Today we’d like to introduce you to Emma Vonder Haar.
Hi Emma, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I learned calligraphy during my senior year of college at Truman State University. I was in a graphic design program and had a class assignment to create a mock magazine about anything in the design or art world. I was really interested in calligraphy and hand drawn type and decided to teach myself calligraphy to create enough work for the mock magazine I was creating. Through (a lot of) trial and error, I created enough work to photograph and fell in love with the art of creating letters by hand. I continued practicing calligraphy every day, relishing in the opportunity to get away from the computer screen and just write. I ended up needing to take notes with my left hand in my other classes because I was practicing so much calligraphy!
I graduated from Truman and went on to intern on the internal design team at Southwest Airlines in Dallas, Texas. My team there knew that I had a skill in creating type by hand and assigned me to projects where I could incorporate calligraphy into my designs for Southwest. I hand-lettered a t-shirt with the NATO alphabet that was then sold in the Southwest store and created posters that adorned the walls of Southwest HQ. My mind was blown that I could use this skill that I loved so much in a corporate design setting.
I moved back to St. Louis after my internship as all of my friends were getting married. I started doing the calligraphy for their wedding invitations. Word spread and I started taking on weddings, chalkboards, and other freelance calligraphy projects. In 2017, a florist friend (Silvia Dadian-Smith at Snapdragon Studio) asked me to teach a calligraphy workshop in her studio and I nervously agreed. I wrote down all of the things I wish I knew when I was first learning calligraphy that I thought could help beginners. I taught my first calligraphy workshop to a group of beginners and loved getting to share my love for calligraphy with others. I couldn’t believe that I could “nerd out about letters” for two hours and call it work.
I’ve continued to teach workshops since 2017, teaching at venues all throughout St. Louis like Bowood Farms, Maypop, Wild Carrot, St. Louis Art Supply, and more. I try to partner with small businesses and hidden gem event venues to bring in more foot traffic. I still love working with beginners and believe that truly anyone can learn calligraphy. I tell my students that not even good handwriting is required! I do have one big rule in all of my classes, and that is that there is no negative self talk allowed. I strive to create a supportive, uplifting space for students and there’s no space for criticism within that environment. I still love working with beginners just as much as I did in my first workshop!
Today, I’ve stepped back from wedding calligraphy (though I have a network of talented wedding calligraphers if you’re in need of one!). I work full time as a freelance live calligrapher, at luxury retailers, corporate events, brand activations, and private celebrations to personalize items through calligraphy and engraving. A live calligrapher creates a live, interactive art experience for guests, almost like a caricature artist, but instead of drawing your face, I’m writing your name, and instead of a piece of paper, I’m personalizing a favor or gift for you to keep. I work with clients like Louis Vuitton, Kendra Scott, lululemon, Macy’s, as well as advertising and marketing agencies and corporate event planners. I love this element of my work because I get to personalize items with calligraphy, entirely by hand, and get to see the joy and delight when guests realize that what’s being created is happening right in front of them. It’s another way for me to share my love of creating letters by hand.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The biggest challenge is carving out a path that’s not necessarily set. There’s no corporate ladder to climb for a calligrapher!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As a live calligrapher, I specialize in three main services: calligraphy, engraving, and pyrography. Calligraphy (in this sense, not the formal definition) is the broad umbrella of applying ink with a traditional pointed pen, brush, or oil/paint pen. This is the most versatile of service, and can be applied on just about any surface. Most of my traditional calligraphy work is on paper, but I’ve added calligraphy to bags, on shoes, on ceramic beer steins … the list goes on.
The second service I provide is engraving. This is the process of using an electric drill to etch into the surface of an item, usually glass or metal. This is a highly technical skill – I had been a calligrapher for six years before learning to engrave, and it was a steep learning curve. I took a class and practiced on all of the glass recycling I could. Even then, I didn’t feel comfortable taking on a live engraving event until I had four years of engraving experience under my belt. There’s a huge margin for error (you can’t erase!) and typically very limited time to draft at a live event. Live engraving is amazing for items like fragrance bottles, champagne flutes, and other metal or glass items.
The third service is general pyrography – using a heat tool to impress into a surface. I offer hot foiling, where I press a piece of heat activated foil into a surface to leave a metallic impression, and blind debossing, where I apply the heat tool into leather or wood to leave an impression.
What sets my work apart is the emphasis on the experience. My goal is to make every single person I work with feel seen, heard, and valued. The way that I do that just happens to be through calligraphy. The work that I do is a true delight to guests and a powerful way to create connection. I love getting to work with event planners and producers to bring their vision to live (no idea is too out there!) and it’s so fun to see it all come together at an event. Calligraphy is such an unexpected element at any event and just makes the guest experience so much more special.
What I’m most proud of is building a career around something that feels both personal and meaningful. My work blends design thinking with craftsmanship, creativity with human connection. Whether I’m teaching a beginner their first downstroke or personalizing an item at a high-end event, my goal is always the same: to share the beauty of calligraphy and remind people that there is something truly special about creating, and receiving, something made by hand.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I got a D in handwriting in second grade!
Pricing:
- Beginner calligraphy workshops start at $55
- Live calligraphy services start at $800
Contact Info:
- Website: https://emmavonderhaar.com
- Instagram: @emma.vonderhaar
