Claudette Non, Calligrapher
“There are certain things lefties are gifted with, like a natural hook when bowling or a natural writing angle in calligraphy.”
Claudette Non has been an artist and craftsman for most of her adult life. She enjoys working with various media, from watercolor and acrylics to leather and fabric. Her favorite and specialization, however, remains to be pen and ink. She has been practicing calligraphy for nearly four years and has received training from some of the most celebrated penmen of our time including Eleanor Winters, Anne Elser, and MP Michael Sull. She worked on several calligraphy projects for Rustan's as well as up and coming local fragrance brand, Sparrow.
Claud, a lefty for most her life, is also an avid collector. She has a respectably sized collection of antique fountain pens, a surprisingly large cache of art and craft supplies, and a near embarrassing number of Funko Pops. When she's not busy creating, she is either traveling or taking care of her 8 dogs at home.
We talked about her life as a left-hander and her journey as a calligrapher.
Describe your path to becoming an artist and a craftsman?
Ever since I was young, I was always drawn to arts and crafts. I took art lessons when I was kid during some summer breaks. I always had art materials handy at home. When inspiration hit or if I felt I needed a break, art was something I usually turned to. Though the medium varied from time to time, this was a constant until I reached adulthood.
What’s the earliest memory you have when you noticed that you are left-handed?
Learning how to write when I was a child.
Did you get support growing up as a left-handed?
I never got scolded or reprimanded nor was I forced to use my right hand to write. I just did what I was naturally inclined to.
Any challenges along the way as a lefty?
I would say there have been a few, but nothing I would consider major. Eating at a crowded table could be challenging since I use my left hand to hold my spoon. It’s hard to eat while bumping into other people’s elbows, so I usually opt to sit at the end of the table. Writing at right-handed desk in school was a challenge. Writing and not smearing ink is still a challenge up to now.
How did you get into calligraphy?
We were taught gothic calligraphy in high school and that sort of stuck. I continued to practice it even after we finished the course in school. I picked it up again a few years ago when calligraphy started getting popular once again.
How was it training with your mentors (Eleanor Winters, Anne Elser, and MP Michael Sull)?
Each class has been a great experience. All of them have different expertise, teaching methods and styles. While each class is jam-packed with information, you feel the time to learn is never enough. The little details you miss when you watch videos or read books, they easily catch and correct. You feel their passion when they talk and you get a different level of appreciation for the craft.
You can find her work on her instagram account: @leftylligraphy. Learn and meet her in person in our Left-Handed Calligraphy Workshop this September 28, 2019. You can find all the details here.