Our Annual Holiday Lecture!

Carl Rohrs

The Book Arts & Special Collections Center presents The Annual Holiday Lecture "And I Stole This From …”: Sources of Inspiration; A Slide Lecture by Carl Rohrs. Please join us on Saturday, December 11, 2010, 2 to 4 p.m. in the Latino-Hispanic Meeting Room, Lower Level, Main Library, Civic Center. This program will feature an eclectic collection of lettering from a wide variety of calligraphers, lettering artists, graphic designers and typographers, from European masters—Rudolf Koch, F. H. Ernst Schneidler, Georg Trump, Villu Toots—to contemporary American scribes—Rick Cusick, John Stevens, Georgia Deaver, Julian Waters. With examples drawn from research in libraries, museums and artists’ studios around the world, Carl traces the sources of inspiration which have influenced his own work and the resulting transformation into a highly original personal expression.

Calligraphy by Carl Rohrs

Carl Rohrs is a lettering artist, graphic designer and typographer. He was introduced to the art of calligraphy while a student of Reese Bullen at Humboldt State University, Arcata, California, in the 1970s. After graduation, with an interest in building on his knowledge of letter forms, Carl pursued a career as a sign painter, eventually establishing a well-known and highly successful sign business in Santa Cruz, California. Apart from his sign business, he also continued his study of calligraphy, at first learning through books and solitary practice, later studying with a variety of teachers in workshop settings. Eventually he became a teacher himself; for almost thirty years he has taught at Cabrillo College, in Aptos, expanding his repertoire from calligraphy to include classes in graphic design and typography. He also maintains an active schedule as guest workshop teacher for calligraphy societies throughout the United States and in Europe, Japan, Australia and South Africa. Over time Carl has developed a distinctive calligraphic style which is highly acclaimed for its originality and vitality of form, using both the pen and the brush, and drawing inspiration from historic and contemporary sources. He is represented in many collections, including the Library’s Harrison Collection of Calligraphy & Lettering in the Book Arts & Special Collections Center.



Carl Rohrs at work