ANST - Documentation

[Russell Husted]

First I would like to state that I do not have anything against 
documentation for A$S. Please do not missundersand that.

I agree that documentation will not hurt an artists skill, but it may 
impead them from ever gaining that skill. There are stories of the pages 
of documentation that some people have. A newby, and just completed my 
first year in the SCA so I am one, loves to learn these neat crafts we 
do. They are very excited, just like a fighter who gets to put on loaner 
armor, borrow a blade, and fight with a one day authorization at a small 
local turney. BUT, a newby cannot truely partisipate in A&S. I have 
spoken to many Laurels, and those who have spoken to me, know that I 
respect them for their skill and knowledge and that I listen to their 
words with care, sometimes hanging on to every drop of wisdom they may 
shed. 

I am new to card weaving. My wife took a class on it. I got a five 
minute explanation from her on how it was done, And now I am weaving my 
head off. I am trying all sorts of things and having fun! I, until 
mistress Gunnora posted it even after talking to several other people in 
the field, did not know what the best books to look in were. Which ones 
were acceptable and gave period information. I do not have these book, 
and you can bet, I will do my best to get my hands on them now. But 
prier to that, unless I dropped everything I was doing, that 
informantion was not in my hands. 

There is no forum for the newby, or dabbler. I would like to see two 
competitions sit side by side, not as equals, but side by side. One 
which requires everything, and the other which is just "Overall 
Impression" Let the newbies play as well without the "threat" of 
documentation hanging over their heads. I feel that "threat" so I know 
what I am saying. When I design a scroll, I can prove beyond a shadow of 
a doubt, that it is period, SEE look-here is one just like it. We 
newbies do not always understand. What I called "periodish," Mistress 
Gunnora called "period." I didn't know better. ps-thankyou for 
clarifying that for me and the extra info you gave.

I would like to see an "Artisans" Competition at the same time as the 
regular A$S, not once every now and then at the few events that do 
"display". Competition is for fun, display is not a fun word, and we 
newbies do not understand it. The artisans competition should be in well 
estabished crafts, things there is no question about period or not, Card 
weaving being a simple example. Let the Laurels who judge these excite 
the participants. "Excellent job, did you know about this book...." The 
Laurel who judged my last A$S said quite wisely, "Think Advertisement" I 
ask you, the Laurels, to do the same, Give a middle ground competition, 
and Artisans competition, as Advertisement to becomeing well versed in 
an art, Give the newbies someplace to play other than just on the combat 
field.

respectfuly
Mahee


<snip>
I'm sorry, but it just doesn't follow that requiring documentation (ie. 
written examples of an technical understanding of one's artform and the 
relavence of one's art to the historic period we address) will in any 
way negatively affect an artist's skill. An artist who can document 
his/her work and is willing to do so is an artist who is likely to 
continue learning in their area, and their skill level will be more 
likely to improve than diminish.

\/\/\/\/\/\/
Dory Grace***The Inkwell
<end snip>


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