Gallery

These photos are taken from the Endangered Alphabets Instagram feed. Click on an image to see it on Instagram.

endangeredalphas

And now, the right way up….. (Whistles in embarr

And now, the right way up….. (Whistles in embarrassment), I give you the proto-Cham Pallava script!

Of the 20 books I’ve written, this is still by f

Of the 20 books I’ve written, this is still by far the most original, the best looking, and contains the best of my thinking. Who knows how well it would have done if its publisher hadn’t decided, literally on the day when contracts were to be signed, to back out? So I published it myself, and the result was a wonderful book with nothing but rave reviews, but without a publicity machine or a marketing budget behind it. Sigh.

Not everyone knows what is involved in a book tour

Not everyone knows what is involved in a book tour, so I’ll explain. First, the new and long-awaited book arrives….

Sometimes the shadow alone writes the text. This i

Sometimes the shadow alone writes the text. This is the name of an eighth century Cham king written in one version of the amazingly ornate Pallava script. From a monument in what is now Vietnam, transcribed by Zafry Hadi and carved by yours truly.

Yes, this is, in fact, writing. Everything will be

Yes, this is, in fact, writing. Everything will become clear over the next few days….

A thing of beauty, eh? This is Bayarlalaa (thank y

A thing of beauty, eh? This is Bayarlalaa (thank you) in classical Mongolian script by Oyunaa Oyuntungalag. Carved by yours truly. But my calligraphy question is—what exactly does the wood grain add to the writing? I’d love some help putting it into words.

This will be my next carving. The script is 1300 y

This will be my next carving. The script is 1300 years old. They really, really don’t make writing like that any more.

“Bayarlalaa,” or “Thank you” in traditiona

“Bayarlalaa,” or “Thank you” in traditional Mongolian script, based on calligraphy by Oyunaa Oyuntungalag. This work has been keeping me sane since election night…..

At 9 pm I’m carving the word “bayarlalaa,” t

At 9 pm I’m carving the word “bayarlalaa,” the Mongolian for “thank you.” It’s a kind of prayer.

Work in progress.

Work in progress.

They don’t make writing like that any more. This

They don’t make writing like that any more. This is thousand-year-old Pallava script, which later would morph into the Cham script of Southeast Asia.

The most important word/phrase in any language: th

The most important word/phrase in any language: thank you. In this case, in Abenaki. Thanks to everyone who helped with my just-finished Kickstarter.

Instagram post 18286794385209954

Instagram post 18286794385209954

Had a wonderful time with two classes of fifth-gra

Had a wonderful time with two classes of fifth-graders at the Chamberlin School in South Burlington, showing them my working process and then presenting the school, in the person of art teacher Jennifer Goodrich, this carving in Abenaki. It translates as “We are still here.” Thanks to the WaterWheel Foundation for this opportunity.

Thanks to every who contributed in many different

“Earth hath not anything to show more fair…”

“Earth hath not anything to show more fair…”

Hey, my #calligraphic friends! I am going to be co

Hey, my #calligraphic friends! I am going to be compiling a slideshow of examples of calligraphy from all countries in all scripts for World Endangered Writing Day (January 23rd). Please send me links, names and images of your favorite work by your favorite calligraphers!

Hey, my Instagram friends who have been working so

A shout-out of thanks to everyone who is boosting

It was my pleasure and honor to present the Cabot

It was my pleasure and honor to present the Cabot Public Library (in the person of the director, Kathleen Hoyne) with one of my Abenaki carvings to display. It translates as “Language of the ancestors,” which is pretty much what the Endangered Alphabets Project is all about.

Load More... Follow on Instagram