SSLetters Farewell from Christy
I am bidding farewell to something that has meant a lot to me – The Unofficial Hand Lettering Society of Silver Spring – otherwise known as SSLetters.
My dear friend Amina Ahmad and I started SS Letters in 2015. Hand lettering can be a solitary venture, and we wanted to create accountability for ourselves to make a habit of practicing. We started to invite other creative friends, and the word spread. Seeing growing interest, we decided to make it an “unofficial official thing.”
We had monthly lettering sessions, created a ‘zine, lettered recipes and curse words, song lyrics and movie quotes, wrote (beautiful) letters to our congresspeople, and created art for local businesses like Bump n’ Grind. We introduced “random acts of lettering” and wrote positive messages on postcards that we left around town. We made 3D laser cut artwork. Some of my absolute favorite sessions were lettering and yoga workshops Amina led. I still think about how good it felt to check in and connect with myself by combining yoga, self-reflection and lettering.
I’ve gotten so much out of SS Letters. Number one is definitely getting to collaborate with my dear friend Amina, who is a gifted artist, an amazing person, and brings so much light and energy to my life. I’ve gotten to connect with lots of other artists and letterers in our community whom I wouldn’t have met otherwise, and who inspire and delight me.
SS Letters has helped me grow in my confidence as an artist. Before I started practicing lettering regularly, I was a whole lot more judgmental about anything I would make by hand and would give up easily. Now I can put pen to paper and feel good about what I’m creating, even if it’s imperfect, even if it’s just for me. There’s growth in the practice. I feel more like I have my own artistic perspective that has value and that I have something to say and share with my work that matters.
Through creating this space and community, I’ve been able to see myself as a leader, which has been incredibly empowering for me. I’ve been able to transfer that sense of leadership, confidence, and community-building into my design business, my advocacy work, and other creative endeavors.
But as the saying goes, all good things come to an end. And to be honest, it’s been a long time coming.
Amina, my partner-in-crime, moved away in 2020, and I haven’t felt as energized planning on my own.
Managing a community group during a pandemic is hard. Part of the joy of SS Letters was getting to sit around a table with other people, each creating something ourselves, but engaging and encouraging one another. You don’t get that with Zoom meetings. I know some people are ready to go back to in-person lettering sessions, but being immunocompromised, I’m not. It’s been a little stressful trying to figure out the best course of action for everyone. That said, we did have some fun outdoor chalk-lettering sessions!
I have new projects on the horizon. I’m doing more advocacy work with the National MS Society. My business is growing. I want to leave time for new adventures, (safe!) travel, and self-care.
To everyone who has been a part of SS Letters, thank you. It’s been a privilege. And if anyone is interested in taking over the group, please let me know. I’d be happy to facilitate a transition.
This isn’t goodbye, it’s farewell. I’ll still be lettering and I’ll still be around. Please keep in touch with me on my @heybattabatta or @humanpluskindco Instagram accounts. I’ll catch you on the flip side.
