Swift wind
Carry lightly the pen
My soul rests
___________________________________________
Mighty black
Swallow the page
With quivering fingers
I have set aboard a six week journey to learn basic Arabic calligraphy from master Emirati calligrapher
Mohammed Al Mandi who has created calligraphy for the Sheikh Grand Mosque, numerous GCC passports, and UAE currency. As a teacher, Mr. Mandi is wonderfully warm. He exemplifies his mastery by turning an ordinary chalkboard into a spectacular art piece with a quick movement.
Mid-way through a lesson Mr. Mandi took the time to explain to the class his deep found respect for the two masters he studied under. One was Ibrahim, a writer and poet in Egypt. The second, Hassan who had written script for 16 mosques, was based in Turkey. Now Mr. Mandi is my master, and I am the student.
Writing is art. To become a learned student, Mr. Mandi’s three basic principles are as follows:
1. One must have a love for writing.
2. One must have patience when writing.
3. One must be continuous when writing.
Insh’Allah I begin to understand all three.
