[Ansteorra-textiles] question A&S

[Nancy Wederstrandt]

I don't care much for competitions but then I don't like entering or 
working with them.
I think over the years there are two types of people.... the ones who like 
doing the work and displaying so they can share, get comments and 
suggestions on how to improve their work and
the other type are people who are competitive.  I have friends who are both 
or combinations of both.

Mundanely, I keep trying to get a degree in studio art in a field that has 
little to do in the SCA.  One thing I have learned though is that you have 
to have a thick skin sometimes to accept criticism and to accept being 
ignored.  I've entered art shows where you sweat and struggle on a piece of 
work and you get nothing - no feedback, no encouragement at all.  Other 
shows where people are really excited about your work and buy it. (that's a 
good feeling).  During class critique, I learned that you have to develop 
the ability to have your work overhaul and dissected.
I think part of the problem is that most of the people in the SCA don't 
have this background.... they spend a lot of time and effort into making 
something are proud of it and then either get ignored, almost ignored  or 
heavily criticized. That hurts... it hurt me until I developed an edge to 
their comments and quit taking things so personal.   I realized sometimes 
people are critical because they are insecure about their own level and 
that they have to determine if you are better or worse than they are at 
something they are supposed to be good at ....
	I'm not trying to justify people being rude or thoughtless about what they 
say but maybe  a way of looking at what we do.  I don't like judging 
because it's an edge thing.... people are expecting you to say something, 
and they hope it's favorable or at least encouraging and it should be but 
sometimes it's not.

	What I'd like Arts and Sciences to be.  More calm.... maybe limited 
entrants so that they get more attention... Specialized events that still 
get support from everyone.  Too many times I hear - oh, I'm not interested 
in that so I'm not going.  I didn't know squat about MOngols until I 
started hanging out with Mongols and they were interesting so now I know 
stuff about Mongols.
More integrated into the SCA instead of a stand alone competition.... how 
about an arts and sciences where you gave points to people who worked on 
their stuff while at the event.  Sort of like a living history event.... I 
watched a guy make shoes that way and it really excited me.  This one A&S 
event one individual spent the weekend making a boat he had been working 
on.  I thought that was cool.  SOmeone brought some handspinning and worked 
on that while showing examples of weaving and dyes and such....
	Thinking in a new way, rather than the same way would help.
	
Let me ask a question --- how many people have started asking their judges 
questions.  If someone (judge or non-judge) stops, looks at your stuff and 
then starts to work off, ask a question.   "hey - what about that red? did 
they use that red in period..."  What about zig-zag?  Do you think zig-zag 
patterns  are period for a Latvian.  Just because hey are the judge doesn't 
mean that you can't start the conversation.

CLare