Re; A Laurel's field of expertise

[Gunnora Hallakarva]

Aquillane said:
>There is a small point I mean to make with all the above stuff other than
>blowing my own horn. Laurels need to be open about who and what they are and
>what they do, for one thing--rather than give cryptic replies to people
>wanting simple information (like "what did you get your laurel for?"). The
>answer, "Well, we don't give Laurels in *this* kingdom for just *one* thing"
>sounds awfully snooty and put-offish to me, let alone some poor shmo who's
>not played long enough to develop enough hide to handle that kind of
>ambiguous non-answer. I gotta tell ya, it's awfully off-putting. It just
>sounds too-too snobbish. That's not the kind of image of peerage I believe
>we owe the populace. One of the duties of peerage is, supposedly, teaching.
>Kinda hard to teach when people are afraid to ask what you do.

I think we got started with this brand of reply many years back.  I remember
around the 20 Year Celebration when Mistress Sabia was asked "what's your
Laurel in" she got an evil look in her eye and asnwered "I boffed the King."

Since in Ansteorra we award the Thistle for competency in one field, and the
Iris is specifically for mastery in one field with competency in a couple
more, and most Laurels have an Iris, I think SCA-culture-wise we promote
more versatility among our Laurels.  

If you ask me this question (and you did, I recall)  I'll answer "Viking
stuff plus any art or science that will stand still long enough for me to
try it" and then add the caveat about Ansteorran Laurels preferring to say
that we don't have just one field. 
Like Mistress Branwyn, there is very little I cannot turn my hand to and
make a passable go at it artistically.  Your field, the scrievner's arts, is
the big exception.
Hmm.  If I had to list all the fields artistically that I've done good work,
say at least Thistle-level in, it would include: leatherwork, graphic
design, Viking history, Viking literature, Scandinavian languages, Latin,
research, Fimo imitations of millefiori and ivory,  wood carving, repousse,
papier mache, screen printing, stencilling, sand casting, lost wax casting,
soapstone carving, jewellry, sewing, brewing, vintning, liquer making,
distilling, cheesemaking, cooking, herbalism, costuming, embroidery, inkle
and tablet weaving, spinning, dyeing, naalbinding, felting, armor making,
silversmithing and haberdashery. That doesn't even begin to touch on the
stuff I've tried!!  What do I pick out of this?  Usually I stick with
"Viking stuff" as a good general descriptor.

 I don't think any of us mean for it to sound snotty when we say we don't
have one field, but I can see how it could be perceived that way.  I also
think though that it's a good idea to promote a little experimentation and
broadening of the artistic horizons.  Truthfully, though, it seems that the
true artist always has more than one field just because a creative
personality leads to trying new things.

Interesting thread, and I'll be interested in seeing what our brothers and
sisters of the Laurel have to add.  Y'all want to list your art or arts for us??

Wassail,
::GUNNORA::

Gunnora Hallakarva
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