Angi Phillips is an artist, calligrapher, designer and teacher. She has shared her diverse array of calligraphy styles with over 1,900 hundred students through her in-person workshops. Her design studio, Angelique, Ink, focuses on her distinctive approach to modern calligraphy – offering calligraphy for events as well as custom lettering for branding, advertising and products. We caught up with Angi ahead of her Intermediate Calligraphy GuestJam class on October 17th to see what influences her beautiful style!
My name is Angelique and I am amused by the little things.
My craft of choice is calligraphy and I started my calligraphy journey when I was 12 years old
I get my inspiration from poetry, trees and wood, and from people’s love stories.
My favorite supplies are my trusty Blackwell oblique pen holder, a Hunt 22 nib, and some luscious Finetec metallic inks.
My favorite thing about crafting is producing something I’m proud of – even if it takes much more time than anticipated or more iterations than I’d care to admit. In the end I love discovering the possibilities available at our fingertips that make you feel capable when you thought you weren’t.
What I love most about CraftJam is that it’s a dedicated space that encourages people to come as they are, ready to discover!
My best tip for teaching someone a new craft is to slow your roll.
The best advice I’ve ever received is from a wise sage and mentor, Monkwood: you don’t owe anything to all those people on the internet. Your duty is to your clients and yourself. Everyone can have their opinions and you don’t have to please everyone.
I get out of a creative rut by changing my environment while staying productive with my hands. I like to go to the garage and do a little woodworking, to free my mind for a while, still engaging my hands and giving room to create something – even if it’s small or not very good, I’m usually inspired in some way when I’m finished.
My top three favorite Instagram accounts for creatives are @suzcunningham because she is just the kindest soul and most skilled calligrapher I know; @monkwood_ my mentor both in woodworking and navigating life, his vision, words, work and creativity will inspire anyone to see through different eyes; and @nayyirah.waheed because her words and poetry are some of the most powerful and soul-stirring, moving words that always challenge and inspire me in life and in work.
My favorite things about running my own business is the freedom to grow as an artist as new projects arise, and being my own boss.
The hardest thing about running my own business is that it’s tough to run all aspects of a small business well – I tend to want to do everything myself, but knowing when to outsource or ask for help is essential, and something I have to keep learning to do.
The most important part of my business is my clients. I love my clients, making them happy and being given the freedom to create beautiful and unique things for them.
And we couldn’t resist asking Angi a few questions about her upcoming Intermediate Calligraphy class in October!
What are you most looking forward to with your CraftJam class?
I am so excited to bring my intermediate class to the east coast! This means I’ll get to meet and hang out with some awesome fellow calligraphers who share a passion for this art that I love, and we’ll get to do some really fun nerdy calligraphy geek things together.
What do you want you students to walk away from your class with?
I always want my students to feel both challenged and encouraged. We’ll do some challenging exercises that might be out of the comfort zone, and hopefully they’ll each walk away with a goal to refine their skill in one or more areas, and having learned how to get there.
What motivates you to teach and share your skills?
I had no idea I was a teacher until I was convinced to teach my first class – and it is the students who I share these hours with, who tell me they are forever changed because of my classes that motivates me to teach. I love seeing something “click” for someone, or seeing a student break out from a particular struggle, or simply find joy in seeing that they can do something they didn’t think they could.
What are you looking forward to learning this year?
I’m excited to learn some different art forms – particularly hoping to get into some abstract art and take the next step in learning pottery!
*Tickets for this GuestJam are sure to go fast so make sure to secure your spot in Angi’s one-of-a-kind calligraphy class!