The Lettering Arts Centre in Snape Maltings, Suffolk, is the new gallery of the Lettering & Commemorative Arts Trust. It is currently the home of an exhibition of lettering showing the works of some of the great lettercutters and that of those who started out as their apprentices before establishing their own reputations.

It is interesting to see how the work of the apprentices often initially reflects that of their mentors before the prodigies had fully developed styles of their own.

The ‘masters’ include Richard Kindersley – whose own Master was Eric Gill – and the ‘apprentices’ his wife, Lida Lopez Cardozo Kindersley, and son David Kindersley. Other two great Masters included are Ralph Beyer and Kevin Cribb. Lida is also a Master and among her Apprentices was Kevin’s youngest son, Noel.

Other Masters in the exhibition are: Gary Breeze, John Neilson, Eric Marland, Charlotte Howarth, Pip Hall, Tom Perkins, Christopher Elsey and Geoffrey Aldred. Their apprentices: Stuart Buckle, Sheena Devitt, Peter Hampson, Louise Tiplady, Wayne Hart, Fiona Flack and Thomas Sargeant.

A book, Masters & Apprentices – the transfer of passion (ISBN 978-0-9515711-7-0) was published last month (May) featuring the work in the exhibition in 73 beautifully presented pages (price £15).

The Maltings, where the Lettering Arts Centre can be found, is an art and retail centre which is home to the world famous Concert Hall operated by Aldeburgh Music. The Maltings attract more than 500,000 visitors a year.

Harriet Frazer, champion of hand-cut lettering and calligraphy since forming Memorials by Artists in 1988, is the force behind the Lettering & Commemorative Arts Trust, which promotes lettering and helps artists with courses in lettering in their various workshops (see the lettering arts trust website – address below).