This month’s featured artist is one of the people I met through volunteering. She’s part of the KFK Collective; none other than Kate Quebrar!
Featured Artist of the Month: Kate Quebrar
I have been very vocal about volunteering for events related to art. It started with Type Kita: Pass on the Passion and then with Parkfest PH. Through these, I’ve met wonderful people who are also artists. From those events, we have been supporting each other like a family of calligraphers and dreamers who is moving forward with the craft in our hearts.
One particular person is Kate Quebrar. This girl has become a muralist (a term I coined for people who do murals) for artwork in her hometown, to some notable establishments in the metro. I’m lucky enough to feature her here.
Getting to Know Kate Quebrar
Name
Kate Quebrar
What made you start with this craft?
I remember when I was still a kid, I really loved to draw fancy letters, and doodles, then make my own stationeries. I would even hang my artwork outside our house and “sell” them. 😌
It lasted until my high school years when I’d keep journals too seriously. So I guess that kind of led me to the direction as well I suppose.
How long have you been doing this craft?
I started doing formal calligraphy a little over two years ago.
Why did you pursue it?
I think lettering/typography is already a part of my history. It has always been there. It’s hard to throw away a part of your history. I’ve always loved anything that has to do with letters and words.
More About Kate
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQajHXOD8gu/?taken-by=qvebrar
Did you have struggles in pursuing the craft? If yes, could share it with us, please?
I did have struggles. Modern calligraphy is totally different from the lettering. I wanted to pursue modern calligraphy more since I’m fascinated by how it looks. I didn’t have the right resources and didn’t know who to ask or how to do it. I had to do my own research and figure things out on my own.
A friend gave me a calligraphy set as a Christmas gift but I realized after a few rounds of practice that I’m using it wrong. Luckily, my boss told me that he has a friend who holds a calligraphy workshop and that I should enroll myself if I really wanna pursue it—which I did. (The workshop was held by Mica Samar, Mischel Ocier, and Isabelle Ocier of the Pencasso Project) It was the first and last workshop that I attended.
Favorite quote?
Fake it until you make it.
This is my favorite mantra in calligraphy. You just gotta believe you can do it until you eventually can!
Top 3 favorite tools?
- Dip pen
- Brush pen
- Crayola tip markers
If you are to share your tips and tricks with newbies, what would those be?
You’re gonna cringe at your calligraphy at first because it looks like worms but you’re definitely gonna love those worms eventually! Just keep practicing, and hold on to your drills!
Also, it wouldn’t hurt if you look inspirations around—try to follow their style until you get to explore different strokes and eventually find your own style when you have found your own style, work on that and master it until you’re ready to move on to the next style.
If you were to describe the craft in three words, what will those be?
Rough but satisfying.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPKLCmAj-77/?taken-by=qvebrar
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I adore calligraphy but just haven’t had time to actually get in there and DO any for a few years. Too many fingers in too many pies. There’s just something so satisfying about hand lettering something special. Now I am feeling inspired and I’m off to dig out my calligraphy set! Thanks. 🙂
As usual, this reminds me of my pending calligraphy practices. Anyway, your features artist for the month has such beautiful smile. She radiates the enthusiasm and love for her craft. Indeed you’re lucky to have met her.
I would want to see some of her mural works. I find doing murals more difficult than calligraphy as you need to finish a post with colors to see its real beauty. Doing murals as well is so inspiring as it makes the place inviting and just artistic.
Cringe about the worms but eventually loving them – I absolutely loved this statement. It is like a mother speaking about her own child. In this case her creation is her child. I am going to try this , definitely seems worth the effort.
I remember my first and also my last calligraphy workshop. Though the experience was not the same. It was my last because it was so hard and I gave up. Thus, every time I meet Calligraphers, I have too much respect for them because what they are doing is not easy.
And even if I can’t do it myself, I still continue to admire it. Glad there are artists now who accepts commissioned work.
Awww! That was cute! Makes me want to pursue that long overdue plan of learning calligraphy. I seriously wanted to do hand lettering and watercolor painting. They look so adorable and shabby! She’s an inspiration 🙂
She looks nerdy to me. Obviously she’s up her game. I love her keen eye on details. It can be shown on the clean and minimalist approach she did for the phone case.
I just love reading promising people with great talents! Calligraphy is something that I really want to try I just dont know where to start. Kate’s work shown on this post were reaaly good! Lovung the cases, very promising!
Kate has a promising talent, good thing she really pursue what she wanted. Calligraphy is something that I really want to try I just dont know where to start. Kate’s work shown on this post were reaaly good! Lovung the cases, very promising!
I also have a friend who travels a lot to do murals both here and abroad. He’s actually an art activist. My boys and I once joined him and other volunteers to paint a mural in UP. It was about dolphins and their need for freedom. maybe you can feature him here also in the future. His name is AG Sano. 🙂
You just gotta believe you can do it until you eventually can.. I completely agree with this one and I guess it is not just applicable for calligraphy alone… it is actually a great mindset to motivate yourself that you can do things beyond what you think is your limitation! Kudos to Kate for having such wonderful talent.. i think making murals is quite a challenge and tricky because they are painting on a a large canvas right?
What I noticed with calligraphers these days is that, when they were young, they loved making doodles or lettering. It’s great to know that such people followed their passion. And truly interest alone is not enough to succeed. One should have the initiative to improve one’s craft through investing in materials as well as practicing every day. Anyway, it’s great to know another inspiring person.
Calligraphy is something I have been wanting to try. But I am afraid I don’t have any talents for handwriting. Kate Quebrar’s works don’t look rough to me. I think they are well-executed. I’m glad I read about her on your blog! She got some great tips for us who are interested in the craft!
Calligraphy is also a great stress reliever. It helps you concentrate. I have a friend who is into calligraphy and this has made her focussed in her life. If we just pursue the passion for calligraphy then money, I guess , would follow automatically.