[Central] Steppes Artisan is coming SOON!

[Sue Rogers]

I hope everyone is getting their displays together for Steppes Artisan, coming up on Saturday, August 20th, in conjunction with the Central Regional Academy of the Rapier, at the Cain Center in Athens, Texas!  This is always a wonderful display of a wide variety of Arts and Sciences, and a chance to visit with artisans about the works they have created.  

Each artisan displaying will have a 6 foot by 30 inch table, or half a table, with space behind to sit and possibly some additional space such as for a dress form.  Anyone with special requests (electricity, special display requirements, etc) will need to contact the Artisan coordinator at sueorintx at hotmail.com ahead of time to make arrangements.  Any extra large displays, such as ships or tents, would probably need to be displayed outside...  Any type of performance (such as sawing a log with a hand-made period saw, etc) will need to be scheduled so the judges will know when to see it...  

Come and be a part of the great tradition that is Steppes Artisan!

Artisan of the Steppes was one of the first of the annual Arts and Sciences competitions held by local groups, initiated under their Excellencies Robin and Adelicia, Baron and Baroness of the Steppes, in 1988.

Steppes Artisan is somewhat unique among Arts and Sciences competitions in that it is a body of work competition, and documentation is recommended for all entries. It is also judged with the competitor present, as a part of the competition is whether the artist can answer questions and discuss their various arts and entries. The competition is judged by previous winners, so a wide range of talents is looking at each entrant. Primarily, what the judges are looking for is not only skill and knowledge, but breadth of work. Therefore, while the judges like to see examples across time on how an artist has grown within an art, they also like to see that the artist is not one dimensional, i.e. skilled at only a single art. Skill levels may vary, of course, but variation, and a desire to learn new arts is considered a major plus. The knowledge of how one art led to the desire to learn another is yet another plus. And as a body of work, items may be exhibited that were created outside of the SCA context, if they are applicable to our time period.

Past winners have displayed a wide variety of arts, including weaving, embroidery, spinning, costuming, other fiber arts, basketry, dyeing, painting, carving, mosaics, illumination, calligraphy, woodworking, metal working, leather working, bookbinding, jewelry, table ware, herbals, heraldry, pottery, armour making, tool making, fly tying, toy and doll making, research papers, glasswork, cooking, brewing, vinting, and creative writing (poetry, stories, etc.).

HL Suzanna, herbalist, WD
Artisan of the Steppes III
Artisan of Elfsea
suzannaherbalist at att.net