A graduate of ENALC in Bologna, Barbara Calzolari began a career in the fashion industry. She worked with large firms in the garment and accessories trade, creating projects in Italy and monitoring production in Asia for more than fifteen years.

Meanwhile, she cultivated her greatest passion, calligraphy, studying in Italy and in the United States, under the guidance of Michael Sull. In 2008 she was selected to collaborate on the masterwork Deus Caritas Est. In 2009, for the G8 summit, she created a national anthems manuscript for a host gift presented to assembled leaders by the prime minister of Italy.

She later made three copies of a manuscript book of letters of Catherine de’ Medici; one is held in the Library of Congress and another is at the Vittoriano museum complex in Rome.

As both a teacher and as a student, she has attended many conferences, conventions, and courses. In 2015, she was awarded the title of Master Penman by the International Association of Master Penman, Engrossers, and Teachers of Handwriting.
She teaches calligraphy in Italy, other parts of Europe, and the United States.

Membro delle più importanti associazioni calligrafiche internazionali, Barbara Calzolari nel 2015 è stata nominata Master Penman dall’associazione americana IAMPETH, International Association of Master Penman, Engrossers and Teachers of Handwriting.

Ha eseguito numerosi lavori calligrafici, tra i più prestigiosi: nel 2008 ha collaborato alla realizzazione del masterwork “Deus Caritas Est”, nel 2009 ha manoscritto gli inni nazionali che la Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri Italiana ha donato agli statisti intervenuti durante il Summit G8.

Ha vergato tre copie del manoscritto sulla corrispondenza epistolare di Caterina de’ Medici, conservate alla Washington DC Library e al Vittoriano a Roma. Partecipa assiduamente alle convention internazionali di calligrafia, in qualità sia di insegnante che di studente, e insegna calligrafia in Italia, Europa, America e Asia.