#LearningViaCalligraphy with Kimberly Erin Calligraphy
An interview with Kim, the lovely lady behind Kimberly Erin Calligraphy. We're bringing you stories from our workshop attendees to see how they took what they learned to forge their own path to success.
Why did you take a beginner brush lettering workshop?
I have always been an artistic person, and as I got older I stopped making time for my creativity. I was working at an event and there was a Calligrapher writing custom name tags for guests. After 5 minutes of watching her write, I knew it was something I wanted to do. She recommended I take a workshop to get started and viola! I found Sylvia’s workshop and could not be happier with my decision to get started.
How did you start your business? What was your mindset at the time and where did you envision it would go?
I have a marketing and social media background, so that is where I started. After starting my calligraphy Instagram page and spending a few months just posting pretty quotes, I decided I wanted to turn my hobby into a business. The more platforms I have, the more ways people can find me. So, I started a website, Facebook page, and Pinterest page. After that, I started to make products that people might actually want to buy (through a lot of trial and error I might add) and that is when the business started to pick up!
What's the very first thing that you sold?
The first thing I sold was to my former boss! She was getting married that summer and ordered table numbers and place cards. It felt amazing to get that support from someone I used to work for. I was very proud of myself as I felt it was the start to something bigger.
What do you specialize in now?
Right now I am trying to focus on calligraphy for weddings and events. My favourite projects are signage. Whether it is a welcome sign or a seating chart, I love being a part of someone's special day! I am also starting to rent out some of my signage for the brides that want calligraphy at a lower price.
What's your advice to those who just finished taking a beginner brush lettering workshop?
Keep going! I think it is important to continue to practice, try different things and find out what you love to make. Find what makes your calligraphy unique and embrace it. I can get a little embarrassed when showing my work to people I know, but I have realized how important word of mouth is. The support of my friends and family has really helped my business grow! Also, get involved in the calligraphy community. I cannot begin to explain how kind and supportive my fellow calligraphers are! It is very encouraging to receive so much support from others on social media, sometimes I forget that I haven’t actually met them. Community over Competition.
You can find Kimberly at @ke.calligraphy on Instagram. You can also visit her Facebook page and her website at kimecalligraphy.com.
Visit the Via Calligraphy workshop page to stay up-to-date on all my upcoming events!