Twin Dolphin Design, P.O. Box 967
Arden, NC 28704
828-651-8060

Twin Dolphin Design

Media: Paper

Michael Hughey has been fascinated by letters and alphabets since childhood; the book arts of calligraphy, design, illustration, & typography continue the long love affair with beauty in graphic form to this day. With skill and artistry he uses pen, quill, brush, ink, pigments, gold, and a little alchemy to translate an ancient and noble craft into elegant contemporary graphic works. Commissions for graphic design & calligraphy are accepted. Examples include: wedding invitations, certificates, and announcements; corporate identity & logo design; letterheads; poems; hand-written &/or illuminated books; citations; anniversary and birth announcements; awards; resolutions; book & CD covers, Bahá'í-inspired art. His studio is in Arden, in western North Carolina. View our galleries for many examples of Michael's work.

In business over 40 years, Twin Dolphin Design is a modest graphic design & publishing studio, specializing in calligraphy, typography, design, & illustration. As well as meeting the needs of clients, we create, publish, & distribute original note cards, post cards, matted & framed broad-sides, limited-edition prints, and hand-written books. Sensitive to improving the environment & preserving limited natural resources, we use "green" products & processes. The content of Twin Dolphin's published work reflects an appreciation of the universality of spiritual virtues, the unity & brotherhood of mankind, a fondness for life, letters, and language. and a distinct value in the diverse expression of common truth and wisdom from the myriad cultures of our beautiful & fragile planet. In this vein, we earnestly strive to make our calligraphic art a fitting ornament for the thought. Twin Dolphin sells prints and cards primarily in fine art & craft galleries, gift stores, bookstores, and directly by mail; however, we are always seeking new outlets and locations. If you like what you see in the virtual Galleries, we invite you to contact us.

2013 Demonstration Dates at the Folk Art Center: May 24-28; August 22 - 25; November 27 -Dec. 1; December 23—31. Teaching/Classes: at JC Campbell Folk School (1-800-365-5724); July 21-27, 2013 - Introduction to Calligraphy; April 13-19, 2014 - Cursive Italic Hand for Journaling & Correspondence. Please call the Folk School for details & registration; class sizes are very limited. Michael also teaches design, book arts, calligraphy, and handwriting to private students (beginning & advanced) who seriously pursue these skills. Contact him with your specific project or needs.

He is a co-founder of the Society for Calligraphy in Los Angeles, the founder, past president, & honorary member of the Carolina Lettering Arts Society, (CLAS) in the Carolinas, and a Life Member and Roll of Honor recipient of the Southern Highland Craft Guild. He served for 8 years on the Board of Directors of HandMade in America, Inc. His published work may be seen in several publications & books, including: Lettering Arts, Modern Scribes and Lettering Artists, Visible Language, Brilliant Star Magazine, and Letter Arts Review. His book, The Beginning Hand: Directions, Reflections, & Suggestions Introducing the Craft & Art of Calligraphy was published in 2012 and is available from him ($45 postage paid in US). His creations are in several public and many private collections, including the Metropolitan Museum, NY, and The Bahá'í World Centre, Israel. In an age of seemingly never-ending, ever-advancing technology, “ ...there is, indeed, an important place in human society for the warmth, beauty, and grace that calligraphy can bring to our lives.”