Lloyd’s Story

Lloyd Reynolds was born in 1902 in Bemidji, Minnesota, and moved to Portland at the age of twelve. He graduated from Franklin High School in 1920 and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in botany and forestry from Oregon State University and a master’s degree in English literature from the University of Oregon. 

Initially working in commercial lettering and advertising, Lloyd soon turned to teaching, joining Reed College in 1929. Although he was originally hired to teach English and creative writing, he discovered calligraphy and became deeply immersed in the art. Reynolds was largely self-taught, drawing inspiration from Edward Johnston’s Writing and Illuminating and Lettering and other historical works. By the late 1940s, Lloyd established the Graphic Design Workshop at Reed, co-founded the Champoeg Press at the college, and introduced for-credit calligraphy courses.

Lloyd taught lectures and workshops at the Portland Art Museum and Portland Public Schools, inspiring a calligraphic revival. Reynolds mentored numerous calligraphers who carried on his legacy, including Jaki Svaren, Father Robert Palladino and Colleen Cavin. His television series on italic cursive, aired in 1968 and 1975, reached a national audience and reinforced his mission of making calligraphy accessible to all. 

Lloyd’s passion for calligraphy led him to collaborate with leading calligraphers in the U.S. and England, and he became a founding member of the Western American Branch of the Society for Italic Handwriting (WABSIH).

Lloyd was named Calligrapher Laureate in 1972 by Oregon Governor Tom McCall, and Reed College awarded him an honorary doctorate. Even after retiring in 1969, he remained active in the calligraphy community until his passing in 1978.

The spirit of Lloyd Reynolds is still present as reflected in our mission statement: “Through study, understanding and critical  practice, let us promote this healthy arts and crafts movement.”

Lloyd had the ability, magical, to make every person, at least all the people I knew, feel that they were the most important person in the room. I don’t feel that he had bunch of special disciples that got special treatment, at least I never felt that way. He made me feel special. . . . You are the one, you are the one, you are the one – he could do that to a whole room full of people. And when he would lecture he would look at you and you were it and you knew the whole talk was for you. It was just a magical ability. – Jackie Svaren ‘50 (from The Calligraphy Heritage at Reed)

A few of Lloyd’s books