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The Edward Johnston Foundation’s Fifth Ditchling Annual International Seminar took place over the weekend of 13/14/15 May 2005. Our international speaker this year was the distinguished type designer Gerard Unger from the Netherlands. The renowned designer and writer Ken Garland lectured on Harry Beck's London Underground Map, a design icon of our age and Gerald Cinamon talked about the legendary German calligrapher Rudolf Koch, the subject of his recent book. Gerald Fleuss discussed the technical side of Edward Johnston's maxims on formal penmanship and this was examined further in the work of modern-day practising calligraphers Patricia Gidney, Gareth Colgan and Christopher Haanes, all Fellows of the prestigious Society of Scribes and Illuminators. The final speaker was the distinguished lettercarver Richard Kindersley HonFRIBA.

Ditchling lies in glorious Sussex countryside under the escarpment of the South Downs. The village was the home of Edward Johnston, Eric Gill and the community which was to make its name world-famous among those who value the tradition of fine letterforms. The EJF's annual international seminars are gaining a reputation as a relaxed and informal gathering for the widest spectrum of lettering interests.

Venue: Ditchling Village Hall

PROGRAMME

FRIDAY 13 MAY

7.30pm Visit to Ditchling Museum’s current exhibition 'Taking a Line for a Walk; John Wells - Works on Paper' (John Wells was a member of the 'St Ives School' of artists.) This is followed by a lecture by Wells expert Matthew Rowe, Curator of the Towner Art Gallery, Eastbourne.

8.30pm Fish and chip supper at The Bull

SATURDAY 14 MAY

10.30am Coffee.

10.45 Welcome to Ditchling: Introduction by Chairman of the seminar, Peter Guy

11.00am Ken Garland The design of Harry Beck's London Underground diagram
with special reference to the use of Johnston's 'Underground Railway Sans'.

12.30pm Lunch Break

2.00pm Gerard Unger: Letters are things, not pictures of things

3.15pm Interval

3.30pm Gerald Cinamon: Rudolf Koch

4.45pm Conclusion

5.00pm Local visit (yet to be arranged)

7.30pm Buffet supper with a classical guitar recital by Rebecca Baulch

SUNDAY 15 MAY

10.30am Gerald Fleuss: Formal Penmanship; the legacy of Edward Johnston

11.45am Formal Penmanship pt II ; a survey of the work of three calligraphers, Patricia Gidney from the UK, Gareth Colgan from Ireland and Christopher Haanes of Norway

12noon Discussion

1.00pm Lunch

2.15pm Coffee

2.30pm Richard Kindersley: Why Standing Stones?

3.45pm Conclusion

During the intervals: Demonstration by Christopher Elsey of the techniques of signwriting and the chance for delegates to try their hands. Calligraphy demonstrations by Christopher Haanes

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