ANST - Looking for the heat (long)

[Casey&Coni]

Mistress Tamlin had a few things to say and I think it would be easier if I
rebutted point by point....


To Darlene Vandevers:
>> 1.  Event announcements are very, very space limited.

Tamlin replied:
>That's a shame.  Most publish the name of the cook to attact folks to a
good, competant
>feast.  They publish the tourney format in great detail.  The A&S parts of
events seem
>ever to be an afterthought that enters the planning as "...oh, and we've
got to have
>something for the non-fighters".  We expect artistic talent to be rewarded
and yet do so
>very little to encourage the artists.

I think that this was perhaps once true but no longer applies due to events
that cator specifically to the A&S participants.  To wit, the rise in the
number of non-fighting events has really been impressive over the last few
years.  Laurels Prize Tourney, Kingdom A&S, Gulf War A&S, Candlemasses,
Yules, Fall Courts, Feast of the Minstrel, Dance Symposiums, and the varied
and sundry academys and collegiums leap to mind.  I acceed to the fact that
many smaller events billed as tournaments have a smaller A&S venue, but I
think that's acceptable- after all, they did get billed as _tournaments_
rather than a meeting of the A&S community.  A crude analogy might be going
to the Indianapolis 500 in hopes of learning a bit about motor technology...
sure, it happens, but it was billed as a race and that's where the time
allotment will be dedicated.  You can't be upset if you go and have to sit
through all those laps to spend five minutes after the race with members of
a pit crew.

As for encouraging artists... what do you propose?  Personally, I think that
there is a lot of recognition availiable and potential for awards in the
arts.  Short of major sca-wide reform as to how we earn titles and select
leaders, I don't see an obvious way to further encourage them... but then,
they should be working for the love of their art and the pleasure it gives
them, right? ;)  So what's your solution?

You continued...

>Don't you think that publishing names would encourage those named to make
the extra
>effort to honor their commitments.  If a judge reneges on their promise to
judge, don't
>go hunting for *any* substitute, ask the ARTISTS who present is qualified
to judge.

I think it's nearly impossible to publish a complete list of judges prior to
an event for the simple fact that you *cannot* predict what arts will turn
up to be judged.  We have many artisans in this kingdom who work in media
that _nobody else is versed in_.  Someone shows up with fiber arts entrys
and you have a zillion options on potential judges but what do you do for
the artist who shows up with an icon, a map, an astrolabe, or a piece of
armor (our armoring laurels are on sabbatical)?  You can't plan deep enough
for what might show up unless you can outdo the Great Karnac.

I agree that asking the artist who is qualified to judge is a good idea- an
idea employed for judging a map at squires recently- and one I'd like to see
spread about.  The hole in that method is that it lends can lend itself to
academic nepotism: "I learned how to make whozzywhazzits from Master Whozzy
himself- just ask him how good I am."  In the end, you do the best you can
do with the personel that turn up and try your best to keep the judging in
the hands of those who can be objective and are most knowledgable about the
artform and that's that.

<snippage of some things I generally agree with>

>Ah, yes, the ambush-judging technique.  When the autocrat has the audacity
to shanghai
>folks unaware to judge categories they are unfamiliar with, how fair is
that to the
>artist?  Too many times that judge-grab induces the "ooo - I've been asked
to JUDGE"
>prance in the unpracticed (known as the vanity judging technique) or the
"sh**, I've been
>asked to judge" moan (which triggers the  revenge judging mode) Would an
autocrat grab
>just any one to marshall a fight?  Of course not, the fighter's would raise
the roof.
>The honorable thing to do would be to convert the "judgless" categories to
displays and
>apologize *profusely* to the artists, or even appeal to them to name a
judge.

Now, I don't happen to be a member of your order, but as both an artist and
one who has recently had to organize an arts competition I think that the
situations you have described have largely heard their death knell.  The
laurels I speak with seem to have a solid grasp on the concept that getting
the best subject matter expert availiable along with a seasoned judge with
good interpersonal skills is the way to go where competitions are concerned.
I think that this type of paired judging will for the most part cure the
problems you describe.

(as an aside about marshalling, the knights do not coordinate who will be
marshalling at crown... we use those who turn up and aren't fighting)

>
>And, gee, if the announcement says:
>    "There will be an Arts and Sciences Competition, with judges chosen
from whoever
>happens to show up".
>
>Just how many artists would care to attend?

Perhaps a better compromise between this point of view and mine would be for
the A&S competition coordinator to hit up as many subject matter experts as
possible to come to the event to help with judging *prior* to the event.
That way you have your textiles person, your woodworking person, your callig
and illum person out of the way and the only spots you have to jump through
hoops to judge would be the oddball entrys.

>It may be defacto secrecy, but it IS secrecy.  It is very demeaning to be
judged (and
>perhaps found wanting) by someone you later find out (once you ferret out
the name) is
>your complete inferior in the field. That's happened to me more times than
I care to
>count.

There is no secrecy in the current method at all.  Right on the bottom of
the judging form is a space for both judges names, signatures, and contact
information.  Personally, I'd rather not give an artist the ability to
pander to the style of any judge... I wanna see what they do in their *own*
style.  Thus the system of not knowing til you're on site is one of my
favorites.

 >Even dog shows certify and announce their judges...and *they* are
volunteers.


Dog show judges have the pleasure of judging... dogs.  Big dogs, little
dogs, purple and pink dogs, but dogs nonetheless.  At our events you don't
know if you'll be seeing a stained glass window or a melon grown with period
techniques.  Also, in regard to a dog show and breed differences, each breed
has a handbook as to what to look for.  I only *wish* we had such a book for
the map entry at squires!

>And that is just wrong.  It sends such a clearly disdainful message to the
arts
>community.

I disagree completely for the reasons stated above but if you feel that
strongly about it, what is your solution?


>Once more onto my box dear friends
>Tamlin du Bois Vert, OL

Thank you for your thought provoking post... I can't wait to see where this
goes!

Dieterich Kempenich von Eltz


There is a very fine line between "hobby" and  "mental illness". -Dave Barry

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