 An interview by Shirley Wineberg
January 2003.
SW: You are our Workshop Chairperson and newer member; we applaud your efforts for this worthwhile job.Your cheerfulness is another feature not to be overlooked. We are thrilled to have you with us.
TM: What a lovely thing to say! Thank you! I really enjoy my position as workshop chair. One of the best parts is getting to meet and interact with members on a regular basis. My life has truly been enriched as a result of these experiences.
SW: Please tell us a bit about yourself and what you do that is not related to calligraphy?
TM: Hmmmm..I always think of this as a loaded question...you mean there's more to life than art and calligraphy? Seriously, just about everything I do is art related, not counting mundane household chores. Perhaps that is a result of my involvement in art shows through the 90's. My husband and I made our living selling my work through art shows and street fests. This participation forced me to do calligraphy every day that I wasn't out selling it on the street.
Now that I no longer do shows, I am in more of a position of doing art for myself. I've also found myself doing lots of volunteering. In addition to my position as your workshop chair, I am also the workshop chair for Orange County and the administrator of CyberScribes. So far as other interests [are concerned], I LoVe to dance, listen to music, go for walks with my husband, Jim, and take naps Dreams are fertile soil for me, I often get ideas through dreams.
SW: What is your art backgro und?
TM: I've been intereste d in art and its many facets for as long as I can remembe r. I took oil painting classes very early on in life. I was also quite involved with ceramics and drawing. Fast forward to 1981, when I discover ed calligrap hy and was instantly hooked! In the recent past, I have studied color extensively as it has always been a love of mine. I was also quite involved in community college art classes, life drawing, figure drawing, color theory and painting before moving to Dana Point in 2000. I really miss my teachers there, but have found a very welcoming community here.
SW: Did someone influence you? Was there a divine moment?
TM: Lots of influence and lots of divine moments...Calligraphically, I have been inspired and influenced by my studies with Charles Pearce, Michael Clark, and Glen Epstein. Each of these fellows approaches his work from a different angle, and I have been blessed by  having creative relationships with them. My color teacher, Judy Morley, in San Mateo has been a huge influence on my artistic path. The wealth of experience this woman has amazes me...I will forever be grateful for having encountered such a generous soul who approaches her art from a spiritual level.
I have studied with many people over the course of the years. In addition to the many weekend workshops I've taken, having attended ten conferences has afforded me the opportunity to study with many great teachers!
SW: Do you have a favorite lettering hand?
TM: Absolutely...gotta be Roman caps! I fell in love with Roman caps at the1995 conference and have been studying and practicing them ever since.
SW: What about a favorite tool besides a paint brush?
TM: My Mitchell 6! I LoVe writng Roman caps with my Mitchell 6! I've beenaddicted to that for several years now. I try to practice my lettering everyday. I find practicing a great way to jumpstart ideas. I also love my Ruling Writer because it's a wonderfully expressive tool.
SW: Is there a workshop you wish you could take? Why?
TM: I would have loved to take a class with Dick Beasley. So many calligraphers were inspired and influenced by him. But I count myself fortunate to have spent time with other great teachers who are no longer with us like Fran Sloan and Leana Fay.
SW: What are you involved in creatively at the moment?
TM: Lots of things! Sometimes I have too many things going on at once! My father used to say I should be two people. Being a Gemini, I think that would be only fair! I always have a calligraphic canvas in progress and more ideas than I have time to process. Currently, I spend a good deal of time teaching. I absolutely LoVe teaching! I'm extremely excited about "Coloring Books- the Sequel" because of this book idea that has been floating around in my head. Developing the class gives me further motivation to bring this book to fruition. The vision in my head excites me, but I need to make it through a little bit of engineering first!
SW: What are your thoughts on letterforms as an artistic expression?
TM: I have always said that calligraphy is one of the richest artforms there is. Our work can be applied to any medium: canvas, clay, metal, sculpture...no medium is safe! Neither do I sit on the fence of whether calligraphy is art or craft. I believe that calligraphy is most definitely an art, one that allows us to express ourselves in a variety of ways.
SW: Do you have any comments or advise you wish to make, about SDFC, for instance?
TM: My first impression of the SDFC was “what a dynamic group!”—one that I wanted to become involved with...and now I am!!
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