Song of Songs: The Bible's Great Love Poems in Calligraphy

Sarah Lawrence College is delighted to present Song of Songs: The Bible's Great Love Poems in Calligraphy by artist and calligrapher Margaret Shepherd ‘69. The exhibit will be on display in the Barbara Walters Gallery from March 29 through June 12, 2022, with a conversation with the artist and opening reception taking place on Tuesday, March 29.

“I have used calligraphy to create art at all levels, from diplomas to memorials, during my 55 years of exploring the world of letters,” said Shepherd. “I like to rely on the alphabet itself to form my designs, with scarcely any added ornament or illustration. I shape the letters and arrange them on the page to highlight the meaning of the text. As Arabic scribes say, ‘calligraphy gives greater clarity to truth.’”

The poetic imagery in Song of Songs often comes from the timeless objects of everyday village life. “In writing out this 2,600-year-old scripture, so unlike any other book of the Bible, I looked for ways to emphasize the natural tendency of letters to suggest flowers, grain, horses, flames, apricots, doves, flowers, smoke, and banners,” said Shepherd.

Margaret Shepherd was born in Ames, Iowa, taught high school English and studied brush painting in pre-war Saigon, graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1969, and now lives in Boston with her husband David Friend. Her engagement with calligraphy has included teaching, exhibitions, talks, commissions, and public installations. She has authored 19 books about calligraphy and communication; three of them have been translated into Romanian, Russian, and Spanish. She is proud to have been introduced to the basics of calligraphy at Sarah Lawrence College, in a class of two students; Norberto Chiesa taught this specially requested course just once, in 1968.

Join us!

A Conversation between Margaret Shepherd '69 and Ron Afzal (Religion faculty)
4 - 5:30 p.m.
Barbara Walters Campus Center Room C
Sarah Lawrence College

Opening Reception
Tuesday, March 29
5:30 - 7 p.m.
Barbara Walters Gallery (Barbara Walters Campus Center, second floor)
Sarah Lawrence College

Exhibit is open to the public daily from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. in the Barbara Walters Gallery.

Please note Sarah Lawrence College’s requirements for visitors to campus.