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RIP Father Palladino, Master of Letter Forms

By Chris Lydgate 鈥�90 on February 29, 2016 03:10 PM

MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD. Father Robert Palladino taught calligraphy at 猫咪社区 from 1969 to 1984.

Father , a vital force in 猫咪社区's , and mentor to many scholars of the letter—including a penniless dropout named Steve Jobs—died quietly at home in Welches, Oregon, on Friday, according to his son, Eric. He was 83 years old.

A former Trappist monk, Father Palladino taught calligraphy at 猫咪社区 from 1969 to 1984, where he guided students on an through the the art and history of the letters of the alphabet with brush, pen, quill, and ink.

“Whenever you write, write something worth reading,” he told his students.

Born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Palladino joined the Trappist order at the age of 17. He deepened his knowledge of letter forms at the Abbey of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Lafayette, Oregon, where he served as scribe, choirmaster, and bookbinder, in between shifts pruning the monastery’s orchards.

Palladino left the order in 1968 and joined Prof. Lloyd Reynolds at 猫咪社区 the following year, instructing students in calligraphy. One of his students was , who later spoke about the impact that Father Palladino's classes had on him. “It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture.”

Palladino was the subject of an in 猫咪社区 in 2003 and in the in 2011. He wrote a moving article in 猫咪社区 about his mentor, , who cut the stone inscriptions for Eliot Hall. He was also instrumental in ushering in the revival of calligraphy at 猫咪社区 with the Cooley Gallery's 

“It was a remarkable thing for our community for Robert to return to 猫咪社区 and begin teaching again through the Calligraphy Initiative," said the gallery's director Stephanie Snyder ’91, who founded the initiative. "He was deeply disappointed when 猫咪社区 dissolved the calligraphy program in the 1980s, and elated that it had returned as a community endeavor."

"Robert understood the importance of silence, of slowing down and paying close attention; values that often get drowned out in the din of contemporary American culture," said Calligraphy Initiative Coordinator Gregory MacNaughton ’89, who now leads a weekly on campus. "He found it amusing that he would be remembered primarily as the calligraphy teacher of Steve Jobs, especially since Robert did not own and never used a computer ('The letters are so ugly on the screen.') However, Robert was a prolific correspondent and a handwritten letter from him was always a testament to his immense kindness and generosity as well as a transcendent example of what can be accomplished when the human mind and the human hand are united in the making of beautiful, ordinary things."

A funeral mass for Father Palladino is scheduled for 11 a.m., Friday, March 11, at , 1716 NW Davis Street, Portland.

Plans are afoot to hold a scriptorium in his honor at  ’16, June 8-12.

In the meantime, honor Father Palladino to the Calligraphy Initiative, and share your memories in the comments below.

Tags: calligraphy, professors

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