RARE BIRD, n. Someone or something uncommon and remarkable.

THE FOUNDRY

our goal...

was to set out to create the most beautiful font foundry in the world. We are artists and designers, with an eye for spotting talent and nurturing it. We wanted to provide lettering artists the opportunity to soar.

We do believe we have succeeded.

This project has been years in the making. We are dedicated to releasing only the highest quality hand lettered fonts on the market. Each design starts with pen and ink to paper and is meticulously crafted into a flawless rendition (quirks and all) of an artist's vision.

Our fonts are not for the masses, they are for discerning designers, the ones with vision and deep appreciation of how finding the perfect font means the difference between an ordinary project and an extraordinary one.

CONTACT

the artists

MAYBELLE IMASA-STUKULS

specimen i | specimen v

California based artist Maybelle Imasa-Stukuls, is unequivocally the doyenne of the modern calligraphy movement. Imasa-Stukuls signature hand has been featured innumerous times across the pages of the Martha Stewart Living empire publications, amongst other noteworthy glossies. A sampling of her clients includes William Sonoma, Chronicle Books,  J.Crew, and Adobe. In 2016 she ceased taking on wedding clients to concentrate on her commercial endeavors, workshops and her forthcoming book. Asked about her major inspiration, she simply states, “I find beauty in imperfection."

KARLA LIM | Written Word Calligraphy

specimen ii | specimen iii

Vancouver based artist Karla Lim has made an indelible mark on the handlettering community by standing out amongst a sea of artists with her ethereal letterforms. Lim’s dedication to her craft, her refined hand and eye are evident in everything she produces. “I found calligraphy and illustration to be a meaningful space where I can express myself and create beauty in the simplest of things.”  Her work has been published in a multitude of magazines including Vogue, Martha Stewart Weddings, Real Weddings, and The Knot.

LISA MAVIAN | Post Calligraphy

specimen iv

Toronto based artist Lisa Mavian, left her prestigious position as an art director for a major US corporation to pursue her love of letters,  “I love poetry and to me, ultimately, calligraphy is poetry in motion.” Mavian, self-taught, is constantly learning, looking and pursuing ways to lend her ‘voice’ to this art form. Her impressive client list includes: Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Holt Renfrew and Saks Fifth Avenue.

AILEEN FRETZ | PLUME CALLIGRAPHY

SPECIMEN VI

Toronto based artist Aileen Fretz, a trained graphic designer, has set the hearts of lettering aficionados aflutter with her distinct modern organic hand and refined aesthetic. Known for her meticulous attention to detail, Fretz’s lettering is recognized as being both utterly timeless and totally current. A favorite of the wedding cognoscenti, she has secured a constant presence in prestigious publications such as Martha Stewart Weddings, Magnolia Rouge Magazine, Brides Magazine, and Style Me Pretty amongst many others.