September 5, 2012 In 1998, Saint John's Abbey and University in Minnesota commissioned calligrapher Donald Jackson, the official scribe and calligrapher to the Crown Office of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, to produce a handwritten, hand-illuminated Bible--the first to have been commissioned by a Benedictine Abbey since the invention of the printing press. Completed in 2011, The Saint John's Bible features calligraphy developed by Jackson himself, as well as lavishly decorated pages created by contemporary artists. In this presentation, Jackson discussed the historical influences and techniques that informed his project and how the process provided insights into the work of the past. His presentation included a calligraphy demonstration.

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