Doris Wionzek: "C" is for Calligraphy
by Sally Hansen
In grade three Doris Wionzek won a prize at the Beachburg Fall Fair (near Pembroke) for her sample of hand lettering. In 2005 Almonte calligrapher Doris Wionzek was chosen by the Canadian Heraldic Authority to inscribe the legal text on the Letters Patent of the Personal Coat of Arms of the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada. Wionzek was chosen from a long list of calligraphers registered with the Authority.
Her selection was a singular honour since the Governor General is the authority empowered “to exercise or provide for the exercise of all powers and authorities lawfully belonging to Us as Queen of Canada in respect of the granting of armorial bearings in Canada”. An image of the Letters Patent granting armorial bearings to Michaëlle Jean is available here.
You can see another example of Wionzek’s exquisite heraldic work at the Almonte Town Hall where her Letters Patent for the Town of Mississippi Mills are on display.
In addition to her frequent calligraphy assignments for the Canadian Heraldic Authority, Doris serves as a resident resource to her home town of Almonte. Stop in at Baker Bob’s and see her lettering on the poetic tribute to “Cinnamon Buns,” authored by John Dunn. Or check out the “Rules for Crokinole” at The Iron Works. She also did the lettering on the sign for Almonte’s murals entitled “Windows into the Past — Figures from Our History,” a project conceived by Noreen Young and executed by regional artists.
Heraldic work occupies a lot of her time, but Doris’ favourite creative muse is her huge encyclopedia of quotations, “The Home Book of Quotations Classical and Modern,” compiled by Burton Stevenson. The spine is almost four inches wide. When I asked her why she loved calligraphy, she responded, “I think it’s the words. When I see something that really speaks to me, I love turning it into something that will be noticed and shared.”
For Wionzek, calligraphy is a creative art form. She interprets poetry and prose in unique, framed pieces, and in editions of hand-coloured prints and greeting cards. Many of her pieces reflect her passion for gardening and nature, and her belief in the importance and value of creating a loving home for your family. From one of her pieces I learned that Goethe wrote, “Till you grow your own potatoes you do not really begin to live,” and “A house without a garden is a temporary home.”
Her love of gardening is organic. Wionzek grew up on a farm near Cobden, Ontario. She remembers sitting on the steps of her farmhouse, sketching the trees and buildings around her. Art was a luxury for hardworking farmers, but Doris persisted, eventually studying Fine Art at York University in the late ’70s when “weird was fashionable.” Her enduring love of calligraphy was born when she took a course with graphic designer David Scadding. She still enjoys the meticulous process of creating beautiful letter forms by combining different strokes and adding wonderful embellishments. Close examination of her flawless lettering reveals the incredible skill she has acquired.
During university, Wionzek joined the Canadian Militia where she met her husband, Zachary. After she completed her teaching degree at the University of Toronto, the couple moved to Ottawa where Doris taught art at Ridgemont High School until she started raising their three children. Shortly after its inception in 1984, Doris joined the Calligraphy Society of Ottawa and remains an active member, sometimes participating in the CSO’s annual calligraphy exhibit. The family moved to Almonte twelve years ago, and Doris joined the Almonte and Area Artists’ Association, occasionally exhibiting her work at their annual “Art in the Attic” Show and Sale in May.
In 1994, with her childrearing responsibilities lessening, Doris founded The Almonte School of Fine Art with her friend and fellow artist Carol Gaughan. The two artist instructors and affiliates offer courses in a variety of subjects. This year Doris is offering Calligraphy and Drawing classes beginning January 13, and Carol will be teaching Oil Painting starting March 24. Ingrid Hamster-Harris is teaching a course in Stained Glass commencing January 7. If you have children between the ages of 8 and 12, consider signing them up for Linda Hamilton’s course “Drawing from Life for Children” starting January 19.
“W” is for Why Wait?
If you have a favourite poem or quotation, or you would like to commission a birth or wedding or anniversary commemoration that will become a cherished family heirloom, why wait? Doris Wionzek will exceed your expectations by designing and executing a one-of-a-kind personal keepsake or gift that you will treasure forever. And it will last, because of Doris’ attention to the superiority and permanence of the art materials she uses. I was impressed with the level to which she researches these critical factors herself when she showed me her on-going permanence tests of a wide variety of paints. “The most expensive is not necessarily the best,” she counseled me. Call her at 256-4172, or email her to discuss a commission or learn more about her upcoming courses. Her passion for her subjects inspires her teaching as well as her art.