[Sca-cooks] Re: Elevation Standards

[Wildecelery at aol.com]

I have a few thoughts to add to the list, but will start with identifying myself as one of the poeple who is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo nowhere near being a Laurel.

I am a Laurel apprentice.  My Mistress is not one who pushes.  She periodically asks me what my next project is, supports me when I choose a project, serves as a sounding board for new projects, points me towards other Peers who may be more knowledgeable about my current project, reminds me to keep track of what I've done, gives me deportment lessons as needed and generally serves as a support and a billow, as opposed to a force behind what I do.  She leads by example, and is constantly delving into new arts and sciences and ventures of her own.  She shares these adventures with her apprentices by request, and often looks at our forays into new projects as adventures on which she may "tag along."  To me, her teaching, supports, and thirst for further knowledge exemplify the Laurel I can only hope to one day become.

Also, I have not done many competitions, but was encouraged (not pushed) to do so by my Laurel and some of the other Peers of my acquaintance.  There are several explanations for this that I have heard from various people.   1) Having your work judged by others in the field opens you up to knowledge and avenues for research that you yourself may not have been aware of.  2) It gives you a forum in which to "show off"  3) If you are interested in several arts, competitions give you a way to let someone else compare your competence at one versus another. 

I have found all of these to be true in the few competitions that I have entered.  I also found it interesting to really have to explain my work and have it "critiqued" by poeple that I often didn't know who may have had very different qualifications and outlooks than poeple of my aquaintance whom I would have asked for critique.  I personally feel that my arts have grown as a result of having entered competitions.  So, while it may not pave the road to a Laurel, for me it has widened the path of knowledge.