[Sca-cooks] Tile Project for Pennsic

[Stefan li Rous]

Olwen answered Rosine with:
>>Be that as it may, I like the tile idea much better. Medieval tiles are
>>beautiful and ornate, and it would make for some fantastic display to have
>>the tiled floor laid out before the thrones for court (with guards posted
>>to
>>keep folks from walking on it), then to be given to the assemblage to eat
>>afterwards...
>>
>>Rosine
>
> This would be a very cool idea.  Even those not attending Pennsic could work
> on it and send their tiles along.  I think with not much trouble it would be
> easy to figure the thickness and size.  The Arms I did in marzipan were
> about, oh, maybe 3 / 8 of an inch thick or a little better.  The general
> size was about 7 inches by 9 inches or so IIRC.

How about we broaden this a little bit.

This would require a fair amount of promotion to carry out, but it could be
done with just a few volunteers at Pennsic. And yes, non-Pennsic goers could
participate as well as those who go to Pennsic.

Do you all remember the faux cathederal of Chartres that was created in the
Pennsic barn a while back?

1) Everyone is encouraged to enter one tile of a set size. This tile can be
made in whatever period media you wish, whether this media was used to make
tiles in period or not. Ceramic tiles, tiles of marzipan, tiles of brasswork,
tiles of iron reposse, glass tiles, leather tiles, tiles of sugarpaste, tiles
of stained glass and carved tiles of wood come to mind. You need to be able to
document the use of the material in period. ie: plastic and stainless steel
are not allowed.


2) At a selected time at Pennsic the tiles are checked in. They are labeled on
the back with the artist's name and group.

3) The volunteers then arrange the tiles on the floor with a diagram/list
being made of what each tile is made of. Folks can then take pictures of all
these tiles on the floor and perhaps pick up a copy of the list showing what
each item was made of and perhaps who made it. I'm thinking a list because
that is easy to quickly reproduce and with a numbered/lettered grid pattern, a
list is usable to find each tile.

4) A prize? or prizes?

5) One tile per person? Or multiples if each is done in a different art form?

People would need to pick up there tiles by a specific time, much as the A&S
contests are done. Folks could send up tiles with other people if they weren't
coming to Pennsic.

I think this might be a neat way to highlight a number of medieval arts and
show some of the arts being done in the SCA.

Each tile would have to be a certain size. Say 12 inches by 12 inches or 8 x 8
or whatever, so that they would fit together in a grid pattern on the floor of
the Pennsic barn. And say between 1/2 and one inch high, so that none get
buried beneath the size of any towers. This is a 'tile' mosaic. Not a map of a
downtown city.

Fragile or thin media, such as sugarpaste, could be put on a backing of
plywood or other material.

Would folks in the SCA be interested in this? Would the Laurels turn everyone
away saying that they didn't make leather tiles or marzipan tiles in period?
Is this just a flakey idea of Stefan's? Would *you* be interested in
participating or making a tile? Is the barn big enough? Or do I just need a
small pavilion? Yes, if there is interest, I might even volunteer to run this.

Suggestions? Comments? Criticisims?

Stefan
--
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris            Austin, Texas         StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****