Hooked on the history, beauty and calming nature of calligraphy, Paul Antonio is a master calligrapher with a penchant for sharing his passion.
After being gifted a calligraphy set when he was a kid, Paul spent the rest of his youth exploring his craft – whether making quills out of feathers found on the beaches of his home in Trinidad, or seeking out writing exhibitions in museums on his travels. At the age of 21, determined to pursue his passion, he boarded a plane to the UK to study Letterform history.
In the years since, Paul has cultivated a large and dedicated international following. He now shares his years of expertise, specialist knowledge and unwavering talent through Pascribe, a collection of creative classes and lectures designed to help his students embark on their own calligraphy journey – and maybe even find the same sense of peace it gave him.
The first thing I ever made…
On my own... was dinner! I love food and cooking and I spent my childhood helping my mum in the kitchen. After spending a while waiting for her to make dinner one night, I decided to take it upon myself to make it alone – after that, I was cooking Sunday dinner each week!
I’m on a mission to…
Use meditative practice in harmony with calligraphy to help others connect more profoundly with themselves and their writing.
When I’m writing I...
Do not squeeze the tool. For me, it’s all about being calm but focused.
I am also very aware of my breathing as I write, as well as my posture. When I put these things together, they make a huge difference to the delicacy and quality of my writing.
When I am writing, I want to be at peace, and I want others to be able to feel that peace and benefit from it as well.
Teaching others has taught me...
That everyone has different goals in their practice and that is the key to understanding how to help them grow.
Christmas smells like…
I think growing up in Trinidad my idea of Christmas was a picture of snow, I only experienced snow when I was 25. As an adult, living away from Trinidad for 25 years, now what I long for is what I experienced as a child – food! Punch-a-crème, a Trinidadian version of eggnog, features heavily in my thoughts of Christmas, and of course, my mother making it, me tasting it, and us all drinking and laughing together.
This year I’m grateful for…
Still being alive has to be top of the list! After being hospitalised with Covid, it really makes me feel grateful for my health and excited for the future. I am also always grateful for my friends, family and followers for all their support this year.
