ANST - RE: Looking for the heat

[Mark&Sue]

Talana wrote:

>
> Why was it demeaning?  Were they malicious and took an opportunity to trash
> you?  If so, I am sorry indeed.
>

It wasn't maliciousness, just ignorance. Aspects of the piece that were fully
documented from primary sources were dismissed (and the score downgraded)
because they were outside the realm of SCA mythology (as in "Pink was not
available in period." or "pockets are not period").  It was distressing that the
documentation was either not read, not understood or disregarded. I don't
consider myself particullary thin skinned...but I've not trusted my work to a
competition since.  The upshot of this was that had I known who would be
judging, I would not have entered.  I don't think this is an unreasonable
reaction.

>
> Unlike Athena, we do not spring from the forehead of Zeus fully-formed.
>  Everything we do must be learned, and that includes judging.

I heartily agree.  For myself, I always included my apprentices in any judging
that I was asked to do. I always informed the autocrat and assured them that my
apprentices would not be turning in scores, but would be learning to judge.  As
they progressed, I would ask that they be allowed to do scoring under my
supervision.  I think this sort of method is being used more and more.  If each
experienced judge mentored one person even once, what an addition to the judge
pool there would be by the end of a year.

>  After all, if my work would not stand up to the scrutiny of someone
> who knows less on the subject than I do, it certainly won't pass muster
> with those who are better than me.

I think the situation can be easily turned topsy-turvey, as it happened to me.
There is point where the artist's depth of knowledge becomes esoteric.  Judges
with less expertise see as faults what is merely unusual.

> We need all the judges we can get.  Mistress Gunnora told only the painful
> truth about how much work it can be to judge.  Let us not discourage new
> judges by leading them to think they are not qualified to give comments or
> assign scores on the better artisans.

Oh, my goodness, I would never discouage new judges! While it is a hard and too
often thankless job, it has rewards in the camaraderie with other artists both
competitors and other judges. I completely agree with Gunnora's assessment; it
ought to be preserved and given to A&S autocrats as a "Care and Feeding of
Judges" pamphlet.

It's true that one bad experience can color an attitude and I admit that I've
had many growth experiences against one sour one.  But (true to human nature)
it's the bad one that I remember.

Here's a new question:  Have artists ever been asked to give formal feedback on
the judging of a competition?  I'm starting to suspect that there is a lot of
private carping going on after-the-fact, with no true assessment of the quality
of the judging.

> I have enjoyed the discussion that Tamlin and Baron Bors have stirred up,
> and hope that others are finding it as useful as I am.

I've enjoyed it too.  It's been a pleasure to discuss and argue somthing in
depth with everyone keeping their cool.  It may even be an on-line record 8^D

Tamlin du Bois Vert, OL


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