Meet the Artist
Palm Calligraphy is an art studio founded and run by Sonya, a professional calligrapher. At Palm, we use a variety of mediums to transform everyday writing into works of art.
About Sonya
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area and relocated to Seattle, Sonya has always had her hands in some type of art, ranging from acrylic painting to jewelry making to bookbinding. For Sonya, calligraphy serves as a creative outlet from her day job. She loves the meditative process and how the simple beauty of ink on paper can transform even the most mundane words into something beautiful (have you ever seen a grocery shopping list written in calligraphy?).
Today, Sonya is an artist and entrepreneur using her skills to create beauty in writing. As a life-long student, she draws inspiration from scripts all around the world. Her keen eye for detail drives her to find the best designs to collaborate with her clients.
Why Palm?
Palm leaves were used to make paper as far back as the 5th century BCE in Southeast Asia. The leaves were cooked and dried into sheets after which the writer would use a sharp object, like a stylus, to inscribe the leaves. Then, the pages were covered in natural dyes that would stick in the indentations while the excess ink was wiped off. Pages were strung together and would last for around 600 years before they needed to be rewritten.
Interestingly, historians have hypothesized that the rounded scripts present in many South Asian regions developed since writing angular letters was more likely to tear the palm leaves.
Growing up in California, palm trees have always signified home--a warm day at the beach, palm trees waving gently in the breeze. Calligraphy has always given me the same sense of calm so the historical relevance plus my personal attachment seemed like the perfect reason to name my business Palm Calligraphy.