[Sca-cooks] Requirements for a Laurel

[Bronwynmgn at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/8/2004 3:09:20 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
countgunthar at hotmail.com writes:

<<I just
want to know if other Laurels or candidates feel that if you don't
enter competitions you can't ever become a Laurel. I personally
have no desire to enter competitions although I think I'm a decent
judge of what needs to be done.

So....what do you consider the requirements are for a Laurel?>>

I think making any sort of arbitrary requirement like "You must enter 
competitions" is incredibly narrow-minded and likely to keep you from even seeing 
some of the best artisans out there.  My personal feeling is that the 
requirements are:
1. Mastery of at least one art form - able to do the form exceedingly well
2. Ability to teach others to do it.  I'd have a really hard time with 
someone who could do their art beautifully but either wouldn't teach anyone else or 
was simply a horrendous teacher.
3. The ever-nebulous "peer qualities".
Competitons - entering, winning, or losing - shouldn't even be in the 
equation, as far as I'm concerned.

Of course, I'm simply a lowly Maunche - Kingdom level arts award, and I doubt 
I'll ever get a Laurel.  My husband likely will some day for tailoring, and 
he does not enter competitions.  He will put things in displays that are not 
judged.  He does, however, have a Laurel to bring him out - it's kind of hard to 
be ignored when you are apprenticed to the fifth force of nature (Mistress 
Isabella of York, for those of you who may not know that reference).

Brangwayna