Patricia Lovett

Lovett was a secondary school teacher in London before becoming interested in calligraphy and heraldry in the late 1980s.

She has a special interest in the manual preparation and uses of vellum.{{cite web|title=Why is the UK still printing its laws on vellum?|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35569281|website=BBC News|accessdate=8 March 2018}}{{cite web|title=MPs plan last ditch bid to save the thousand year old-tradition of recording Britains laws on Vellum|first=Laura|last=Hughes|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/12150896/MPs-plan-last-ditch-bid-to-save-the-thousand-year-old-tradition-of-recording-Britains-laws-on-Vellum.html|website=Daily Telegraph|accessdate=8 March 2018}} She teaches traditional vellum manuscript illumination, heraldry and calligraphy in Britain and in libraries around the world and is the author of several books across a range of manuscript skills.

Lovett is the co-founder of the Fitzwilliam Museum’s Collection of Contemporary Calligraphy at the University of Cambridge{{cite journal|last1=Fowler|first1=Kerry|title=Note to self|journal=Landlove|date=December 2016|pages=104–107|url=https://issuu.com/awisemandesign/docs/issuulldec|accessdate=16 March 2018}} and curated the museum’s 2012/13 exhibition of contemporary calligraphy from around the world, Calligraphy Today.{{cite web|title=Calligraphy Today|url=http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/calendar/whatson/calligraphy-today|website=The Fitzwilliam Museum Cambridge|accessdate=9 March 2018}}

She was the chair of the Heritage Crafts Association, between 2017 and 2022, having previously been the founder vice-chair.{{cite web|title=Who we are|url=http://heritagecrafts.org.uk/who-we-are/|website=The Heritage Crafts Association|accessdate=7 March 2018}} She is a judge for the National Schools Handwriting Competition and champions handwriting along with other manual crafts.{{cite web|last1=Braddock|first1=Kevin|title=How Twitter made handwriting cool|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/8080511/How-Twitter-made-handwriting-cool.html|website=The Telegraph|accessdate=9 March 2018}}

She has also produced many commissioned works including pieces for Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children, the Woodland Trust, Courtauld Institute of Art, British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) and Dulwich Picture Gallery. She has also worked in film and television providing tools and materials for Wolf Hall (BBC series) (a replica Book of Hours),{{cite web|title=The making of the Wolf Hall Book of Hours and medieval manuscripts with Patricia Lovett MBE|url=http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/calendar/whatson/making-wolf-hall-book-hours-and-medieval-manuscripts-patricia-lovett-mbe|website=Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=9 March 2018}}{{cite web|title=Patricia Lovett|url=http://www.artworkersguild.org/the-guild-and-its-members/members/lovett-patricia/|website=Art Workers Guild|accessdate=16 March 2018}} Treasures of the Anglo-Saxons (BBC Radio 4) and the Simon Schama BBC series A History of Britain. She has taught Mark Rylance and Tom Bateman how to prepare and use a quill for film and theatre performances and has appeared in “Numerous instances of being filmed as ‘the hand’, writing documents, signing documents, ‘being’ poets or historical figures, drawing maps etc.” for film and television.

Lovett also works with the British Library providing short courses and study days on the traditional techniques of working with historical writing tools and vellum, illumination and gilding and medieval manuscripts.{{cite web|last1=Press release|title=Royal Manuscripts: The Genius of Illumination 11 November 2011- 13 March 2012|url=https://www.bl.uk/press-releases/2011/september/royal-manuscripts-the-genius-of-illumination-listings-11-november-2011-13-march-2012|website=British Library|accessdate=9 March 2018}}{{cite web|title=The Art and History of Calligraphy: Patricia Lovett|url=https://www.bl.uk/events/the-art-and-history-of-calligraphy-patricia-lovett|website=British Library|accessdate=9 March 2018}}{{cite web|title=Illumination Masterclass|url=https://www.bl.uk/events/illumination-masterclass|website=British Library|accessdate=9 March 2018}} In addition she provided tools and materials and wrote the exhibition cards and introduction for the 2011/12 British Library exhibition Royal Manuscripts: The Genius of Illumination.

She lives in Sevenoaks in Kent.

Lovett has held several honorary positions and fellowships for her work in the arts and heritage crafts. In 2013 she was awarded an MBE for services to calligraphy and the protection and promotion of heritage crafts in the UK.

Lovett is a brother of the Art Workers' Guild{{cite web|title=Members|url=http://www.artworkersguild.org/the-guild-and-its-members/members/|website=Art Workers’ Guild|accessdate=9 March 2018}} and an honoured fellow of the Calligraphy and Lettering Arts Society (HFCLAS) having previously acted as chair. She is patron of the Lettering & Commemorative Arts Trust, a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), an advisor for the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust{{cite web|title=Biography|url=http://www.patricialovett.com/biography/|website=patricialovett.com|accessdate=9 March 2018}} and is a participant in the All-party parliamentary group for art, craft and design education.{{cite web|last1=Coles|first1=Susan|title=APPG for art, craft and design education|url=http://www.nsead.org/news/news.aspx?id=661|website=NSEAD|accessdate=9 March 2018}}

Lovett has written several books and magazine articles including

• The Environment (Living Today series) (1982){{cite book|last1=Lovett|first1=Patricia|title=The Environment (Living Today series)|date=1982|publisher=Batsford|location=London|isbn=0713435801|oclc=828683587 |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/828683587|accessdate=8 March 2018}}
• Teach Yourself Calligraphy (TY Arts & Crafts) (1993, 10 editions){{cite book|last1=Lovett|first1=Patricia|title=Calligraphy (Teach Yourself series)|date=1993|publisher=Hodder and Stoughton|location=London|isbn=0340591757|oclc=925344023 |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/925344023|accessdate=8 March 2018}}
• Creating Letterforms: Calligraphy and Lettering for Beginners (1992) with Rosemary Sassoon{{cite book|last1=Lovett|first1=Patricia|last2=Sassoon|first2=Roemary|title=Creating letterforms: calligraphy and lettering for beginners|date=1992|publisher=Thames and Hudson|location=New York|isbn=0500276544|url=https://archive.org/details/creatingletterfo00sass|accessdate=8 March 2018}}
• Calligraphy Projects (1994) Multiple authors{{cite book|last1=Brooks|first1=Felicity (editor)|last2=Halverston|first2=Rebecca|last3=Heywood|first3=Amanda|last4=Lovett|first4=Patricia|last5=Rowley|first5=Anna|last6=Watt|first6=Fiona|last7=Woodcock|first7=Jonathan|title=The Usborne Book of Calligraphy Projects|date=1994|publisher=Scholastic Inc.|location=New York|isbn=0439078229|url=https://archive.org/details/calligraphyproje00watt|accessdate=8 March 2018}}
• Calligraphy for Starters (1995){{cite book|last1=Lovett|first1=Patricia|title=Calligraphy for starters (Watchword Educational Library series)|date=1995|publisher=Watchword|isbn=1898897395|oclc=655195178 |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/655195178|accessdate=8 March 2018}}
• Tools and materials for calligraphy, illumination and miniature painting (1996){{cite book|last1=Lovett|first1=Patricia|title=Tools and materials for calligraphy: illumination and miniature painting|date=1996|publisher=Roberson|location=London|isbn=0952938707|oclc=847505249 |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/847505249|accessdate=8 March 2018}}
• Starting Lettering (1997) with Fiona M. Watt{{cite book|last1=Patricia|first1=Lovett|last2=Watt|first2=Fiona|title=Starting Lettering (Usborne First Skills)|date=1997|publisher=Usborne|location=London|isbn=0881108936|url=https://archive.org/details/startingletterin0000watt|accessdate=8 March 2018|url-access=registration}}
• The British Library Companion to Calligraphy, Illumination and Heraldry: A History and Practical Guide (2000){{cite book|last1=Lovett|first1=Patricia|title=The British companion to calligraphy, illumination & heraldry: a history and practical guide|date=2000|publisher=British Library|location=london|isbn=0712346805|oclc=466981597 |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/466981597|accessdate=8 March 2018}}
• The Macclesfield Alphabet Book: a facsimile (2010) with Christopher de Hamel{{cite book|last1=de Hamel|first1=Christopher|last2=Lovett|first2=Patricia|title=The macclesfield alphabet book: a facsimile|date=2010|publisher=British Library|location=London|isbn=978-0712358040|oclc=718447292 |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/718447292|accessdate=8 March 2018}}
• Calligraphy Today (2012){{cite book|last1=Lovett|first1=Patricia|last2=Fitzwilliam Museum|title=Calligraphy today|date=2012|publisher=University of Cambridge|location=Fitzwilliam Museum|isbn=978-0957443402|oclc=828683587 |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/828683587|accessdate=8 March 2018}}
• The Historical Source Book for Scribes (2015) with Michelle P. Brown{{cite book|last1=Brown|first1=Michelle|last2=Lovett|first2=Patricia|title=The Historical Source Book for Scribes|date=30 April 2015 |publisher=University of Toronto Press|isbn=978-1442629257}}
• Illumination, gold and colour: tools, materials, techniques, projects for using gold and colour and creating mediaeval miniatures (2015){{cite book|last1=Lovett|first1=Patricia|title=Illumination, gold and colour: tools, materials, techniques, projects for using gold and colour and creating mediaeval miniatures|date=2015|publisher=Cornelissen & Sons|location=London|isbn=978-0957449602|oclc=975134862 |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/975134862|accessdate=8 March 2018}}
• The Art and History of Calligraphy (2017){{cite book|last1=Lovett|first1=Patricia|title=The art and history of calligraphy|date=2017|publisher=British Library|location=London|isbn=978-0712356688|oclc=999863443 |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/999863443|accessdate=8 March 2018}}

She has also contributed to several other books by providing calligraphy lettering and illustrations.{{cite web|title=Worldcat listings: Lovett, Patricia|url=http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=au%3APatricia+Lovett+&qt=advanced&dblist=638|website=Worldcat|accessdate=8 March 2018}}

• Illuminated manuscript
• Islamic calligraphy
• Palaeography
• Penmanship

{{Reflist}}

• [https://youtube.com/watch?v=VfmmG5gIPAs Video of the Book of Hours created for Wolf Hall]
• [http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/update/2013-06-15/calligrapher-awarded-mbe-for-services-to-heritage-crafts/ ITV News short video]

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Category:Living people

Category:British calligraphers

Category:British women writers

Category:Women calligraphers

Category:British scribes

Category:British women artists

Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)