Fran’s Story

Born and raised in Portland, Fran graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in Education in 1969. Fran first studied calligraphy as a student of Portland calligrapher Barbara Getty. She was teaching at Aloha Park Elementary school and Barbara was one of the first grade teachers. Barbara and Fran became friends, and one day, upon seeing Fran’s handwriting on the classroom chalkboard, Barbara offered to help Fran improve her handwriting by teaching her calligraphy. 

In 1972, in the first calligraphy class from Barbara, Fran thought “OK, one term. I’ll know calligraphy.” But Barbara kept enticing her with what they would study the next term. Then, Barbara brought her teacher to class–Lloyd Reynolds. Barbara said, “He’s here to talk to you a little bit about what calligraphy is.” Fran recalled, “He started talking and I felt completely hooked . . Lloyd talked about history. He said this is what the Tao is. This is what the meaning of this symbol is . . . I was just transfixed by the richness, the heritage of calligraphy . . . it was a deep, rich, spiritual-based art form.” Fran credits that realization as a momentous crossroads in her life. 

After two years of study in Portland, Fran moved with her family to Eugene, not knowing anyone. In an attempt to cultivate some interest in calligraphy in the Eugene area, Fran persuaded the River Road Park and Recreation staff to let her teach a class. Soon she was teaching seven classes in the area at once, with overflowing bags of handouts, books, inks, pens, and practice pages stuffed into her station wagon. There she first had the idea and dream of opening up her own studio and classroom space. 

While teaching classes, Fran continued to build her own skills, taking classes from Barbara Getty, Lloyd Reynolds, Bettye Lou Bennett, Lois McClelland, Jaki Svaren, Fr. Edward Catich, and many others. She then founded The Valley Calligraphy Guild, where she wore many hats and fostered a welcoming community for calligraphy enthusiasts. 

A few years later, she moved back to Portland to teach at the Oregon School of Arts and Crafts. She taught there for five years, continuing to dream of opening her own studio. With the help of a client, she found a 2500-square-foot space on the third floor of a building directly across from the Yamhill Market and one block from the McCall Waterfront Park. Fran asked fellow calligrapher Christi Payne to join the studio. Fran explained, “We planned together and our list was something like this: Calligraphy & lettering design & graphics & consulting & print production & freelance & & & …… so during a dream, as this list danced around in my head, the name came to me: Ampersand Studio. I immediately loved the name because it is an inclusive word.”

She opened Ampersand Studio in 1989, and soon the space was busy with classes, exhibits and Fran’s own work. Fran also founded the publisher AHA Calligraphy, produced calligraphy manuals, and was invited by the local cable TV station to do a “Calligraphy with Fran” series, which was picked up by other cities.

Fran was a longtime member and past president of the Portland Society for Calligraphy. She was a beloved faculty member at many International Calligraphy Conferences and taught traditional lettering and brush calligraphy to countless students over the years.  

Fran’s search for the “Elusive Aha!” helped students bring a fresh outlook to their creative work. Many of Fran’s students were mentored by Fran as they began teaching calligraphy, quickly recognizing the importance of Fran’s words: “No matter how much or how little you have covered in your lesson, give them homework,” and incorporating the homework expectation into their own pedagogical style. 

Her calligraphic works appear in private collections, commercial designs, the Red Rose catalog, cable television and on video.