[Bordermarch] (no subject)

[Thelismar at bordermarch.org]

To the populace of our fair Barony Bordermarch & Kingdom Ansteorra,



          On Friday 11 Feb 2011 Lord Atli Karlsson picked up Lady Karen of
Bordermarch and I, Ld Biau-douz de la Mere, @ Kitten's Keep
Manor by way of fast carriage...We were enroute to the carnival
called Kingdom Arts & Sciences held in the far away Barony of
Bjornsborg...The Journey was fraught w/ tragedy &
accomplishment...Tragedy struck before we even left our humble
manor...Lady Karen & I possess identical luggage bags...So, when
I loaded up Karen's bag I thought it was my own & Karen thought
i was possessed w/ a momentary bout of chivalry by loading her
luggage (which I would have loaded anyway)...So, needless to
say, I do not realize my error until we reach the inn in
Bjornsborg...I was devastated as in my bag was not only my garb,
but, the most important piece of period clothing which I
own---my apprenticeship green belt...49% of this catastrophe was
averted by the quick thinking of Lady Karen when she insisted I
quit crying into my pillow & journey across the street (sic) to
the Ye Olde Super Wall-Market...I personally managed to pick out
boots & garb much to Karen's surprise...She even commented that
I was dressed better than her...So yes, you can dress your
medieval best by shoppping @ Wal-Mart for less...

          We made it to the event in plenty of time for Ld Atli to check
in w/ his entry...For those of you who don't know Ld Atli
re-created a wonderful rendering of "St. George Slaying the
Dragon" on one of his well made kite shields from his shield
press...While @ the event another smaller tragedy occurred to my
person...I had just received a terrific critique of my
calligraphy & illuminated work from Countess Deanna della Penna
who is also an accomplished scribe...She gave me great insight,
direction, & advice on book-binding...When finished w/ this very
 beneficial conversation my Lady Karen decided to chase me down
& give me the "I told you so" advice of which she is famous (&
often 96.0375% right about)...I was trying to craftily make my
getaway through the main entrance of which I thought was wide
open...Much to my chagrin someone, Karen I suspect, had put in
an invisible door next to the main doors to the hall...I creamed
right into this invisible door leaving a facial impression to
rival that of the Shroud of Turin...So, not only was I
embarrassed by the invisible door that everyone else apparently
had seen, but, I was forced to acquiesce to the laughing &
advice of my wife...

          After the "invisible door crisis" I began a series of
conversations & greetings w/ numerous artisans from all around
our fair Kingdom...I first met the Kingdom Bard Ld Goldweard who
has a penchant for period puppetry...Karen & I relished this
conversation as we have a mild fascination for puppetry...We may
have even secured a puppet show & intro to Bardic classes from
Lord Goldweard for BAM...We also had the luxury of meeting more
formally Queen's Champion & Baron of Loch Soillier Don
Cael...This introduction occurred while Karen & I were
conversing w/ the Kingdom's very own torturer & executioner Don
Pieter Rausch...Don Pieter's story was a funny one as well...If
any of you had read his Facebook posting then you would know
that he almost did not go to the event...The piece he entered
was called a "Shame Flute"...this device was used to punish bad
bards...For his efforts he was elevated to the Order of the Iris
of Merit & his entry will grace the A&S pavilion @ Gulf Wars as
one of a small number of pieces that represents the quality of
Ansteorran artistry...Mistress Laurel Rose & her husband Master
Laurel Geoff (sp?) were introduced to me by Minister of Arts &
Sciences Mistress Laurel Marguerite...Mistress Rose gave me a
very sincere & thorough critique of my calligraphy &
illumination to date...Mistress Marguerite & Mistress
Laurel/Baroness Steppes Genevieve also gave out great assistance
in tasking me w/ Laurels for the purposes of shadow
judging...Also in attendance was a long-time friend of
Bordermarch, one Mistress Hillary Greenslade...She has been a
very inspiring force behind my desire for creating quality C&I
artwork alongside HE Therese d'Ivoire & Mistress Jalali...We
talked shop for what seemed like minutes, but was really
hours...She was accompanied by Lady Penelope & Lady Sarah of
Brym Gwlad...These ladies are very good scribes in their own
right as well...Sable Scroll Thomas atte Woode also shared in
our "shop talk"...One recurring theme in our discussions &
critiques was that they all say I'm pretty good @ the fancy
letter writing stuff & that I should be moving up to the next
level in terms of true quality scroll making (i.e., period
materials & epic projects)...This challenge I gladly & humbly
accept...(groan, w/ a grin)

          I did accomplish the tasks that my Mistress Laurel, Mistress
Jalali, had asked of me...She wanted me to shadow judge w/ as
many Laurels as possible to familiarize myself w/ the judging
process, network & establish contacts, & get subjective
critiques on work/portfolio quality...

          The shadow judging introduced me to the process of documentation
& what the judges are looking for, but, also insight as to the
importance of documentation & the catergorization in these
judged events...The first piece I shadow-judged I was partnered
w/ Mistress Laurel & Kingdom Seneschal Gwyneth Blackrose &
Mistress Laurel Suvdchin...the work was a ceramic period scribal
paint tray created by a thirteen year-old novice
ceramicist...The second display I was paired w/ Mistress Laurel
Stacia...I aided in shadowing a masterful pottery entry by HL
Ohksana...Her entry was a replica Nishapuran ewer (fluid
pitcher) & four like mugs...Her display included extensive
research, glazing samples, & glaze test tiles...I am no master
of pottery & ceramics by any stretch but have had a steady &
consistent working knowledge of ceramics for the past 14 years
and do hope my limited knowledge helped in that area...

          Networking & establishing contacts for teaching & classes @
upcoming events is paramount in getting the best quality out of
A&S participants...Going out & getting the teaching talent is
hard work in & of itself...Therefore, it is most important to go
out & make whole & worthwhile friendships wtih all the artistic
talent in the kingdom so that quailty experiences in a desired
field can be shared, taught, & expressed...Going out & getting
the teaching talent is hard work in & of itself...Of all the
people i have mentioned above only a couple of them "escaped" my
tenacious questioning & enthusiasm for artistic teaching
endeavors for the near future...Unlike me, they spotted the
invisible door...

          Receiving concise & masterful critiques of your work is just as
important in the mundane art world as it is in our
"society"...This goes w/out saying...If one wants to get the
best out of whatever it is that one is doing then having a
second opinion is fundamental in one's own development...W/out
critical outside observation one is doomed to possible
stagnancy...I relished w/ inaudible happy squeakiness & delight
the critiques the Masters' gave to my work... It confirmed
doubts I had in the progress of my work & highlighted what was
strong...To Ld Atli it aided his development in documentation &
he got wants & requests for possible commission work...Bravo!...

          After all this stimulation came the award ceremony & Royal
Court...The King, Queen, Prince, & Princess were in
attendance...They were accompanied by the Baron & Baroness of
Bjornsborg...The following received elevations & awards in
hopefully the right precedence...Sir Gaston de Clermont was
elevated to the rank of Master Laurel...Don Pieter was elevated
to the Order of the Iris of Merit...Ameline du Bois was awarded
Kingdom Artisan...A Sable Thistle was awarded to a young lady
who's name I apologetically failed to get...Mistress(?)
Adelaide, wife of Sir Kenneth, was hailed loudly for putting on
a exceptional Kingdom A&S as event steward...Congratulations &
Vivat to all!!!...

         In Conclusion, I wish to express a deepfelt and humble apology to
anyone or anything I might have overlooked or missed & to
publically apologize to my Mistress Laurel for not having my
green belt w/ me...I say this to help others so that they might
not forget so important a symbol @ such an important event or any
event for that matter...For the honor or dishonor that one brings
down on themselves not only reflects upon the bearer of the belt
but also on the one who gave it...So to you Mistress Jalali
please forgive my lack of attention to what is to me a grave
matter....            Yours in service & servant to the dream,
Lord Biau-douz de la Mere