Tina Lee-Cronkhite: From Graphic Design & Calligraphy Guilds to Fodder School
Host Wendy Solganik interviews longtime Fodder School participant Tina Lee-Cronkhite, an artist in Grand Rapids, Michigan, about her creative path and community. Tina grew up around her mother’s fine art (portraits, oils, landscapes) and shifted from mechanical engineering after a GM supervisor encouraged her to apply to the Center for Creative Studies, where she studied graphic design and later worked at ad agencies doing print design before the digital era. She became deeply involved in calligraphy—helping start a Kalamazoo guild, attending in-person workshops and conferences, exploring bookmaking, and valuing traditional tools—while also embracing looser, mixed-media approaches over time. Tina joined Fodder School in its first year during COVID, credits it as a lifesaver, works from a basement studio, displays art throughout her home, gives pieces away, and typically completes most monthly projects while adapting teachers’ processes to her own style.
*Editor’s Note: Tina’s Instagram is @tinaleecronkhite, not @tinaleec, as said in the episode.
00:00 Meet Tina Lee-Cronkhite
01:46 Show Intro Theme
03:07 Tina Background
04:46 Mom Artist Roots
08:02 Engineering to Art
11:44 Graphic Design Career
13:42 Calligraphy Discovery
15:41 Guild Workshops
23:42 Online Classes and Fodder
24:58 Studio Space Reality
28:16 Displaying Finished Work
29:40 Selling vs Making Joy
31:09 Gifting Art Without Fear
31:58 Keeping Up With Fodder School
34:16 UFOs From Loving Projects
36:34 Art Outside The Lessons
37:58 Pickleball And Productivity
39:37 Following Teachers Your Way
43:10 Master Boards And Style
46:20 Traditional Calligraphy Vs Trends
49:44 Guilds Aging And Craft Magic
53:06 Lefty Struggles And Imperfection
55:50 Calligraphy Guild Nostalgia
57:41 Postcards And Wrap Up