SC - Oogy gingerbread problem

[Laura C. Minnick]

In a message dated 1/20/00 12:34:48 AM Eastern Standard Time, lcm at efn.org 
writes:

<< I have seen (and been one) people be incredulous when their carefully
 researched, long toiled-over, skillfully made thingie is denigrated
 while a slap-dash glittery thingie gets the kudos.  >>

Been there, experienced that. At the A&S exhibit a couple of Pennsics ago, I 
entered an Aztec tapestry, worked on hand woven materiel, with the 
appropriate natural fibers, dyed with appropriate natural dye materials. 
Documentation was provided. The work was incomplete but displayed in a manner 
that obviously showed it in a state of being worked upon (threaded needle, 
etc.). Not only was it given a general 'everyone who enters gets this color' 
ribbon, but also no comments were left by any of the judges. 

Later I found out that NONE of the judges even looked at the documentation 
which resulted in their not knowing what it was but also it was dissed 
because it was 'New World' (imported to Spain during that period though), 
incomplete (such work was encouraged to be entered supposedly without 
penalty), and too 'different' from the other entries. 

The winning entry was done with modern commercially made fibers and, although 
hand done so far as the embroidery was concerned, all seams and finishing was 
machine done. 

I haven't entered a competition since. However, my reason for not doing so is 
not because I think competition is bad. I don't enter because I think the 
ability of the judges to strictly judge entries according to the criteria is 
oftentimes seriously impaired by their inability to completely block out any 
personal ideas. Having once been involved in the judging at Ice Dragon, I 
know that some judges are not this way and can use the written judging 
criteria fairly but those who do not, far outnumber those who do.

Competition is a healthy thing and oftentimes spurs people on to heights they 
never would achieve without it. The better route would be to write down a 
specific set of criteria that any given category can be judged by and bar 
judges who stray outside that criteria from ever judging a competition again. 
Also items should be judged by people who have some expertise in the area 
that they are judging. For instance, a person with costuming expertise cannot 
be a good judge of cookery or vice versa. The holding of a Laurel or any 
other funny hat is not any assurance that the person holding it is an expert 
in their chosen field so the number of accolades a person has should never be 
basis for making him or her a judge. 

Good judges, chosen from all walks of life, who show expertise in their given 
fields and are willing to remain within the bounds of the written judging 
criteria is the key. 

It is just as ludicrous to dismiss competition off the battlefield as it is 
to suggest that fighters not 'compete.'

Ras

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