Bringing Life to Words
Commissions ♦ Engraving ♦ Teaching ♦ Original Works
A Path of Failures
An artist book by Debby Reelitz
I often get the question, “How long does an artwork take to create?” I often give a very mixed answer. In the case of this book, it was 12 years in the making. I made the backgrounds in a workshop with Laurie Doctor in 2013 and lettered the text in January 2024. This winter, I wrote these words as a reflection on my creative process.
Finding the balance between patience and impatience is a trick for me. Sometimes I do need to wait for the right text to come forth. Sometimes I need time for my skills to develop. Sometimes, honestly, most times, I need to stop second-guessing an idea and just letter. That’s where being impatient is really valuable too.
Exploring Global Manuscripts
Thanks to two grants from the Southern New England Apprenticeship Program, I have been privileged to study manuscripts from around the world with Lavell Thompson, Merri Klar, Amelia Kearney, Maria Adams, Aisha Edwards, Jennifer Thorpe, Sue Lavoie and Asa Ettienne-Modeste. I look forward to continuing this research and developing my illumination skills by learning more about manuscripts from Africa, the Middle East, Tibet, Central America and China.
In the Winter of 2024, I will be offering a 6-week class, Building Illumination Skills: African inspirations.
The Southern New England Apprenticeship Program is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and supported by Connecticut Humanities, the Connecticut Historical Society, the Connecticut Office of the Arts (DECD), and the Mass Cultural Council.
Calligraphy
Debby Reelitz is an experienced calligrapher with 25 years as a professional lettering artist. Throughout the calligraphy sections, you’ll find an array of works from simple to complex, architectural to ephemeral, elegant to playful. Enjoy!
Engraving
Engraving services are available for brand activations, retail events, on-site calligraphy or engraving and weddings throughout the Northeast and beyond. Debby has extensive teaching and public speaking experience and is looking forward to representing your product or personalizing a gift and making it unique!
Gallery
Fun Organic Shirts, which emerged out of Debby’s studio, has a great line of hemp and organic cotton or bamboo shirts. With fun phrases like, “Whoever Smiles Wins” and “Powered by Kale”.
A selection of calligraphic prints, ornaments and originals are available at her Etsy shop, dreelitz.
Teaching
In 2002, Debby started teaching calligraphy at the West Hartford Art League and hasn’t stopped teaching since. Her passion for keeping this beautiful art form alive fuels her efforts to develop teaching methods that make this challenging art form accessible to more people, both youth and adult.