Christine’s Story

As a native Portlander, Christine Colasurdo first learned calligraphy at age 12, and started getting paid for calligraphy jobs in high school. Colasurdo earned a double Bachelor of Arts degree in French and English from Portland State University in 1984. Upon graduating she moved to France, where she studied at the Université de Poitiers for a year and worked in Paris for two years. After returning to the U.S. in 1987, she worked as a graphic designer, writer and editor in San Francisco. She earned her Master of Arts degree in English literature from U.C. Berkeley in 1992.

Among others, she studied with Jaki Svaren, Elizabeth Anderson, and Carl Rohrs. She taught calligraphy and creative writing for over 20 years, including at the Multnomah Arts Center in Portland, Oregon. Christine was a longtime member and volunteer of the Portland Society for Calligraphy. She did a remarkable job as editor of PSC’s Fifty Years anniversary publication. 

Christine once wrote: “I was 12 when I first picked up an edged pen. But it was  in high school—when I took a PCC evening class with Jaki Svaren in 1978—that I truly learned calligraphy. My mother and I visited a Sylvania campus administrator to gain permission for me to take the college  class as a high-schooler. Many years later I taught the same class at Rock  Creek for a year and was glad to see high-school students in my class.”

As a lettering artist, Colasurdo exhibited her art in regional and national exhibitions. Her work has been featured in Letter Arts Review, Bound & Lettered, Alphabet, and the Calligrapher’s Engagement Calendar. The San Francisco Public Library’s “Harrison Collection” has several of her calligraphic pieces to view by appointment. 

Christine was a gifted poet, author, and naturalist and environmental activist. She served on the board of Mount St. Helens Institute and advocated for the protection of the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument and the surrounding land. In her memoir, Return to Spirit Lake, Christine wrote about her experiences as a child camping, hiking, and working at Mount St. Helens. Her second book, Golden Gate National Parks: A Photographic Journey, celebrates the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in California. She wrote two chapbooks of poetry—Cascade Manifesto and RAIN: A Song Cycle. Her poem, The Book of Kells, received a Merit distinction in the 2019 International Kells Creative Competition.

Christine had an unparalleled knowledge of the native plants, birds, and butterflies of the Pacific Northwest. In Portland, Christine developed historical exhibits on Mt. St. Helens at the Cowlitz County Museum and shared her expertise through numerous talks, including appearances on NPR. She brought friends and family together for seasonal celebrations filled with food, poetry, and music. 

The Portland State University Foundation has a scholarship in Christine’s memory, called the Christine Ann Colasurdo Scholarship for Nature Writing. There is also a memorial bench being planned in her honor at Mt. St. Helens. 

Compiled from various sources, including www.christinecolasurdo.com