-
From left: Stephanie Fishwick in her Charlottesville, Virginia, studio and the artist’s working space, photographed by Kimberly Frost -
The calligrapher at work, photographed by Kimberly Frost
A glance at Stephanie Fishwick’s creations and you’ll never look at your neighborhood greeting cards the same again. The artist, illustrator and calligrapher is famous for wildly inventive and simply stunning stationery — wedding invitations, programs, menus, envelopes and the like, all intricately illustrated and designed with whimsical flora, a menagerie of animals, gemstones, glittering treasures and more. (Don’t take our word for it — check out her site and be prepared to have your breath taken away.) Here, wearing Tory’s Tovero dress, Fishwick tells us her story and shares a few tips for this holiday-card season.
My actual work is so nutty I think people tend to be surprised when they see I am quite classic in style. I love neutral colors, high quality fabrics and where I like to get creative is with shoes. I have a growing collection of vintage coats because there is a shop here in Charlottesville that stocks the most exquisite, vintage wool and fur coats and they are all in great condition… It must be because all of the now-defunct coat-makers and fancy department stores in Richmond.
My inspiration comes from…
Anything a bit outré.
My process involves…
For formal styles I use two kinds of an especially rare vintage nib (I have stockpiled them in bulk!) and lots and lots of vintage, new and couture pens I have amassed through the years. I work fairly quickly for a calligrapher, but I also do many different styles, so depending on the style it can take longer. I create my botanical collages digitally and I tend to take a little bit longer on those than, say, a wedding invitation.
The most memorable cards I’ve done…
Honestly I just love the people I get to work with! It’s really special to work on parties and weddings. And because what I’m creating for my clients is so personal to them, I remember their stories. One client in particular had a fabulous wedding in Cartagena. Her wedding gown designer embroidered the botanicals from my designs and the monogram I did for them on the back on the train. That was incredible!
My very first holiday-card memory…
OK, this is probably kind of weird but… when I was six or seven, my mom’s half-sister and her artist husband sent us a Christmas “card” that was a black and white 8×10, in Leibovitz-style, of them in black turtlenecks receding into the backdrop with their naked baby sitting on a black table in front of them. No smiles, no explanation. Super arty and awesome. This was in the Eighties and photos were a real break from tradition back then. Ha!
A festive (or seasonally-appropriate) and personal greeting. That alone makes it a holiday card. No need for antlers, snowflakes or Santa!
And don’t forget to…
Start on them early so they arrive before the new year ;-)
Pro tip for crafting the perfect card message…
In our holiday cards I always write two to three sentences; short, yet personal. (I also love using a Sheaffer broad nib fountain pen or the Lamy fountain pen, which dries quick and makes anyone’s cursive look great).
To make your holiday card stand out, I recommend…
Less is more. You could go the “traditional” route by penning something in your own hand. Just a sentence or two in red or gold ink dashed off on a thick, flat card is more special than a mass mailed photo/template, I think.
Favorite holiday card sent…
My husband is famous amongst our friends and family for his holiday mixes. He started doing them years before we even met. We send one out each year as a CD with a simple card. Playing them around the house is one of my favorite things during the holiday season!
And received…
BEST holiday card I ever received was the one my son made for me last Christmas.
Follow Stephanie Fishwick on Instagram.
Read more features from our Entertaining Issues, past and present.