Kalligraphina.ch - News & the past

Change

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 17:30:00 +0000

Anyone who visits my website from time to time will have noticed that nothing has appeared in the ‘News & the past’ section for quite some time. Well then...

To quote Albert Einstein: ‘The only constant in the universe is change.’ In my private life, I’ve been busier, and a lot has happened in my professional life too. Calligraphy was – and is – one of my great passions. I’ve tried to turn it into a source of additional income. That has worked out better at times, less well at others. The joy of beautiful writing is still very much there. My new slogan, “calligraphy & company”, also reflects this. On the one hand, my repertoire has long since expanded beyond just cards. On the other hand, the rhythm of this short rhyme is intended to reflect the melody and the beat – in other words, the music – that arises whilst writing.

Nevertheless, towards the end of last year, I decided to take up an exceptional opportunity for a fantastic job, which meant returning to full-time employment. My new role also demands a hundred percent attention. In this role, I express my creativity differently – more with my mind, strategically, tactically and through words. My creative work with letters, lines and brushstrokes has shifted to the weekends.

But don’t worry: I still indulge my passion for calligraphy, because it does me good; it puts me down to earth and brings me peace. And being able to share my enthusiasm for letters with others also gives me great joy! This means I will continue to organise courses and I plan to put my ideas for advanced courses into practice. I am still happy to accept commissions from those who can allow a slightly longer timeframe for completion. To ensure quality, I simply need a little more time. Thank you all for your understanding and support. Please feel free to contact me directly by email at info@kalligraphina.ch or via the contact form.

With warm greetings – Martina

kalligraphina cards at Anker Aarberg

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 11:28:00 +0000

What great news: stationery Anker in Aarberg has added my cards to its range. I'm bursting with joy! Many thanks to Gertrud, Thomas and Urs.

Papeterie Anker, owner Thomas Günther, Stadtplatz 27, 3270 Aarberg. Opening hours: Mon, 1.30–6.30 p.m. / Tue–Fri 8 a.m.–12 p.m. and 1.30–6.30 p.m. / Sat 8 a.m.–4 p.m.

Invitation card with a touch of glamour

Fri, 09 May 2025 12:13:00 +0000

At the end of last year, the father of a young girl who loves handwritten things approached me and asked if I would design the invitation cards for his daughter's confirmation.

Right from the beginning, the main colour was decided to be petrol green, the rest took shape over the following months. The loose and slightly wild meadow flowers were combined with the chosen text-design and went to print in a small edition. The customer wanted a tactile, elegant paper, so a grainy paper in off-white with a grammage of 260 g/m2 was chosen. The motif ran all the way around the card – it didn't just stop at the edge, but continued across the fold to the back. The finishing touch was then added by hand: each individual card was embossed with the word ‘Konfirmation’ shimmering in petrol green. The invitation text on tracing paper was written by father and daughter together before the cards were sent out with handwritten addresses. A very personal invitation card with a touch of glamour, perfectly suited to the occasion.

After the confirmation, the proud father showed me a picture of his daughter. The young woman had added the icing on the cake to this beautiful commission herself: with an enchanting dress in the colour – petrol!

When a shop window...

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 20:51:00 +0000

...becomes a small art exhibition.

Gertrud Günther from Papeterie Anker in Aarberg offered to hang some of my works on a side wall. Instead of ‘just’ this space, she now honours me with an enormous platform in the shop window. How lucky I am to receive so much appreciation and support!

On display at Stadtplatz 27 in 3270 Aarberg since 8th March 2025 for an unknown period of time. And maybe you still need one or two things from the specialised trade...

You are loved

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 08:01:00 +0000

'Something unique for someone very special.'

That's what I want to realise with my calligraphy. Like this four-page letter from a father to his son for his 18th birthday. I was asked to give form to the touchingly written words. The unconditional love expressed in it had a healing effect on me.

The feedback from my client says it all: his son said he had never received ‘anything so beautiful’. And that fulfils another maxim: to bring a smile to people's faces and hearts with what I love to do.

Winterheart Interlaken

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 19:42:00 +0000

The Kursaal Interlaken launched ‘Winterheart Interlaken’ this December. A Christmas market in the Kursaal garden, which you enter through an illuminated tunnel with an 8 metre high decorated Christmas tree in the middle. I was allowed to create the labelling for some of the exhibitor chalets - and of course I didn't miss the opportunity to visit them in their intended location. Until 22 December 2024.

A coincidence at a Thai restaurant

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 08:02:00 +0000

In April 2024, I met an acquaintance and his wife in a restaurant. This surprise was accompanied by the wonderful news that they were expecting their first child. They told me that they had already thought about me before meeting me that evening. They asked if I would like to design a birth card for the little one. Of course I wanted to! Five months later, Emilio was born and I was able to give the little family the text and drawing for their birth announcement.

The parents-to-be just told me the theme: forest/birch and hedgehogs/forest animals. I first sketched a few ideas and then worked closely with them to finalise the subject. Animals help each other to spread the good news. The original drawing will hang in Emilio's room.

Autumn mood in the "Sieberhuus"

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 16:45:00 +0000

The temperatures are dropping, the days are getting shorter, the leaves on the trees are changing colour...

In mid-October, artisans from the region meet at the "Sieberhuus" in Lyss and invite you to their autumn exhibition. With coffee and cake in the cafeteria. We are looking forward to it - see you there!

Handlettering lessons for beginners

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 19:00:00 +0000

For Sévérine Affolter, enjoyment, aesthetics and delicacies are part of the savoir-vivre. She offers all this in her boutique deliVino in Madiswil/BE. It is a great pleasure to give a two-part hand-lettering course in this enchanting local this October!
All important information as well as the registration option can be found under Events on the homepage of deliVino. No prevoius knowledge is necessary, the number of participants is limited.

Anniversary edition of the herb market

Sun, 21 May 2023 09:45:00 +0000

Although the temperatures were not exactly spring-like, about 4000 visitors found their way to Escholzmatt to the 10th Entlebuch Herb and Wild Plant Market. A competition was held to mark the anniversary. Participants could find the answers to the six questions about the Entlebuch on the boards set up on the market grounds. I had the honour of designing these.

Once again, in particular the encounters were a great enrichment, and the lively exchange at the stand made me very happy! Many thanks for stopping by, and especially to the visitors from Western and Eastern Switzerland!

More pictures of the Herb Market 2023 can be found here. The photos were taken by Sandra Steffen-Odermatt.

Large-format writing by hand was a new experience for me, and I had great fun doing it.