Several people in my shire think I ought to enter A&S competitions. So I thought I’ll go see what it’s like. Here’s some entries – I apologize for the dark hall = dark pictures with nasty flash. Click to enlarge as usual.
First, just for mom, the medieval lebkuchen (gingerbread), which I got to eat because I arrived just as they were breaking down exhibits (must remember this in future):
Mom, the cookies look and taste just like our lebkuchen, except denser. I need to read this more carefully to figure out the difference. It may just be baking powder. But I don’t know why they used granulated sugar (medieval $$$) rather than molasses that’s in the modern recipe.
Then, for all the bibliophiles out there, a linoleum block-printed book:
I was very impressed by all that carving.
Then there’s the netting – not that good looking, but something I want to try myself, so I can net my own snoods:
But this embroidery is very nice:
That loot piled around each entry are little tokens of appreciation from the appropriate royalty. They have notes on them that say things like, "Your fine work elevates the Kingdom of Meridies" and must be graded on some sort of system, but I don’t know how it works.
The most awesome thing I thought was this illustrated and gilded book page. It’s about 6" x 8".
So of course I had to get some pigments to try painting myself.
I don’t know how Meridies gets its volunteers for the Art/Sci registration table, but if it’s like Trimaris, they’ll take anyone with two brain cells. That’s been a place that I’ve spent much time; it’s quite fun, and it’s a great place to get to understand what’s going on.
They don’t grade based on those little trinkets left by peers; those are just purely a gesture of appreciation from the giver to the artist.
Usually scoring goes 2 ways: one is evaluation by teams of judges (presumably qualified and mostly impartial, ideally using a rubric). The score there is given as points out of a possible objective total; entrants are not in direct competition with one another. The other is by popular choice, usually counted by giving everyone who shows up a bead to place in a cup by the project they like best; whatever gets the most beads wins, so entrants are in competition agains one another.
Welcome to the SCA! Keep at it with the A&S entries – I’m sure you’ll get scooped up by some Laurel to be an apprentice/student soon. When entering any A&S event, remember if you get a bad judging sheet not to take it personally. I’ve seen people quit making beautiful art because of some person’s ‘helpful’ comments that her calligraphy was weak. Take it all in stride – it IS just a game!
If you want to understand how the judging system works prior to entering, you can “shadow judge.” Pick a category you are interested, and ask at the registration table if you can shadow judge that category. Shadow Judging is basically sitting with the judges of that particular category and listening to their evaluation of the piece and its documentation. You really learn a lot and get an idea of what things the judges look for. They might ask your opinion of something, and they might not. As a shadow judge, your comments and name do not go on the judging sheet. And always feel free to ask questions, of the judges and of the artisans. Most of us just love any opportunity to talk about what the do.
The trinkets can be from anyone, not just royalty. Lorenzo and I have each cast pewter token to give to people or entries that really impress us. They can be anything, from cool glass beads you bought or made, to a spool of thread, to a piece of candy. I honestly appreciate the trinkets more than the judging feedback, because it means my art has impressed or inspired someone. And that’s really what art is about for me.