ANST - A&S "skill ranks"...

[Michael Peters]

RW. Reid wrote:
> 
 I still have much to learn.  When I look on some of the period
> pieces, I despair of ever reaching their level.
 The time required to learn a skill is a
> part of the love for that craft.
> 
> My last comment is that when it comes to works that I see, I am often
> unimpressed, because I see that the artisan has spent more time making it
> look right on the outside, rather than making it correctly.  I am
> unimpressed by most shortcuts.  Part of our re-creation is the rediscovery
> of skills.  I am always more impressed by someone who takes the time to do
> it correctly, rather than just making it look right (and I have often been
> guilty of this one).
> 
Master Conor is not the only one guilty of short cuts. I (gasp) use a
welder when making helms. I too am a LOOONG way from raising that helm
from a single piece and placing it atop a full suit of Burgundian plate.
Despair AND time are enemies we must fight to reach our goals but even a
Master never stops learning.
  We have a strange dichotomy, Master vs. Amateur that disturbs me
greatly.Or Rather Master AND Amateur. Why are skills acquired in the
mundane world of less value? I have heard complaints about Laurels who
known for painting make a living as a commercial artist. The skills of
those who also sell are dismissed.It seems that thier work is devalued
because it is commercially viable. Merchants seem to be second class
citizens in Ansteorra, why is this? How many of the great historical
works of art were made only for the love of creation without monetary
consideration? What of the great Patrons of the past? The Medicci? If
our armouring craftspeople turned out only two great works of art a year
(in thier spare time of course) we would be unable to have tourneys or
go to wars......we wouldn't have enough fighters with armour. (Quick
Wilber pop your helm I need to borrow it for the next round. What do you
mean James has it this round? I'm fighting him! What am I going to do?)> 
> We NEED craftspeople. Without them we would still be wearing carpet armour and Freon tanks. Why are they undervalued and unrecognized?

Yours,
Lord Mykaru Kurodachi
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