Calligraphy is an art form similar to painting or sculpting in which artists are limited in form, style and medium only by their imaginations.

"I've seen designs made out of shards of glass and some made into garden art," said Trish Hibler, president and 32-year member of Capital Calligraphers, Salem's local calligraphy guild.

The group formed in 1977. Its meetings are open to anyone who has an interest in learning, sharing or teaching calligraphy or any of its related arts. According to its Web site, www.capitalcalligraphers.org, the group welcomes all levels of skill, from those wishing to learn for the first time to those who are professional lettering artists.

Meetings will once again resume on the first Thursday after Labor Day in September, continuing on the first Thursday of every month, always at 7 p.m., October through June, at the Community Center at Capital Manor Retirement Community in West Salem.

This year Capital Calligraphers plays host to the 28th annual All Oregon Calligraphers Conference, which will be held on October 24 on the Western Oregon University Campus. The theme for this year’s conference is “Letter Rock," as in rock 'n' roll. It is an all-day event with a nationally known keynote speaker, Laurie Doctor, from Louisville, Kentucky, and afternoon workshops. Doctor works as a painter, designer and calligrapher. She also teaches classes in Europe, Canada, New Zealand and the United States, including annual presentations at Naropa University in Boulder, Colo.

"Last year's conference had about 150 calligraphers in attendance from the Northwest," Hibler said.

Another major event this year is the All Oregon Art Annual, which is held in conjunction with the Oregon State Fair. Hibler acts as the calligraphy coordinator for this annual exhibit which promotes, encourages, and supports Oregon artists in all genres.

The calligraphy division has a juried, a non-juried, and a student category. The juried exhibition showcases professional quality work being produced by Oregon calligraphers and increases public awareness of calligraphy as fine art. The non-juried exhibition supports and encourages developing calligraphers and students of all ages and provides them with an opportunity to display their artwork.

This year’s All Oregon Art Annual will be held in the Jackman-Long Building, which is located at the center of the state fairgrounds in Salem. The artist reception is held August 27 from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Award winners are announced that evening at 8 p.m.

All entry information is available exclusively online at www.oregonstatefair.org.

Volunteers to demonstrate calligraphy are being recruited for three-hour shifts through all Fair dates.

"This is wonderfully received by the public and we’ve been able to award several student scholarships to AOCC and teacher grants from the donated funds," Hibler said. "All volunteers receive free admission for themselves and a helper, [as well as] a parking pass."

Two other major events for Capital Calligraphers this year are the Salem Art Fair and Festival, from July 17 to 19 at Bush's Pasture Park in Salem, and the Silverton Fine Arts Festival, on August 15 and 16 at Coolidge McClaine Park in Silverton. At each of these events, volunteers can sign up to write names in the Capital Calligraphers' booth. The group provides the paper, pens and ink - all volunteers need to do is show up, write names for fairgoers, and take donations.