Donald Jackson is one of the world's foremost western calligraphers. He is calligrapher to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and is the artistic director of the ambitious "Saint John's Bible" project.

Jackson was born in Lancashire, England, in 1938. At the age of 13 he won a scholarship to an art school, and spent six years studying various subjects, including illumination and western calligraphy. He moved on to a post-graduate course in London. While still a student, at 20 years of age he became a visiting lecturer at the Camberwell College of Art, London. Within six years he was appointed a scribe to the Crown Office at the House of Lords, officially making him the Queen's Scribe. Among the official documents he has written are the marriage documents for Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana.

In 1985, Donald Jackson was awarded the Medal of The Royal Victorian Order which is awarded for personal services to the Sovereign. Jackson has continued lecturing at many different venues and events, including the International Assembly of Lettering Artists seminars. Donald has taught many of the more famous western calligraphers, including Australian artist Dave Wood.

Jackson has been a central figure in the current "Saint John's Bible" project in Wales since its conception. Since he was a teenager, Jackson has dreamed of illuminating a whole bible, and it was largely due to his inspiration that this project was conceived.

Donald is the author of the chapter on gilding in "The Calligrapher's Handbook" - his chapter is possibly the most thorough dissertation on the art - and "The art of Writing".


Acknowledgments:

http://www.saintjohnsbible.org/people/peoplePlaces.htm, http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byorg/gbw/news/gbw99/gbw9905.html, http://www.haycrk.com/St.%20John's%20Bible.html.

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