ENTERPRISE ENCORE
More Than Pretty Penmanship
Items with handcrafted, stylized script regain popularity LISA MACKINDER
Brian Powers
by
H
eather Tyler became passionate about calligraphy after watching videos on Instagram, but she never dreamed her passion would turn into a business. The opportunity kind of fell in her lap, says Tyler, the owner of Heather Lynette Calligraphy, a Portage-based company that specializes in art, stationery and calligraphy. “I would make (handwritten) signs for my own home, and people would come over and be like, ‘Oh, do you sell stuff?’” says the 25-yearold Tyler. 16 | ENCORE FEBRUARY 2020
So she decided to give it a shot. Tyler created handwritten and calligraphic invitations, welcome signs and items for weddings, including guest lists written on mirrors and name tags for tables. In 2018, she posted images of her work on Instagram. Did it take long to generate interest? Tyler laughs, shakes her head and gives an emphatic “no.” The response was enthusiastic. Tyler shrugs and says she remembers thinking, “I guess this (calligraphy) is a thing … .”