I've been artistic all my life...Doodling in the corners of my notebooks in school; working on perfecting my handwriting as I wrote in journals; creating handmade cards and poems for friends and family.  As far back as I remember, I could get lost in time when I was creating. 

I was introduced to calligraphy by a high school art teacher and I fell in love with using beautiful handwriting as an artform.  After college, I spent years in an architectural drafting and design career.  Before the introduction of computer technology, this required exceptionally neat handwriting using various pens and pencils on paper.  It was a meticulous and rewarding career and having a successful residential design business fed my creativity.
 

Years later, my artistic journey changed after I went through a divorce.  I got a renewed sense of who I wanted to be creatively.  I had always enjoyed creative writing as a way to express myself and I began writing scripture verses in calligraphy as a way of healing.  I love creating hand-lettered art pieces for encouragement, inspiration, or just to add color to someone's space. 

 

My favorite part of creating drawings is looking into the eyes of pets or people as I make them come to life through my artistic interpretation. I can even imagine

myself in the surroundings that a client has captured in a photo. 

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As an instructor, I enjoy helping people find their creative voice by teaching them the art of handwritten communication in my calligraphy workshops, or just letting their creativity come out during an art workshop in a group or private setting.  

 

I hope that you will reach out to me so that we can find a way to tell your story, either with a piece of art that I create, or by learning from me how to write it beautifully in your own words.  

*The name Beautiful Way Designs came about to honor my Italian

maiden name, Bellavia.  The English translation is beautiful way,

and my artist name is “Bella."

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