Jocelyn Curry

Art & Joie de Vivre

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As a retired lettering artist and illustrator, I still create a lot of visuals and have fun doing it. My website is a place I can post and share them from my Shoreline, Washington studio in my home.

Inspired by Bygone Writing: Contemporary Use of Script Calligraphy

November 23, 2025

Did I need a deep plunge into a new blog site, right when such a time-consuming challenge really didn’t fit into my crowded calendar? The answer, no surprise, is “no” but at least I was able to navigate the mind-befuddling process of transferring the data from my old platform to this new, AI-enhanced version of good ol’ WordPress. My previous experience of working on good ol’ WordPress wasn’t stellar, so I’m hoping to improve my relationship with it asap. So far I have been able to upload my seasonally appropriate squash painting! But now, HOW do I get rid of “Hello World!” which was placed there by Good Ol. I’m not sure about this, but I think Good Ol’s default tips will stay on this, my First Post until I figure out how to discretely remove them without being told “This is not a good idea.” At least I got my squash up on this new site for your viewing pleasure! Happy Thanksgiving :-).

FirehouseRed2007

Some clients become career-long favorites. Tamarack Cellars Winery in Walla Walla is one such favorite of mine. Several years ago I was contacted by Hornall Anderson Design Works in Seattle to do the delicate, antique-ish script for the wine varieties being produced by Tamarack. Ron Coleman, owner, has since regularly assigned me to do the successive names for all the labels of his highly acclaimed (and tastefully labeled) wines. Firehouse Red is a favorite blend. Click on the label to visit their website, read about their wines, and sense the integrity and personal warmth with which Ron runs his business.

A similar version of this handwriting style was used in this brochure published by Safeco Insurance Co. of Seattle. The original lettering was greatly enlarged to boldly state musical terms and city names featured in their publication.

Safeco brochure

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2 responses to “Inspired by Bygone Writing: Contemporary Use of Script Calligraphy”

  1. Molly Hashimoto Avatar
    Molly Hashimoto

    Hi Jocelyn,
    What a beautiful label–I love how the lettering works with the tamarack silhouette and the cartouche border.
    Molly

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  2. Sharon Birks Avatar
    Sharon Birks

    We just drank a bottle of this wine a couple of days ago with some good friends from my graduate school days. It tickled me to see you did the label – I wish I had read this before we drank it, but now I know!
    Sharon

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