[Sca-cooks] Requirements for a Laurel

Thu Apr 8 15:36:39 PDT 2004

What I look for in a candidate is:

The ability to understand and know their art,
both mundanely and in period and how the two
differ.  The ability to produce their art at a
master level and do so consistantly, using period
methods, or knowing what the methods were and how
to approximate them mundanely.  The willingness
to share their art by a) teaching, either at a
Collegium or at private classes or at open
workshops; b) writing about their art either in
their local newsletter, kingdom newsletter, TI,
or CA; c) all of the above. 

I also look at the candidate's behaviour.  Are
they my equal in deportment?  How do they handle
others around them?  How do they teach and
interact with their students?  Is their behaviour
peerlike?

Minorly there is all the usual stuff also
required for knights: can they play chess at some
level?  Can they do some dances?  Can they
understand and recognize basic heraldry?  

In Caid, we look for candidates who have mastery
in at least one artform and have competency in a
second art. [This used to be a mastery in a
second art, but this has been changing lately.]

Whether or not you enter contests is immaterial
to us, in my opinion.  It does help us to
recognize those who are starting to accell in
their art, but we have elevated some who have
never won contests and failed to elevate others
who have won contests and this, in my opinion,
has more to do with peerage qualities and the
ability to get along with others.

Someone once wrote that their are three levels of
artists:

Level 1: You want to learn everything there is
about it and try every aspect it presents.
Level 2: You have studied your art for years and
know everything that there is and that there is
no more to learn.
Level 3: You have studied your art for years and
the more you study the more you learn and the
more that you realize that there is even more
to learn and you are excited just keep on
learning.

In my opinion, many artists are stuck in level 2
and will never be elevated because of that. 
However, those who make it out of level 2 or
manage to go from level 1 and skip to level 3
are those who become candidates for elevation and
will eventually be recognized and elevated.

Also, being a Laurel in not just a privilege, but
also a job.  No matter what, you will be put on
a pedestal and be expected to know everything
about every period art there is.  You have to
watch what you say about everything and watch how
you say it and to whom.  

Soon after my elevation a young lady came running
up to me with new garb on.  "I have just made my
first garb all by myself.  Isn't it great?  What
do you think of it."  I could tell that she was
very pleased with herself.  I just couldn't tell
her that her seams didn't match and were coming
apart and that the garb wasn't well fitted.  I
just smiled at her and said, "I can tell you did
a lot of research on your garb, because I can
recognize the portrait it came from.  That color
is just lovely on you."  She smiled and bounced
away happily.  Being a Laurel means that you very
often have to keep your real opinions to
yourself.

Huette
OL Caid since 1981

--- Michael Gunter <countgunthar at hotmail.com>
wrote:
> 
> >>Um....cooking feasts for 400 and handing out
> documentation
> >>for each dish isn't? Teaching and cooking for
> 20 years isn't enough?
> >>Being a judge for kingdom A&S competitions
> and counselling competitors
> >>in presentation isn't enough?
> >
> >Dude! What is wrong with the people in your
> kingdom?
> 
> >Anahita
> 
> Well, this really isn't about me, per se. Just
> that I notice it is
> perfectly acceptable on fighting boards to
> discuss what is
> needed for knighthood but it is considered
> pushy to discuss
> the same things for the other Peerages.
> 
> I just found it surprising to be told that only
> competitions mattered
> as the same as someone aspiring to the Chivalry
> who never
> entered a tournament would not be considered
> either.
> 
> I also don't want it to become a Rialto-style
> rant board about
> how unfair non-Laurels have been treated. I
> truly want to know
> from the Laurels and apprentices on this board
> what they look
> for in the Peerage.
> 
> Gunthar
> 
>
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=====
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves for they 
shall never cease to be amused.

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