[Ansteorra] How to Trap a Laurel

[ksullivan6 at cox.net]

I just have to add my 2 cents. This is based on my observations over the 
years.
1. Documentation: the Laurels say that you need to write your 
documentation to the judging form, however the Laurels vary on what they 
expect from your documentation, some the “who, what, where, when, why “ 
is all they want. Others want to see a “how to” ( they want to be able 
to take your documentation home and be able to make the item). And 
others want to see the equivalent to a research paper written to 1 of 
the several forms of research papers including different types of 
bibliography’s , and others want to see a dissertation on the items 
place through history.
2. Displays: this could be worth 10 points (Presentation / Overall 
impression, judges discretion) just remember that “judges discretion is 
the important part of this” . There are 2 camps among the Laurels, the 
“minimalists” as long as you have at least a table covering they are 
happy. And then we have the “window dressers” they are looking for 
“salesmanship”. My advice is to make sure your item is the center of 
attention ( it needs to be very clear what item is there to be judged).
This being said, my advice is to do your art because you love it . If 
you choose to enter competitions , just remember that you cannot please 
all the people all the time, and Laurels are people too, sometimes we 
have bad days, and sometimes we do make mistakes, but generally we are 
more than happy to sit and talk to you about your art form. Please 
contact your judges and talk to them about the comments both good and 
bad, this can be a learning experience for both parties.
And I would suggest that you attend or enter events like LPT if you want 
to learn more about your art or more about documentation, more than 
likely the Laurels that you talk to there will some day be 1 of your 
judges should you enter competitions.
This is just my opinion,
  Dame Alix, OL

Work hard,keep the ceremonies,live peaceably, and unite your hearts.
(Hopi)


On Thu, Jul 28, 2011 at 1:46 PM, Ld.blackmoon wrote:

> greetings
>
> rather than get in an argument on this I will merely point out that 
> all of your points rely on the modern sensibilities " the real world " 
> " modern theater / marketing " " dating every possible judge " etc.
> and that you express your own opinions as solid gold fact , while I am 
> able to understand that nothing is black and white for every occasion, 
> and that my perspective is just my opinion , other peoples 
> experiences,and perspectives may give them a different opinion , and 
> that's ok, but it doesn't stop me from asking questions , or 
> explaining my opinion to others .
> also , I believe that a judges time is less wasted looking at the 
> entry , and not the fru fru around it.
> like I said in an earlier post, a simple , basic,balanced,  non 
> distracting display is always better than some gaudy dime store window 
> dressing display .
> but again that's just my opinion
> Be Safe , Be Happy, Have Fun .
> Arthur
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Casey Weed" <seoseaweed at gmail.com>
> To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc." <ansteorra at lists.ansteorra.org>
> Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2011 12:51 PM
> Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] How to Trap a Laurel
>
>
>> Okay, I can't take it any more.
>>
>> Presentation is important and saying that it shouldn't matter or 
>> doesn't
>> count,  or is some kind of jackbooted and unfair element of 
>> competitive
>> display or,  *especially* saying that because it is done well it must 
>> have
>> taken away from time that could have been spent on the actual item 
>> (which
>> now *must* be sub-par or shabbily built!!!)... utter hog wash.
>>
>> You dress nice for an interview, don't you?  You comb your kids hair 
>> before
>> sending them to school, right?  You pick up the fast food wrappers 
>> out of
>> the floor board of that spiffy 1990 Buick Skylark before picking up a 
>> date,
>> right?  I hope so.  And if you don't, perhaps there are some clues as 
>> to why
>> interviews, PTA meetings, and dates aren't going quite according to 
>> Hoyle
>> for you.
>>
>> How much does this resemble your position?: "I want some or all of 
>> the
>> benefits of being judged- professional feedback, personal 
>> acknowledgment,
>> word fame, awards,  some beads, a scroll, chocolates and mints left 
>> on my
>> table, and awards perhaps- but I am not willing to help the people 
>> whose
>> time I am demanding connect with the 10s, 100s or 1000s of hours I 
>> put into
>> my project beyond plopping it down on a bare table."
>>
>> I have two areas of expertise: Early Modern Theater and Marketing. 
>> Both
>> have taught me that context is crucial.  If you don't take the time 
>> to put
>> something in context- which is really what a good display should be 
>> about-
>> you're just doing your art for yourself.  Self.  As in the word 
>> 'selfish'.
>> Yes, art is personal, but if you're out *seeking judgment* and 
>> begging the
>> valuable time of others in the form of feedback- that's 'consulting' 
>> in the
>> real world and usually comes with a $100/hr+ price tag- you need to
>> recognize that if you don't put your work in context it may be 
>> difficult to
>> digest, particularly in those Blue Water art forms where you are the 
>> lone
>> pioneer.
>>
>> Forget about the awards and kudos: you're asking for someone's time-
>> something you can *never* replace.  This isn't about the Jay Effect,
>> glitter, potpourri, etc.(a Straw Man if ever I set fire to one). 
>> It's about
>> treating your date like her time is valuable... dust the fries off 
>> the
>> passenger seat, wash the car, and replace that crown air freshener on 
>> the
>> dashboard.  Open her door.  Tell her where you're going tonight.  We 
>> can all
>> talk piously and empirically about how art should stand alone on it's 
>> own
>> merits but that's a load of horse manure in the real world.  At the 
>> Louvre,
>> the Uffizi, the Prado, the Curtain, the Philharmonic... the art is 
>> always in
>> beautiful *context*.  A frame, a stage, a room with other 
>> complimentary art,
>> good light, well dressed attendants, costumes on dancers... all 
>> prepared for
>> your consumption.  Even in situations where competition is involved. 
>> And in
>> all these venues, they also make an effort of some kind to help the
>> uneducated connect to the art, too.
>>
>> You know... as if they cared about the audience as much as 
>> themselves.  As
>> if art were a service rather than a favor.
>>
>> Without an audience there is no theater.  Treat them accordingly- 
>> cushions
>> and an intermission for a 2 hour show is the least you can do.
>>
>> Casey/Dieterich
>>
>> (Apologies to Skylark owners- I had one when I was single so it was 
>> the
>> natural choice.  Further apologies if I ever dated you and missed 
>> some fries
>> or failed to replace the crown air freshener.)
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