The world of books and writing has captivated Annie Cicale since she was a child. After a short career as a chemical engineer, she turned to the visual arts, specializing in drawing, calligraphy, painting, and printmaking. The visual qualities of writing became her subject matter when she discovered the expressive power of calligraphic forms. She brings visual expression to the words to expand their meaning, using both abstract and illustrative imagery. She is fascinated with the visual nature of text on paper, and she works in both traditional and contemporary ways.With an MFA in graphic design, she has taught lettering, drawing, and painting throughout the United States and Canada, as well as in Japan, Spain and Australia. She has also taught at most of the international calligraphy conferences. She was the co-director of A Show of Hands 2016, the 35th international calligraphy conference, held at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, North Carolina.Travels to Europe and Asia have expanded her vision. She has had numerous one-person exhibits of her work in Montana, Tennessee, Illinois and North Carolina. Her work has been included in many calligraphic publications, including Bound & Lettered and Letter Arts Review. Her artist's books are in private and public collections, including Yale University. She is the author of The Art and Craft of Hand Lettering, a 2011 publication of Bloomin Books, with a revised edition produced in 2018.
