Meet the Artist
Mark Bennison
My interest in calligraphy began while I was
still at school after I purloined a set of pens my father had received as a
Christmas present. The interest was further sparked at Cambridge University as
my college had a unique library of manuscripts and books dating back many
centuries. Gradually I began to experiment with materials, techniques and
differing styles of writing.
After leaving university I joined the RAF eventually serving as a navigator on Tornado GR1 aircraft. During my time in the RAF my calligraphy skills were in great demand and I was asked to produce ever more intricate and professional works for formal and commemorative occasions. Perhaps the most prestigious work I was commissioned to produce during my service was a scroll to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Royal Air Force in 1993. This historic document was presented to HM the Queen at RAF Marham and was signed by HM the Queen, HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, HM the Queen Mother, HRH Princess Margaret and HRH the Duke of Gloucester. It is doubtful whether there are any other documents in the world that have been signed by so many members of the Royal Family. This, its historic importance and the quality of the artwork make the scroll a very valuable and irreplaceable document: it is now on permanent display in the foyer of the Officers' Mess at RAF Marham, Norfolk. I was also commissioned to produce pieces for presentation to the Royal Australian Air Force, The Royal South African Air Force and the United States Air Force.
There are many formal dinners held in Officers' Messes and I was frequently asked to produce illuminated seating plans for these occasions, particularly if members of the Royal Family were dining at the station or if senior members of the station were retiring. Seating plans present quite a challenge for a calligrapher, not least of which is that they are rarely finalised until the day of the event. In my efforts to develop my skills and make each plan better and more elaborate than my previous, I gradually learnt more techniques and tackled more demanding works. Almost without realising what had happened I had developed the talents and abilities needed to be a professional calligrapher.