.

I Remember Sky

Posted on November 29, 2018 by raoulpat

This song by Stephen Sondheim has always moved me. But given the recent wildfires that have obscured the sky of Northern California, the lyrics are particularly appropriate.

Posted in Calligraphy, Copperplate, LGBT Poets, Poetry, Pointed Pen, Songs | Tagged calligraphieanglaise, Calligraphy by Raoul, CansonMarkerPaper, Copperplate, copperplatecalligraphy, EveningPrimroseMusical, FearofReality, Fearoftheoutside, Pointed Pen, pointedpencalligraphy, Songsaboutmemory, StephenSondheimLyrics, StephenSondheimSongs, Watercolor, WinsorNewtonWatercolor | 3 Comments

Te Quiero Verde

Posted on November 11, 2018 by raoulpat

Verde que te quiero verde.
Verde viento. Verdes ramas.
El barco sobre la mar
y el caballo en la montaña.
Con la sombra en la cintura
ella sueña en su baranda,
verde carne, pelo verde,
con ojos de fría plata.
Verde que te quiero verde.

from Romance Sonambulo by Federico García Lorca.

On display at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center as part of Calligraphies in Conversation, through January 16th, 2019.

Posted in Blackletter, Calligraphy, LGBT Poets, Poetry, Pointed Pen | Tagged Acrylic Ink, Acrylic Mat Medium, Blackletter, calligraphy exhibit, Dreamsong, Gold Leaf, Oakland Asian Cultural Center, Pointed Pen, Spanish Poets, verde, Watercolor | 7 Comments

Sonnet XVIII

Posted on November 8, 2018 by raoulpat

Preparing for my copperplate demo at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center on Thursday, November 8th, 2018.
The text is from Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18, published 1609.
I also have a piece on display at the exhibit, which will be open until January 16, 2019.
For more information: https://www.calligraphies.org/2018-exh-opening
#calligraphiesinconversation #crossingboundaries #calligraphyexhibit, copperplatecalligraphy #calligraphieanglaise #pointedpencalligraphy #calligraphydemo #copperplatedemo #OaklandAsianCulturalCenter #liquidsumiink #cansonmarkerlayoutpaper

Posted in Calligraphy | 1 Comment

El Amor Duerme en el Pecho del Poeta

Posted on July 12, 2018 by raoulpat

In 1984, ABC brought to light the love sonnets of Federico García Lorca, making quite a stir. The sonnet The Beloved Sleeps on the Poet’s Breast, the next to the last in the series Sonnets of Dark Love, is the first in which he speaks of a male lover. In November, 1983, a clandestine edition of the sonnets came out. In March of the following year, ABC officially published his 11 sonnets, for the first time together and in their original order.

Translation:

You will never understand how much I love you.
Because you sleep in me and are asleep.
I hide you, crying, pursued by a voice of penetrating steel.

Posted in Blackletter, Calligraphy, LGBT Poets, Poetry | Tagged Blackletter, Calligraphie, calligraphy, El Amor Duerme en el Pecho del Poeta, LBGT Poets, Love Sonnets, Papyrus, Sonetos del Amor Oscuro, Spanish Poets, Sumi ink | 2 Comments

De Rerum Natura

Posted on June 17, 2018 by raoulpat

In his only surviving work De Rerum Natura (On the Nature of Things), the philosopher and poet Lucretius expounds on his theory that all matter is composed of tiny particles, making him the world’s second atomic physicist (Democritus, in fact, was the first.) My piece is on display as part of Kalligraphia XV at the San Francisco Public Library through 27 August 2018.

Translation by Dean Robino:

Thus the first things – atoms – are solid in simple singleness,
cohered from very small parts that were skillfully crowded together.
Not out of the union of their coming together
but their greater power in eternal singleness,
with things finally neither being torn away or made smaller
nature now gives way, reserving the seeds of matter.

Posted in Blackletter, Calligraphy, Quotes | Tagged Atomic Theory, Blackletter, Calligraphie, calligraphy, Calligraphy by Raoul, De Rerum Natura, Fraktur, Gold Leaf, Gothic, Gothique, Gouache, Ink stick, Kalligraphia XV, Lucretius, San Francisco Public Library, Sumi ink | 4 Comments

Jean-Théophane Venard’s Last Letter to his Father

Posted on March 5, 2018 by raoulpat

A missionary working for the French Foreign Missions in West Tonkin (northern Vietnam) Jean-Théophane Vénard was arrested and executed in 1861 for proselytism. During his captivity, he wrote inspiring letters to his family and superiors, demonstrating his outstanding faith. He was canonized in 1988. I was commissioned to do this piece. #jeanthéophanevénard #catholicmissionaries #christianmartyrs #calligraphy #calligraphybyraoul #calligraphie #copperplatecalligraphy #calligraphieanglaise #pointedpencalligraphy #winsorandnewtongouache #archestextwove

Posted in Calligraphy, Pointed Pen | Tagged archestextwove, Calligraphie, calligraphieanglaise, calligraphy, calligraphybyraoul, catholicmissionaries, christianmartyrs, copperplatecalligraphy, jeanthéophanevénard, pointedpencalligraphy, winsorandnewtongouache | 3 Comments

The Call of the Wild

Posted on January 3, 2018 by raoulpat

This quote from Jack London’s Call of the Wild always gives me goosebumps.

My calligraphy is on exhibit at the Saratoga Library through January 31st. I will be giving a calligraphy demo there, with other Pacific Scribes calligraphers, on January 20th, John Hancock Day. Please come to say hello and check out the artwork.

Posted in Blackletter, Calligraphy, Quotes | Tagged Blackletter, Calligraphie, calligraphy, Calligraphy by Raoul, Gold Leaf, Gothic, Gothique, Gouache, Jack London, Pacific Scribes, Saratoga Library, The Call of the Wild | 5 Comments

Speculating on the Nature of Transformation …

Posted on October 26, 2017 by raoulpat

This is a collaborative piece that I did with Delaney and Chin. A tree branch, a trowel and a toy truck carrying logs to the lumber mill are reminders of the gardening and landscaping projects that D&C do.

Posted in Calligraphy, Copperplate, Pointed Pen | Tagged Calligraphie, calligraphy, Calligraphy by Raoul, Copperplate, delaney and chin, Gold Leaf, Pointed Pen, Speculating on the nature of transformation | 6 Comments

Calligraphy on Prayer Wheels

Posted on September 7, 2017 by raoulpat

Doing gilded copperplate on steel prayer wheels for Delaney and Chin. This is the first time I have had to wear knee pads while doing calligraphy.

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" the mantra om Mani Padme hum invokes the spiritual power and blessing of Chenrezig, the embodiment of compassion." Dharma / Haven.org St Francis' prayer invokes balance and compassion in our daily lives. The action of turning the cylinder / prayer wheel upon which these prayers are written evokes blessings and healing 4 the person who is physically spinning the wheel of Dharma. This act is said to also benefit the community the person who is spinning the prayer wheel. Has anyone recognized what these metal cylinders are? @raoulpat #tibetanprayerwheel #outdoorart #spiritualart #artinthegarden #artinmotion #goldleafcalligraphy #goldleaf #copperplatecalligraphy #delaneyandchin #topherdelaney #calvinchin #recycledart #transformation #buddhism #prayer #powdercoating

A post shared by Topher Delaney (@topherdelaney) on Aug 31, 2017 at 6:50pm PDT