BREAKING the RULES
with Mike Gold
An in-person Workshop at Carnegie Mellon University
Saturday and Sunday, April 26 - 27, 2025 • 10am - 5pm
In this workshop, we examine the rules that guide formal hands in order to understand how and why to break those rules. Through a series of exercises, students will create non-traditional, informal, and even abstract letterforms and compositions in order to look beyond traditional, formal calligraphic styles.
Participants will practice with a variety of tools, writing surfaces, and media as they gain an appreciation for ways of lettering that may be more suitable for contemporary, commercial, personal, and fine art. Important layout and design strategies will be incorporated into the sessions, and the posting and sharing of individuals’ work will provide inspiration and feedback for all. Although appropriate for all levels, familiarity and experience with calligraphy is encouraged. A recording will be available to registrants for six months following the workshop.
INSTRUCTOR MIKE GOLD worked as a commercial lettering designer for over 35 years, mostly in the social expressions business. But his real passion is
exploring the corridors of calligraphy that have been less traveled, the path where words and letters are design elements with which to play with line, shape and form, where creating a visual statement is more important than writing a readable text. In both his professional and personal art, Mike breaks traditional rules to create contemporary, non-traditional work.
In addition to earning an M.A. in Visual Communications, Mike has studied with many outstanding lettering and design masters over the years. He has taught nation-wide in the US as well as internationally. His work has been featured in Letter Arts Review many times over the past 25 years, and he has also served 
as a juror for the Letter Arts Review annual. His work resides in many private collections, including the Berlin Calligraphy Archive. His book, Lines to Live By (available through John Neal, Bookseller) details Mike's take on being a non-traditional calligrapher in the 21st century. Mike is especially proud of the collaborative work and teaching he has done with Pittsburgh guild member and dear friend, Judy Melvin. To see more of Mike’s work, please visit his website:
https://www.mikegold-letterarts.com
or his Instagram @goldie2452.
Images courtesy of Mike Gold.
PLEASE NOTE: Our cancellation policy is detailed HERE
FOR DETAILED CMU PARKING INFORMATION, CLICK HERE
