We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessica Wofford and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica, what inspires you?
God, first and always. I’m endlessly inspired by His creations, especially my children. Everything they do feels like magic: the way they chase butterflies, play barefoot in the mud, paint with flowers, and dance in the tree pollen like it’s snow. Watching the world through their eyes is the closest I’ll ever come to seeing it again through my own as a child, before life became more complicated.

In many ways, that’s where my story begins. I was four years old when my mom taught me to write my name in cursive. I stayed up long after she fell asleep on the couch, writing and erasing in the glow of the TV light until I got it just right. My parents were astonished. I’ve been entranced with cursive ever since.

My dad was a sign painter and ran his own business. I grew up watching him hand-letter signs and trucks with a long, thin, paintbrush and a metal rod for support, learning the rhythm of thick and thin lines, and how to steady my breath to guide my hand. His shop smelled like paint and sawdust. To this day, those smells still feel like home.

When I was twelve, he gave me my first fountain pen. I wrote thank-you notes (a beautiful habit I got from my mother), kept journals, even found pen pals just to practice my cursive. By the time I was planning my wedding, I knew I wanted to learn dip pen calligraphy for my invitations. I got so hooked that I was writing thank-you notes for baby shower gifts with a dip pen… while in labor. (The nurses probably thought I was crazy. I might’ve been.)

That’s when I realized: this wasn’t just a hobby, it was something deeper. A part of me. Writing has always brought me peace. It still does. The scratch of a metal nib on paper is like music to my nervous system. It grounds me, connects me, and brings me back to a slower, more intentional way of life; the kind my children remind me is still possible.

This is what drives me, what turned a quiet escape into a growing business. I believe beauty is love made visible, passed from one soul to another in the form of a painting, a poem, or a handwritten letter.

Above all, I’m inspired by the Creator Himself — the artist behind every beautiful thing. Reflecting that beauty is the heart of my work. It’s what keeps me indefinitely inspired to create.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a calligrapher and live artist who creates heirloom-quality pieces, from hand-lettered signage to engraved perfume bottles. But what I really do is collaborate with everyday people to mark meaningful moments in life in a breathtakingly beautiful, and lasting way. Whether it’s painting florals on a bridal jacket, writing vows for the big day, or personalizing a first-day-of-school chalkboard, I treat every project like a love letter. That’s what I believe art is: love made visible.

What sets my work apart is the depth behind it. I’m not just here to make something pretty (though I love that part, too). I’m here to help someone slow down and savor a memory, or give a gift that feels like it was made just for them. I also work live on-site, in stores, and at weddings and events, so guests get to slow down and watch their custom pieces come to life by request. That connection makes the work even more special.

Getting to this point wasn’t easy, though. I started this business as a side hobby while teaching high school Special Education Reading and English, and raising my Irish twin boys (11 months apart- 2 and 3 at the time). When my husband’s work position finally allowed for me to stay home with them, my heart leapt at the idea, and so I jumped. I turned in my resignation and began pouring myself into raising and homeschooling my boys, and practicing my calligraphy when I needed peace or expression.

Then, the unthinkable happened. My husband suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in an accident that changed everything. He broke his neck in 3 places and destroyed his right wrist, and, subsequently, had to change his career path. He is much better today (in no small part thanks to the Houston Memorial Herman TIRR Clinic, and God), but this was all the weekend of the 1st Covid shutdown, March 13, 2020, and the same month all of my teaching certifications expired. As he recovered, I had to find a way to keep our family afloat. What began as a quiet creative outlet became the very thing that supported us through some of the hardest years of our lives.

There were moments I wanted to give up. I had babies at home, a business I didn’t feel qualified to run, and later, a son who had to be homeschooled full-time after being expelled twice due to unrecognized autism. I had my own challenges, too. I’m autistic, and I have PTSD, anxiety, and chronic health issues. But with each small step, and every whispered prayer, I faced my fears, accepted hard and humbling opportunities, and slowly grew into both the artist and brand I am today.

Today, I have 3 children, (a daughter finally) and I’ve personalized for brands like Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Ave., Yves Saint Laurent, Creed, Gucci, Tiffany and Co., Steve Madden, D’USSÉ, and more. I’ve engraved perfume bottles, leather boots, glass ornaments, and magnetic acrylic save the dates. And I’ve created custom pieces for families, brides, teachers, and businesses that I now call friends.

If there were one thing I’d want the world to know about my business it would be this: my business was built, not just out of necessity, but out of grit, faith, and love for creativity, and The Creator Himself. It’s proof that something beautiful can grow out of hard things; that God doesn’t shatter the pieces, but, if you let Him, He’ll help make the mosaic.

My work is imperfect and intentional, just like life. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We wouldn’t chase the trendiest spots; we’d go to the places that actually mean something to me. The kind that hold memories, tell stories, and feel like home.

One day, we’d pack snacks, leash up the dog, and head down to El Jardín, the little tucked-away beach I take my kids to when we need to escape. It’s quiet, it’s peaceful, and it always feels like a secret we get to share.

Another day, we’d drive to Galveston, spend the morning at the Children’s Museum if the kids are with us, or relax at The San Luis Resort if it’s just us grown-ups. We’d get lunch at The Spot, wander the Strand, and maybe end the night with chocolate from La King’s Confectionery (it’s a throwback in all the best ways.)

I’d take her to Rice Village, visit a cozy bookshop or local market, then head to Winfield’s Chocolate Bar. Maybe we’d end the night with live music at Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar or karaoke at a nearby dive bar (or probably both). Another day, we might take a four-wheeler ride through the back roads by the woods behind my house, or just sit under the stars in the front yard with a guitar and a campfire. And at least one day for lunch, we’d order carry-out from Central Texas BBQ (chopped beef sandwich for me, always).

In Houston, I’d bring her to The Galleria, partly for nostalgia. I used to love the waterfall and skating rink as a child, and now, I get the honor of working there often for live calligraphy and painting events. We’d stop by Villa de Matel or the Botanical Garden when we needed stillness, and visit The Rienzi or Museum District when we wanted to be inspired. (If we time it right, maybe I’d be teaching a calligraphy class at The Rienzi, and, of course, I’d have her come.)

We’d be sure to catch glimpses of the parts of Houston that always stop me in my tracks like the Be Someone overpass sign the city fought to preserve, or the giant magnolias blooming near Hermann Park and the Zoo. They’re quiet landmarks, but they say so much. They remind me of the Houston that raised me, not just the skyline and sprawl, but the soul of the city.

These are the places that shaped me, the ones I leaned on as a young woman working my way through U of H, nannying four boys just to graduate debt-free, and the ones that still move me now, as a mother, an artist, and someone who believes in beauty, presence, memories, and handmade things.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
To my parents who inspire and support me indefinitely, and to my loving husband, who always supports and encourages me, no matter what season of life we are in. He is my rock who reminds me of who I am when I lose my way, and for that, I’m eternally grateful. Just as importantly, I’d like to say a special thank you to all of our friends and family, who have consistently been our village, lifting us up in our times of need, and cheering us on in our times of success.

Website: https://Www.woffordcalligraphy.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/woffordcalligraphy?igsh=MWN6cnYyOG9tbnU4Ng%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/16wgPtK8Gk/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Image Credits
All were taken by me with my phone

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