An Tir Rivers Laurels -Unofficial

The Laurels of the Rivers Region of An Tir are delighted to welcome Maestra Ana de la Sara and Duchess Livia Alexandra Severa to the Order of the Laurel. They were both elevated in the Final Court of TRM Ulfgar and Juahara at July Coronation this past Saturday.

HUZZAH!

We thought it might be helpful at this time to give some transparency around how laurel candidates are brought forward from Rivers region to the An Tir Crown for consideration.

Note for SCA participants outside An Tir - An Tir is geographically large. We are divided into two principalities, Summits and Tir Righ, and four regions, Inlands, Pacifica, Rives and Western. The principalities are quite obviously SCA branches. The regions are an administrative convenience, however.

INTRODUCTION
To address any concerns, this explanation of our "business" process does not contain any information that could be construed as a breach of confidentiality. Having transparency about the work we do and showing that we are proactive in nurturing arts and artists in An Tir, is, in my opinion, helpful to the folks who might wonder how it works.

The process detailed in this post is specific to the Rivers Region in the Kingdom of An Tir, and was written by the current regional laurel secretary. It’s very important to understand that every kingdom has a different process that has organic grown to suit that kingdom’s needs and it varies from fully ad hoc to very structured.

Some kingdoms do not have any discussion outside of in person meetings. Some kingdoms do not have any structure through which to track candidates. That can work in kingdoms that are small either by geography or population, but does not work for An Tir. That’s why this system was created and why it is used today.

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OUR MISSION
The Laurel council of Rivers "mission statement" is that our literal job is to bring artists to the attention of the Crown for Their consideration and possible admittance to the Order. This is an intentionally inclusive process; and we look for reasons to include folks and not exclude them. We believe we have a duty to do our due diligence, to be respectful and nurture the artist and their work, and to present them and their works in the best possible light to the Crown and to the rest of our Order.

CANDIDATE TRACKING
Our sphere of influence is for candidates residing in our region, though we also track non-resident apprentices of resident Laurels. We laurels do our best to track artists doing art. Period. If you are doing art and you reside in Rivers, you are most likely on our candidate tracking list. The list has levels. Please see the attached graphic for level details.

We glean information in a variety of ways: If you have a relationship with a peer, they are responsible for updating the council on your activities. We also track regional and kingdom Arts groups here on facebook. If we know you have a blog, we check it for updates. We track arts activities at events such as displays, competitions, largess donations and classes. If you don't have a peer, when you get to the upper tracking levels, we will ask for volunteers to be your advocate within the council. Its my personal belief that advocates are a necessary part of the process. An advocate could be a peer, a friend or a spouse, but someone has to have a vested interest to help usher you through the levels whether you, as an artist, are aware of it or not.

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Shameless commercial break: Did you know that you can write to the Rivers Laurels to suggest that we keep our eye on someone doing cool stuff? You can! Please write to any member of the Order OR you can message through our FB page.
https://www.facebook.com/RiversLaurels
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REGIONAL DISCUSSIONS
Over time, as we are able to collect information on a person's body of work, they advance (by concensus of the group) through the tracking levels.

Lets talk a bit about those discussions, okay? Rivers formally meets, generally online, about once a quarter. The schedule can vary, but that's basically it. The rest of the work is done a-synchronously. Asynchronous work looks like updates to candidate tracking documents, sharing posts to the group, sharing pictures from events about competitions or displays, reporting on those activities, reporting on class experiences, etc. Basically, its a lot of sharing of nerdery, but with the purpose of understanding where someone might be on their path.

Content of a meeting looks like this: The secretary published an agenda a few days ahead of time. It usually consists of housekeeping matters: notice of upcoming vigils/elevations, upcoming events with Arts aspects that we need to pay attention to, and then a list of candidates that we will be talking about. When the meeting happens, we make adjustments to candidate levels, we capture next steps, etc, always with an eye to how we can progress with this person.

Our process certainly isn't perfect. We are aware that we have gaps, particularly on the edges of the region, that we are working to address. We know that folks who are shy about posting about their work, or who are unable to attend in person events are easy to overlook. The structure we have created is helpful in ensuring that candidates aren't getting lost or overlooked, but I know that some folk may feel they are despite this.

All I can say is this: We want to know what you are doing. We want to share in the joy of your geekery (B*tchez love process pics). If you want to share your current obsession, please post on the Rivers A&S Community (Unofficial SCA An Tir).

KINGDOM DISCUSSION
Okay, so what happens when someone gets to the "Rec to Kingdom" level? Someone creates a presentation (this can be power point or word doc) that showcases the artist and their works. We are looking to show that peerage conditions required for elevation (detailed in corpora) have been met, and we are looking to show mastery for that person's particular geek and, usually, we are looking for how that person is contributing to the arts world, via any kind of teaching (in person, in groups, 1 on 1, online, mentoring, etc).

This presentation is given to the Crown and the Kingdom Order for their consideration and to be acted upon should they choose.

This is a very 101 level description of our basic processes. Know that there is much more nuance to it, because each person’s journey is individual to them, so we too, must adjust to best serve the needs of the artist, their art and their personal path.

QUESTIONS
This is long, but if you made it through and if you have any questions, we’re happy to answer any questions that do not have to do with a particular candidate or candidate discussion.

Good morning Rivers! Today’s featured artist is William Tarrell. Often seen on the list field marshaling, did you know that he is also a weaver? William will have a single entry of a recreated Finnish tablet woven band in this year’s competition. He loves to share his love of weaving, so be sure to look him up at the event!

TWO MORE DAYS until the Arts and Sciences Championship! Drop a comment below to tell us what you’re looking forward to seeing at the event

Good morning Rivers, An Tir and the known world!

Who among us couldn’t help but be delighted and curious to hear from this artist this weekend? What a delightful sense of humor! We are intriqued and looking forward to hearing Lord Matittiyahu Von Mod’in’s presentations as he competes for the Arts and Sciences Championship!

See you at the event!

Hey! Did you know that An Tir Arts and Sciences Championship is this weekend? We are super excited to get our nerd on with all of you!

Here is another one of the Rivers region’s amazing artists - Simone! She makes incredible persona appropriate awards necklaces and other cool swag and will be displaying her jewelry making at the event. Stop by and say hi!

Good morning Rivers and An Tir!

Today we’d like to highlight the first of two Rivers area entrants in this year’s An Tir Arts and Sciences Championship competition. Helvi av Gotland is a resident in the Barony of Stromgard, where she has served as officer and event steward. She is the current A&S champion of the Barony of Three Mountains, has been a guest lecturer, panelist and panel host at the International Congress of Medieval Studies, even recruiting local artists to participate in ICMS with her.

We’re sure that her entries are going to be fascinating, and we’re excited to deep dive with her into her current passions.

Good luck Helvi! And good luck to all the entrants from An Tir. We will see you this weekend!

The community of Laurels of Rivers would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to the Barony of Dragon’s Mist and to all the entrants in the baronial Arts and Sciences Championship at yesterday’s Carnevale event.

Huzzah to the newest Dragon’s Mist Arts and Sciences Champion, Lissette de la Rose! Well done!

You can find Lissette to congratulate her in person at the upcoming Kingdom Arts and Sciences Championship, where she will be displaying and presenting a single entry, “Briquetage Salt Manufacturing in the Roman Style”. We look forward to seeing everyone there.

The An Tir Laurels of the Rivers Regions are pleased and excited to welcome these newly recognized artisans to our Order.

Magnifica Sibylla was elevated at May Crown by then TRM An Tir, Athos and Alianora.

Companion Eden the Mad and Earl Cathyn Fitzgerald were elevated this past 12th Night by then TRM An Tir, Morgan and Livia.

Huzzah!

Welcome back to our interview series with members of the Order of the Laurel living within the Rivers Region of An Tir.

This week, we are extremely excited to sit down with Baronne Katrine de Saint Brieuc. She is well known for her depth in German Renaissance clothing and culture, having co-authored a book on the topic, as well as 12th century clothing, literature and culture.

Q: What was your first event and when and where was it?

Ursulmas in the Barony of Aquaterra in AS XVIII (1983).

Q: What drew you to the SCA then and what brings you joy now?

I knew from the first moment that these were my people. It has sustained my interest and joy to this very day.

Q: How many kingdoms or branches have you lived in?

Two kingdoms - An Tir and Artemisia. I started in the Shire/Barony of Blatha an Oir, moved to the Barony of Madrone, then the Shire of Arrow’s Flight, and finally in the Barony of Three Mountains.

Q: Tell us about your favorite event? What made it special?

I had a magical time at an early Ursulmas. It had it all - fighting, dancing, feasting and love. I especially enjoyed the indoor camping at the site. It was like a big pajama party.

Q: Who are some of your SCA heroes or influences?

It’s been 40 years! There have been so many heroes, some who became family and some I have admired from afar. My friends and influences in the early years were Desiree Duvall of Bishop Towers, and the friends who passed away, Kynedd ap Griffith, Cynned and Eirianwen ap Gwen Aranrhod and Jana Seasgir. As a youngling, I especially admired Duchess Angharad for her beauty and style, Duke Torgul for his skills, Duchess Lao for her creativity and Duke Thorin for his chivalric presence. This is hard, because today I am inspired in some way or another by so many people - in fact nearly every person I meet at an event. This is a big list!

Q: Before your recognition, what was your favorite way to share your passion?

Making clothes for others was my start, and I was early on called “the mad seamstress of Blatha an Oir”. Sometime in the 1990s it became clear that I wanted to focus on an area, and my friend Jana suggested “how about German 16th century”. I found a yahoo group on the internet, and started there.

Q: Did you ever have a big “ah-ha” moment related to your research or practicing your art?

I would say that there was a moment I realized that people were listening and benefiting from the work I was doing, and it became the “reward” itself. I was finally able to fulfill the deep need in myself to be a helper by practicing my art.

Q: Share a memory of advice given to you that helped you on your Laurel path.

I love this group of people, and always wanted to feel like I belonged. I was humble about my accomplishments, and also a little shy of self-representation. The advice I was given was to let others see you, and I worked to overcome the sense of insecurity I felt, because of the importance I attached to being a member of the SCA. I had to figure out how to do that in a way that the stakes were comfortable for me.

Q: Were you ever an apprentice to a member of the Order of the Laurel? Why or why not?

I apprenticed briefly to Mistress Svava before my elevation. I also had a close relationship with Mercia of Jarrowsmote, who was someone I strove to emulate.

Q: Was being recognized for excellence in the arts ever a goal for you? What advice do you have for folks who are researching, studying, practicing toward mastery of an art or activity?

I have loved medieval clothing since age 8, and the SCA was the perfect arena to practice. I am mostly self-taught, and it took me a while to build a strong body of work and expertise. The key piece to my success was maintaining long term interest and in finding a community where I could contribute, even if it was digitally with information. My advice is to seek out like minded artisans and learn together by sharing.

Q: When were you made a laurel? What is your favorite memory of your laurel ceremony/vigil/offer?

In AS 41 (2006) Amalric and Caia recognized me. I remember how happy I felt about it - I think I glowed for weeks. One of the most poignant memories was the number of yards of hand sewing needed for the hem of my dress and the guards. I think it ended up being half a football field in length when added up!

Q: What were you laureled for? Is that still the art or activity you’re passionate about?

I’ve been studying so long that I developed multiple interests/skills, but I think it was specifically for the work in German 16th century costume. I also am very good at finding obscure things and sharing, so I think that was an aspect!

Q: Did you feel ready (emotionally, mentally) to accept the accolade when it was offered? If not, what did you do to prepare?

I did feel ready, and comfortable. If it had been offered earlier, I might not have valued it as much, or been able to model behavior super effectively.

Q: What did you think being a laurel would be like versus what it actually is.

I think I knew about the responsibility to inspire, which I was already trying to do. However, I didn’t fully realize the impact that my words, to both individuals and groups, could have in effecting positive and lasting changes to the dreams of others.

Q: What does being a laurel mean to you?

For me, it represents a kind of rite of passage in my chosen village. It was an invitation to enter an open door and climb higher.

Q: Did you take a break after your recognition as a laurel?

Not really - my interests continue and I strive to grow. There were times when I was less socially active for various reasons.

Q: Do you have any apprentices? What is your opinion about advocacy in the SCA?

I do have a relatively inactive apprentice, but when making that arrangement, I left it open - for me the SCA is a lifetime activity, and it may or may not be for them. Relationships of advocacy can take many shapes in the SCA, from the least of being an encouraging word, to the most being very present in another person’s life. All of them require a commitment to advancing the arts and sciences in our society.

Q: What is your favorite way of passing on your knowledge?

Being an “answer girl” - however I do like teaching formal classes as well. I enjoy blogging too, and am considering a youtube presence, if I can get over the shyness.

Q: Do you have new or additional interests or SCA activities that you are pursuing now?

For myself, I’ve picked up some interest in period cooking, and have some plans for new publications on dress. However, I am super passionate about researching personal heritage and hope to be more of a resource for others who want to discover their own heritage and research a persona representing that.

Q: Are there any changes happening in the SCA community that you celebrate?

I love that we are thinking and modeling more inclusive behavior, and working on support and transparency for others who may be on the Laurel path.
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Thank you, Katrine for taking the time to answer our questions. We appreciate having you among us!

Welcome to another interview in our "Meet the Laurel" series!

In honor of An Tir Kingdom Arts and Sciences Championship this weekend, we spent time with Þóra (Thora) Jórsalafari, the current Champion and a laurel living in Stromgard. Enjoy!

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Q. What was your first event and when and where was it?

A. My first real event was Sport of Kings 2017 (I had attended an event in Texas roughly two decades ago, but wasn’t involved after that). Sport of Kings was an event held every other August at Trojan Park, it was the premier SCA heavy and rapier combat training event in the Known World and took place in the barony of Three Mountains. It was a really fun event for a newcomer because there was a lot going on! There were multiple class tracks (not just martial ones), a great merchant row, and lots of pageantry. It really let me see the full scope of the organization!

Q. What drew you to the SCA then and what brings you joy now?

A. I rediscovered the SCA through my boyfriend (now husband). I had just moved to the Vancouver/Portland area to be closer and all the people he introduced me to were also involved in the organization, so I was a prime candidate for recruitment. I am a former LARPer and love costuming and pageantry, so that aspect of the SCA really appealed to me. I also wanted to meet new people, as I didn’t know very many folks in the area, so that was also driving my participation.

I never considered myself a crafty person prior to the SCA - in the LARP world, I was often on the service side of things (running events, getting folks registered, dealing with logistics). One of the things the SCA boasted was that they had teachers for nearly any art/craft/science pursuit. My husband suggested I try learning tablet weaving, as it was a persona appropriate craft (I have Swedish ancestry so doing a Norse persona appealed to me). I was surprised by how many people were willing to help me (and let a stranger come to their house, thanks Drifa!!!), and, like that, I kicked off my tablet weaving journey. Eventually, I became enamored with wire tablet woven brocade and research surrounding it which I was eventually made a Laurel for. It still seems a little wild to me, because I spent 35+ years of my life being convinced I had no talent or skill for arting.

Currently, I love weaving, supporting reigns where I can (I love court support), and spending time with all the amazing friends I’ve made.

Q. How many kingdoms or branches have you lived in?

A. I’ve only truly been an active member in An Tir/Stromgard (greater Vancouver, Washington area). I visit other branches often, though, and love our Neighbors (the Barony of Dragon’s Mist, the Barony of Three Mountains, and the Shire of Rivers Bend)! I feel like we are, in some ways, one big regional group - we are fortunate to have awesome folks all over our area.

Q. Tell us about your favorite event? What made it special?

A. My favorite event is Kingdom Arts & Sciences and Queen’s Rapier Championship (which may or may not be a surprise to any of you!). I always find that event exhilarating because the competition format encourages you to bring your A-game as far as work (object/performance/process/experimental archeology/paper) and research. While entering competitions can be very scary and stressful, they really helped me commit to challenging myself and trying projects that stretched my ability. I also charted my growth in my art over five years by tracking my scoring, feedback, and improvement. Anytime someone gave me advice, I’d attempt to incorporate it into my process. I just overall found that participating and planning for this event has greatly shaped the artist I am today because it gave me the push I needed to get out of my comfort zone.

Q. Who are some of your SCA heroes or influences?
A. My laurel, Reginleif, is obviously a huge influence for me. She came to the very first competition I participated in (which was a Dragon’s Mist) championship and gave me some really great feedback on my brocade. We became fast friends and eventually decided to be in a student/mentor relationship, then an apprentice/laurel relationship, and now we are peers. It has been quite the journey and she really supported me every step of the way. Becoming a laurel would not have been possible for me without this kind of support, and it isn’t always the instruction/advice portion that people think - sometimes it's reminding you to sleep, eat, take a break, and breathe!

I’ve also received so much help on my path that I can’t begin to list everyone, but Drifa really helped kick off my tablet weaving journey with some initial technical advice (and taught me how to warp a loom!!). Khalja encouraged my research (and let me check out her huge library of books/sources). Tulia provided me with my very first research paper template for SCA competitions and coached me through the process, and William (of Three Mountains) gave me pointers on how I could improve teaching classes. I don’t think I’d be where I am today without their initial and continued support/encouragement.

I’m also deeply influenced by Ellisif Gydasdottir, OL, who is a late period brocade laurel, and encouraged me to look outside the Norse box when it came to brocade.

Q. Before your recognition, what was your favorite way to share your passion?

A. My favorite way to share my passion for tablet weaving is actually to create bands for others and to document my process doing it on the Book of Faces so others can see what goes into it. One of my friends recently told me that they’ve always admired my weaving, but they didn’t really grasp how I created things or what went into it. After seeing my process, he was very impressed at the level of technical detail that went into it.

Nothing gives me greater joy than seeing people wearing my art at events and I often work with Royals and Vigilants on pieces if they have an interest in tablet woven brocade.

Q. Did you ever have a big “ah-ha” moment related to your research or practicing your art?

A. Honestly, the process of researching impacted my art the most. There are tutorials available online on how to create brocade, however, most use modern looms, modern tools, and modern materials. Really examining my art and how it was done history allowed me to completely revise my process and actually led me to a better aesthetic and more accurate reproductions.

Q. Share a memory of advice given to you that helped you on your Laurel path.

A. “Go at a pace where you won’t burn out.” I think we often feel pressure to do more and more because we always want to show we are working on things and improving our technique. I received this advice when I was fairly stressed out trying to balance my work life and my hobby life. I work full time, so my outside of work time was fairly limited, so I spent multiple hours a day weaving and it became a bit of a burden (and also not very fun). I think if you are pursuing your art to the detriment of other things, there’s a problem. I refocused my efforts to concentrate on making display, competition, or Royal/Vigilant pieces - this helped me continue to create beautiful pieces, but freed up the pressure to constantly be weaving. Instead, I could weave towards set goals (that really helped me out).

Q. Were you ever an apprentice to a member of the Order of the Laurel? Why or why not?

A. Yes! As I mentioned above, I was a student and apprentice to Meistara Reginleif. I hadn’t given a lot of thought to becoming an apprentice when we first connected, so she recommended that we try a student/mentor relationship for a year first. During that year we connected and I felt I grew a ton - Reginleif challenged me frequently to develop more period processes to my weaving, which led to us pit firing warp weights, dyeing fire and fabric while camping, among other things. Having her as a laurel really helped me think beyond just the art of weaving - towards research, tools, fiber, and process. It is that eye towards historical authenticity that I really feel kicked off my interest in researching places like Birka, the silk trade, dyes, fibers, and tablet weaving techniques throughout history. She asked me really awesome, thoughtful questions that I had to research and discover the answers for, myself. While I know laurels that weren’t apprentices, I think being an apprentice is a very positive thing (especially if you have a good relationship). I received so much advice and support from my laurel, and it would have taken me 2-3 times as long to figure it all out myself! That, and it's more than just support in your art - having a mentor that can guide you through a rubric, who can give you advice while you are panicking about something, who can provide you encouragement when you think you are doing terribly is really really comforting.

Q. Was being recognized for excellence in the arts ever a goal for you? What advice do you have for folks who are researching, studying, practicing toward mastery of an art or activity?

A. Yes, absolutely! Becoming a laurel became a goal of mine when I realized that tablet weaving was an art I could successfully do. As a non-artist, I also wanted to see if I could truly go from zero to great at my art form. Being an apprentice was really great for me, because it helped me understand what a laurel really was (and how it isn’t just your artistic ability).

My advice for others would be to know their craft as well as they perform it. It is far easier to create a beautiful product, in my opinion, than it is to research your art, understand its context in history, how it was performed then, how it is different now, and everything else in between. Become an expert in the information surrounding your craft and its history. To me, that knowledge is what specifically sets a laurel apart from a master craftsman, and that knowledge will inform your work more than you can imagine.

Q. When were you made a laurel? What is your favorite memory of your laurel ceremony/vigil/offer?

A. My offer was at May Crown 2022 and my vigil and elevation ceremony were at An Tir / West War 2022.

My favorite offer memory was the fact that I was working as the court reporter (behind the thrones) and everyone still managed to keep it all a secret and surprise me. They even gave me the court agenda with that award removed from it. I was so surprised - everyone got me really good!

My favorite vigil/elevation memory was the ceremony itself. I was really happy to be surrounded by my friends, hearing the incredibly kind and moving words from my mentors, and just getting to experience all of that at one of my favorite events. It really felt so amazing to be recognized by people who had inspired and supported me all these years. My ceremony was also based in history and I was really pleased to get to share my oath ritual (taken from the Eddur).

Q. What were you laureled for? Is that still the art or activity you’re passionate about?

A. I was laureled for my wire brocade tablet weaving and my research (Birka, silk textile trade in Norse Scandinavia). I’m still deeply entrenched in it! I’ve started a project where I’m aiming to reproduce every Birka brocade band over the next few years (I’m working on B17 now!). I have recently dabbled in soumak tablet woven bands and hope to add that to my repertoire by recreating the Køstrup soumak tablet woven band. I’ve also enjoyed teaching and mentoring folks who are taking the tablet woven brocade plunge, so I hope to be doing that more as well in the future!

Q. Did you feel ready (emotionally, mentally) to accept the accolade when it was offered? If not, what did you do to prepare?

A. Frankly, I did not feel ready. I suffer from imposter syndrome and spoke to several people about it after accepting the offer. I got a really wonderfully kind piece of advice that helped me reframe things, which was, “becoming a peer is an accolade recommended because the laurels believe the candidate is their peer already and wants to recognize them.” Hearing that all my laurel friends believed that and felt I was their peer helped me reshape the offer in my own mind. Another piece of advice that I received was this, “becoming a laurel isn’t the end of a journey, but a beginning.” You don’t stop growing when you become a laurel and you may look at other laurels and feel that you fall short of that mark, however, it isn’t an apples to apples comparison. Someone that has been doing your art 20 years longer than you as a laurel is not going to be at the same point in their path as you are - for some reason that was a lot to get my head around (because I felt I should be trying to meet that sort of bar). Anyways, it took me a little bit to adjust my thinking, but now it's my goal to be the best laurel I can possibly be so I can shepherd others on the path and give the advice I benefited from.

Q. What did you think being a laurel would be like versus what it actually is.

A. Well, there’s not a guide book that I’ve seen, so my first surprise was that it is very much what you make of it (like many things in the SCA). In some ways, it is what I thought it would be - meeting with other folks, geeking about art, discussing talented people in our Kingdom, and promoting/teaching the arts. The biggest surprise I’ve experienced is the need to learn how to go about mentoring people on the path. Everyone is very different and there isn’t a one size fits all way to go about it - mentoring is very individually based and navigating different styles of mentoring has been an area that I’ve put significant time in trying to get better at. I’ve mentored/supported 5-6 people this competition season and they’ve all been wildly different in levels of engagement, needs, support, encouragement, and critique. I continue to learn as I go forward!

Q. What does being a laurel mean to you?

A. Being a laurel is honestly more like being a mentor or a coach than it is to be a master craftsman to me. While laurels are great artists/scientists in their fields, the responsibility of a laurel is to guide and educate others. You can be a master, but never teach, mentor, or guide someone. Being a laurel is really a supporter of others and a leader in the community more than it is any other aspect.

Q. Did you take a break after your recognition as a laurel?

A. I didn’t - I became a laurel in the middle of being Kingdom Arts & Sciences Champion, so I had quite a bit going on! I never envisioned taking a break - honestly doing art and being involved in the Arts & Sciences community in An Tir is the joy in the organization for me. I also was elevated in the year following our Plague-Break, so I’ve been rather eager to be out and doing events again.

Q. Do you have any apprentices? What is your opinion about advocacy in the SCA?

A. I don’t have any apprentices currently. I don’t feel quite ready to take on an apprentice, as I’m just coming up to speed with being a Laurel. That said, I am mentoring folks entering the Summits Principality Arts & Sciences competition and the Kingdom Arts & Sciences competition. I think that’s been a good way to dip my toes in what it might be like to take an apprentice in the future! Currently I’m trying to be an advocate for the historical arts in other ways - I created a e-lecture for the Costumers of Color Silk Routes Symposium, I’ve taught at several events this year and last, I’ve provided my documentation templates to competitors, and I’ve supported others by assisting and teaching them how to go about researching and documenting their projects. I want people from all walks of life to have access to tools and resources on how to do research and documentation so that these things aren’t a barrier to people walking the laurel path. If you are reading this and you need help in this area, please hit me up, I’d love to help you!

Q. What is your favorite way of passing on your knowledge (teaching)?

A. I excel at teaching tablet woven brocade 1 on 1 or in a small group (under 3 people). My art is best taught hands on where students can really get a feel for it with someone ready to guide/assist/correct them. Once a student gets a general feel for how to do brocade, it is easier to fine tune and correct/mentor through minor technical issues. I think it's very rewarding to take someone who is a tablet weaver, but is intimidated by the brocade technique, and showing them how accessible it is for them!

Q. Do you have new or additional interests or SCA activities that you are pursuing now?

A. I mentioned it earlier, but soumak is on my list of techniques I’d like to improve on. I also plan to travel to Asia this year and while there I’ll try to source reeled silk in a thread weight that would work for tablet weaving. I have limited amounts of reeled silk (provided by kind friends who also have limited supplies), and it would be nice to have a source that isn’t so finite. Modern reeled silk is very similar to the Byzantine-era silk thread so I’d like to convert to doing most of my brocade with this type of fiber.

Q. Are there any changes happening in the SCA community that you celebrate?

A. Our advances in the DEI arena have been noteworthy to me. As a neurodivergent person who wants more equity and inclusivity universally, seeing our organization take real steps (and support individuals making those moves) has been amazing to me. It isn’t perfect, but we are continuing to push forward. Laurel mentioned gender neutral language in her interview, but also seeing benches included at events, the creation of anti-bullying policies, real enforcement of harassment rules, POC and Q***r voices being elevated and listened to, and seeing multiple resources creating tools to educate our wider community on these issues has all been incredible. While there’s more work to be done, I’m pleased that it is a priority for so many of us and hope to be part of that continued growth in the SCA.

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If you have time, make sure to attend the coming Kingdom Championship event or check out the event live stream! More information is on the An Tir website. If you enjoy these interviews, please like, follow and share!