Kris MacDonald presents Insular Majuscules from start to finish, all inclusive, 2 hours to learn to appreciate the Book of Kells which Kris used as her exemplar. Beginning with a geography / history lesson of where this manuscript originated, her early workshop experience with Mark Van Stone, and ultimately putting pen to paper, this program moves quickly. Kris is fun and personable and puts you at ease with her Tiara of Shamrocks since it’s the day before St Patrick’s Day when everyone is Irish.

She has a unique talent to be able to letter, demonstrating a stroke or shape and telling you exactly what she is doing so you can see and hear. Pen angle from 0 degrees to slightly more, where’s the “thin”, how to add the arrow with the corner of the nib – all tips as she’s making the stroke. Then she follows up with a walk through to see if the students understand what she is teaching. She observes and is able to show and express what needs to be done to make the letter more like the exemplar. Finishing with a fast but effective knot lesson, thanks to an excellent handout (as were the lettering exemplars) this meeting program was fun, educational, superbly done.