← Back to Flourish 2027

Flourish 2027 Faculty

Christopher Haanes

The Art of Beautiful Letters

Four days. Two extraordinary scripts. One remarkable teacher.

There is a difference between knowing how to form a letter and understanding what makes it beautiful.

That difference is where the magic happens.

Join internationally respected Norwegian calligrapher Christopher Haanes for an exploration of two of Western calligraphy’s most enduring traditions: the bold, architectural beauty of Gothic and the flowing elegance of Italic.

Whether you choose two days or immerse yourself in all four, you’ll discover new ways of seeing, shaping and composing letters.

You’ll develop a more confident hand, a more discerning eye, and skills that will influence everything you create long after the festival ends.

Choose Your Workshops See the workshops
October 13–17, 2027 Calgary Italic & Gothic 20 students per workshop
Norwegian calligrapher Christopher Haanes

Christopher’s Workshops

Two workshops. Two days each.

October 14 & 15 Italic calligraphy by Christopher Haanes

Workshop One · October 14 & 15, 2027

Italic

Elegance Is No Accident

Two days exploring rhythm, proportion and the expressive possibilities of Italic.

Italic looks effortless when it’s done beautifully.

Of course, anyone who has tried to master it knows there’s a great deal happening beneath those graceful strokes.

The angle of the pen. The proportions of the letters. The spaces between them. The subtle rhythm that transforms individual marks into something that seems to dance across the page.

Over two days with Christopher Haanes, you’ll explore the principles that give Italic its extraordinary elegance.

You’ll learn to see beyond individual letters and understand how they work together. How small adjustments can dramatically change the character of your writing. And how to move from carefully constructed forms toward a hand that feels increasingly natural, confident and distinctly your own.

Imagine leaving with more than a beautiful alphabet. Imagine understanding why it works.

This is an opportunity to deepen your technique, refine your artistic judgment and rediscover just how expressive a broad-edged pen can be.

Choose Italic with Christopher

October 16 & 17 Gothic calligraphy by Christopher Haanes

Workshop Two · October 16 & 17, 2027

Gothic

Bold. Dramatic. Unmistakable.

Two days discovering the power, precision and creative possibilities of Gothic lettering.

Gothic lettering doesn’t whisper.
It commands attention.

With its striking vertical strokes, intricate structures and extraordinary interplay of black ink and white space, Gothic is one of the most visually powerful traditions in Western calligraphy.

And behind that drama lies a fascinating world of geometry, discipline and design.

Join Christopher Haanes for two days exploring the structure and character of Gothic letterforms.

You’ll examine the relationships between strokes, the importance of proportion and spacing, and the techniques that give Gothic its unmistakable presence on the page.

But this isn’t simply about reproducing historic letters.

It’s about understanding the visual language of Gothic well enough to use it with intention, confidence and creativity.

From medieval manuscripts to contemporary lettering, Gothic has an astonishing ability to feel both ancient and utterly modern.

Come for the drama. Leave with a whole new appreciation for the architecture of letters.

Choose Gothic with Christopher

Meet Christopher Haanes

A Lifetime Devoted to the Art of Letters

The calligrapher of the Nobel Peace Prize diplomas, hand-lettered each year for the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

  • 1989Fellow of the Society of Scribes and Illuminators
  • 17+Countries he has taught in
  • 2026Gottfried Pott Memorial Award

Christopher Haanes (b. 1966, Cheltenham, UK) is one of Scandinavia’s foremost calligraphers and is highly respected in the international lettering community. His work joins historical letterforms with contemporary typographic needs.

He trained under Ann Camp at the Roehampton Institute in London, in the tradition of Edward Johnston, and graduated in 1989 with a Diploma with Merit in Calligraphy and Bookbinding. That same year he was elected a Fellow of the Society of Scribes and Illuminators. At the time, he was the second-youngest person and the only Scandinavian to receive the honour.

Haanes is the calligrapher of the Nobel Peace Prize diplomas, hand-lettered each year to the exacting standards of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. He also designed the logo and corporate typeface for Cappelen Damm, Norway’s largest publishing house, in collaboration with the American type designer Sumner Stone. Since 2024 he has added type design to his practice and produced several typefaces.

He has taught in more than 17 countries and for many years taught calligraphy to graphic design students at Skolen for Grafisk Design and Westerdals School of Communication in Oslo. His books include Håndbok i kalligrafi (1994), Bokstavelig (2004; published in English in 2026 as Literally) and Calligraphy & Lettering (2021).

Haanes treats calligraphy as an exploration of the structure of the alphabet rather than as decoration. He has exhibited his work as fine art, comparing calligraphy to Japanese shodo as a contemplative and expressive medium. In 2026 he received the Gottfried Pott Memorial Award.

At Flourish 2027, Christopher will guide students through two distinct traditions, Italic and Gothic, each offering its own rewards and artistic discoveries.

Only 6 packages available

Make it Calligraphy Nirvana

Take Christopher’s workshops as part of our all-inclusive experience. Your accommodation, meals and supplies are taken care of, followed by a day in Banff with the group and three nights at a luxury mountain retreat.

Explore Calligraphy Nirvana

The full Christopher experience

Why Choose Both Workshops?

Two Scripts. One Extraordinary Education.

Italic teaches your hand to flow.
Gothic teaches it to command.

Together, they offer a remarkable education in the principles that underpin beautiful lettering: rhythm, structure, proportion, contrast and space.

Study both and you’ll begin to recognize connections that aren’t always obvious when learning scripts individually.

You’ll also have four days to learn from Christopher, ask questions, experiment and develop your own artistic understanding.

Because sometimes the most valuable thing you take home from a workshop isn’t the piece you made.

It’s the way you see letters afterward.

Make Christopher Part of Your Flourish Experience ← Back to Flourish 2027