For the love of handwriting!
Perhaps I'm showing my age by talking about the beauty of receiving something handwritten! having just had a rather milestone birthday, it was wonderful to open a variety of cards from friends and family overseas and recognise that unique scrawl on the envelope that told me it was from them!
I love to see what colour; design, art and sentiment they have chosen for their card to me.
Growing up we had a big, messy kitchen dominated by an Aga cooker that usually had a Great Dane and a cat or two stretched in front of it and every overhead cupboard was covered in cards and postcards sent from friends and family from around the world. It was a gorgeous riot of art and colour.
In my kitchen now here at Bird in France art, above my sink I have a collection of my favourite cards pinned on the wall. It is my joy wall and the perfect view to take my mind off the washing-up! I have a similar collection amongst the gallery on the wall above my easel in the studio.
But going back to thoughts about handwriting I was shocked to read these words by the journalist Christine Rosen "We are far more likely to use our hands to type, swipe, than pick up a pen. But in the process we are in danger of losing cognitive skills, sensory experience and a connection to history."
She has written a book called The Extinction Of Experience - reclaiming our humanity in a digital world. Published by Bodley Head.
Research has shown that we retain information better when we write by hand because the slower speed of writing forces us to summarise as we write, which doesn't happen with the greater speed of transcribing on a keyboard.
I have a wonderful collection of letters and cards written to me from childhood to now, which when I look at them and see the handwriting and read the words instantly bring back memories of places, people, tastes, smells and events I have forgotten but can remember on reading that familiar writing again.
I can remember trying to copy a friend's handwriting at school as I thought her writing was so rounded and different but mine never looked the same!
So how about after reading this you choose a card, or some sheets of writing paper, pick up a pen and in your own uniquely distinctive handwriting, write a few words to someone and hopefully they will be able to read it ( I know my handwriting could do with some practise as it gets illegible when we get out of practice!) and it will bring them some unique joy in the post.
This is the link to the article. I would love to know what you think? Do you love receiving something handwritten?
