2004-01-30 - 11:51 a.m.
(review the previous two entires before reading this...or else you might be confused, or misunderstand what I'm talking about here).
Still with me? good :)
So, Day before yesterday, I discussed goals and progress and desire in the arts of War...today, I intend to discuss the more peaceful arts.
Needless to say, the epitome of artistic acheivement (in the SCA sense, at least) is to have the quality and graces of the Laurel. What sorts of qualities does a Laurel have? Well, leaving aside the social aspects (the "acting like a Peer" stuff, which really merits it's own entry), in their art they are regarded as being knowledgeable in their chosen field (or fields) in terms of the history of it. They can create high quality pieces of art. They can teach their skills to others.
So, first off...do I have an art to pursue? Yep, two of em, in fact...papermaking and metalcasting.
Yardsticks...do I understand the history of Papermaking? Yes, in broad strokes at least. I can describe the discovery of paper in China, how the technology travelled the Silk Road, and came into Europe from a combination of the Crusades and the Moors in Spain, the materials paper was made of in period, the techniques used, and the difficulties those posessed. There's certainly more to learn, there always is, but that's the broad stroke.
Do I understand the history of metalcasting? Not really, no...I know how to get the information, but I haven't yet, beyond a vauge understanding. I know the materials involved, and the dangers they pose.
Technique...can I produce good stuff? Well...we'll know if I can produce good metalcasts by Sapphire...it's a huge project, and I think I'm up to it...we'll know by May :)
Paper? No, not yet. I have a long way to go, but I'm just starting, so that isn't all that surprising. One potential drawback is that really, in period, paper was just...well...paper. There wasn't the 27,000 different types of paper and uses and decorative and all that there is today. Basically, there were a half dozen or so, and they were primarily just differentiated by the quality of material put *into* the project. So it's going to be difficult to demonstrate excellence in papermaking. Oddly enough, this is one of the times when if I'm doing good work...folks may not notice.
But that's okay.
Teaching...can I teach? Well, not for Papermaking, no, because I don't understand it well enough yet. Metalcasting? Yes, in the narrow range of knowledge I have (sandcasting and soapstone work in pewter). I can, and have, taught folks in the Canton. Someday I will teach on a larger scale, but first, I need to refine my techniques a bit.
Do I aspire to a Laurel? I haven't even thought about it. Would it suck to be recognized that way? Well, no...but it's a long way off anyhow, so it's not an issue to think about.
Apprenticing? Well, there seems to be two schools of thought about apprentices. There is the "Study under someone in your craft" school of thought. That would mean I would have to find a papermaker or metalcaster to apprentice to. I don't know *anyone* who does both. I don't know anyone in Kingdom who does paper making at all. there may not be anyone (which would make winning A&S competitions easy...that's a joke, folks). There's a handful of folks who metalcast, but I haven't thought along those lines at all.
The other school of thought is to apprentice to someone who isn't necessarily in your craft, but can guide you in the "Being a Peer" things, and help you acquire the skills from other folks. That seems more likely to be a route I could go...*if* I found someone where it was an appropriate path. Seems more likely than being a Squire...but again, not a direction I've thought along.
Well, that's about all the time I have at the moment, have to get my act together for a discussion of a possible 2 month substitute teacher gig, teaching computer science to a bunch of High School kids. If it came about, it would seem to be a good chance to find out if I can teach and enjoy it as a calling before investing the $$$ in making the actual career transition.
Better yet, it covers the 90 day period before I'm eligible to go back to Capital One as a Contractor too...not that there's any guarantee there, but having the option wouldn't suck.
Okay, gotta jet.
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