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Celtic Knots:
Draw Near to Spiritual Depth with Dots, Lines, and Squares
with Brian Dench
Back by popular demand!
If you can draw a dot, a line, and a square, you fulfil the prerequisites for this course and will be drawing a basic knot in minutes – guaranteed. If you thought you couldn’t draw, you are in for a surprise! No art experience required.
First you will learn a straightforward 12-step method of drawing “interlace” – weave-like designs popularly known as Celtic knots. Then you will learn step-by-step how to transform the knots into a variety of increasingly complex weaves using only simple alterations of the basic method: it’s a symphony of theme and variations! The expanded repertoire will unlock the secrets of scribes, artists, and doodlers the world over dating back to the 7th century BCE.
This class is all about pattern creation: the technique is adaptable to sculpture, knitting, carving, quilting, stained glass, jewellery, rubber stamping, tattooing ... or doodling!
2 Levels – 1 workshop: Beginners and Experienced
Like the good old days of the 2-room schoolhouse, this is a 2-level class: first-timers will get to peek into how deep the basics can get while the experienced, listening in on the basics, will refresh their skills for the labyrinthine brain-teasers ahead. Everyone will get lots of individual attention and you will take away as many innovative ways to create these patterns as we can possibly squeeze into a week.
You will learn how to deconstruct historic knots such as those in the books of Durrow, Kells, and Lindisfarne Gospels, enabling you to generate those patterns or construct your own new designs. The method is, among many things, a technique for jump starting creativity (not only for knots), a calming connectivity both spiritually and intellectually, and a meditative curiosity. From the study of why knotwork populates gospel manuscripts, chalices, eucharistic vestments, altar carvings, floors, mosaics, crosses and tombstones, you will draw spiritual insights from this class.
Bonus: it’s fun! And suitable for any level of ability: absolute beginner to experienced professional. The supply list will be posted here:.
Please bring a supply of blank paper. The must have is black hard-pointed felt tip marker pens (several, fine or medium). Also bring coloured markers, pencils or crayons or colouring media. For experienced level, tracing paper will be necessary to study and do the reverse engineering of knots from historic manuscripts to understand how they were put together - and then reconstruct them ourselves!
WHAT IS A CELTIC KNOT?
- See a collection of examples here ».
- It is also known as "interlace" - examples here ».
- Knots are present in widely known Anglo-Saxon gospel manuscripts (Durrow, Lindisfarne, Kells...) - examples here »
- Pictured right, a late Saxon stone carving known as the Brompton Cross. Many Saxon stone sculptures feature a wide variety of interlace carving. See the online version of a Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture (Durham University) here » / with an enormous bibliography here »
BRIAN DENCH calligrapher and former president of the Calligraphic Arts Guild of Toronto, is a graphic designer for print and the web. He is author of The Knotty Book, and has conducted workshops since 1988. His MDiv (1974) is from Trinity College, Toronto.
Course Fee: $300
Sponsored by Sorrento Centre
Typical day's schedule at Sorrento here »
Register for this course here »
LINKS
- Brian's Twitter on net resources related to celtic knots here »
- This course: an 8.5 x 11 poster "emailer" (281k .jpg) of the image below - download »
- This course: a high-resolution print version pdf (2.8 MB) of the image below - download »
- The List: all the emailers/printable pdfs for this year's courses - here »
