tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17176420176478924042024-03-13T12:52:37.373-07:00Phoenix FeathersArtistic musings, glitter covered writings, and a touch of phoenix fireLana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-61107029363792837902017-05-29T18:40:00.003-07:002017-05-29T18:40:55.252-07:00Why we serveSince becoming a peer, and particularly since becoming a landed baroness, there's often this moment where I go to take action and three or more people leap to stop me. Now, I have accepted that I will often not carry my own things - though this is sometimes difficult. I have accepted that I will often delegate a problem solved that I would have often taken care of myself - though this too is difficult.<br />
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But there's a reason that sometimes at the end of feast James and I stealth off to the kitchen to grab pots and towels and dirty dishes. There's a reason sometimes we are found with coronets safely tucked aside as we move tent poles or hold stakes or wield a hammer, or why sometimes we even unload our own thrones from the car when there are hands nearby to help. There is a reason when people say "I want you happy at the event" that my response is always "I want the populace happy. We are here for you."<br />
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Understand that it is not because we do not wish assistance. We adore that so many are willing to help us. Never that.<br />Understand that it s not because we wish to tarnish the image of ourselves as nobility or do harm to the station. Never that.<br />Understand that it is not because the people around us are incapable. Never that.<br />
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It is because we believe, with heart and breath and soul, in noblesse oblige. In the obligation of the nobility to serve the people and the populace. To protect them. To care for them. To stand for them. To right wrongs for them. To adhere to the laws that we live by, even if they are imaginary society laws, so that the Dream we serve is supported by law and right. Noblesse oblige is part of the Arthurian Ideal, not simply the Society Ideal. It is the concept that says Right makes Might, and not the other way around. It is the concept that our nobility, our peers, our leaders, are bound by the same rules and conduct that we hope to inspire in our populace and that not even we are above that. Never, are we above that, from lady to honorable lord to peer to crown. The Dream, The Law, the Service is what makes this just a little more than a game, what makes all of this a little more of an aspiration toward something better that we may never reach but we shall certainly strive toward it.<br />
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Sometimes, it can be easy as a noble to fall into the trap of people serving you. It's convenient. It makes your day simpler in a day that is often very busy and very full of scheduled activities, visits to parts of the event to cheer your populace on, meetings you have to attend to keep the nuts and bolts behind the scenes working. This rush is why retainers are so valued, why sometimes the simple act of someone filling your mug or aiming you at the next schedule item is so needed. It can be easy to be complacent and allow that to become your normal.<br /><br />But then noblesse oblige. <br /><br />We have to remember that our retainers and our people help us so that we may serve them. We cannot lead without your belief. But nor SHOULD we lead without your belief. We cannot lead without your help but it thus behooves us to return that favor.<br /><br />So when James and I sneak off to the kitchen, or Duke Ari carries a water keg to a field of fighters, or His Majesty Danial takes the pitchers to serve the tables, or Gunther and Xena and James and I all end up grinning at one another in a kitchen, it is not because we are doing a disservice to our titles or playing at lesser rank. It is not that we are denying people the privlege to help or serve us or the stations we fill. It is because sometimes, my dear and darling and beloved kingdom, we need to physically remember the need to serve you. We need to express our love and care in a way that cannot be done with a crown or a piece of gold or a smile.<br />
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We need you to know that we will never, ever, ask you to do what we will not do ourselves. We need to lift a burden from you because it is our duty and oath and our joy.<br /><br />Always we serve, because we lead.Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-51200086125324208042015-10-28T20:34:00.005-07:002015-10-28T20:34:44.890-07:00The importance of the journey and the destinationA lot of time, as a peer, the discussion comes up of "what do you do to become a peer?" "What steps do you take?" "Are there jobs or goals?" "How long does it take?" <br />
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While the answer to all of that is - yes, there are certain tasks and jobs you can take on that will get you the recognition or experience that peerages look for, there's a far more important question to ask.<br />
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Why are you worrying?<br />
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Goal is setting is *fabulous* and I absolutely commend you if becoming a peer is something you want to do someday and you have that as one of your things you'd like to happen. It's good to keep goals like that in mind as you make choices and, particularly, because peerage is a reflection (we hope) of a better self we hope to be in service to the Dream. If you want to someday be a peer, acting like one is a good step - being chivalrous, discreet, working hard, and all those other qualities we discuss.<br />
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But a better question is are you enjoying your journey? You see very often people seem to be fixated on who is a peer, who is not, when they will be one, when SOMEONE will be one. The answer to those becomes consuming. The desire that they someday be recognized is the end all and be all of their choices and their events and their conversations in between. Again, this is going to occasionally come up as it's the nature of the peeragey beast. But if it comes up too often, I start to wonder about if that individual has forgotten the point of the SCA, the Dream, and the Journey.<br />
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Yup, a big 'ol capital J on that journey. <br />
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We are all on our own journeys and our own paths. For some of us, we joined the society to learn an art or a craft or to fight. Some of us found joy in service. Most of us CERTAINLY stuck around for the friendship and camaraderie. Pretty much no one walked in the door and said "gee I want to stick around to get an award."<br />
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But for some folks - maybe not even all the time - that question becomes the forefront of their journey. The art, the fighting, the friends get momentarily forgotten because a shiny object is dangling in the future. I think it's human nature to want that thing so I don't necessarily even want to villify this sentiment. We all feel it sometimes but it's important that it not become our driving goal - and it is important that the consideration of it not taint all of our interactions and conversations and perceptions of those around us.<br />
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What I do wish to caution on is that even if you someday want that thing, enjoy your journey. Enjoy the projects it takes to get there. The art scis that don't go right. The jobs you enjoy doing because they build your skills and your confidence or because they simply make someone smile. Enjoy the friendships the most. Not everyone will become a peer and - not shockingly - not everyone wants to. It's a specific type of person who not only receives a peerage but *enjoys* it as well, enjoys the responsibility and the role therein, and enjoyed the steps it took to get there. For some people, that joy is elsewhere and they'd be miserable in meetings just as some of us are miserable trying to sit down and do "nothing" and relax. Again, everyone's journey and even the destination is different and that doesn't - and shouldn't - matter as long as we are all receiving joy from our hobby and finding joy and inspiration in the Dream.<br />
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Remember that other people are on their own journey as well. If you think they deserve an award, write one in. If you think they don't, bite your tongue - because someone somewhere will always feel that someone doesn't deserve something; regardless of whether you are right or wrong the decision is (most likely) out of your hands and that person is having a good moment. The sun will still rise and set in the morning. The world will turn. You are not diminished from the success of others. You are not a lesser person because someone's journey is different than yours. Be happy for those around you and let that joy color everyone's steps.<br />
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Someone once asked me if I was upset that a friend became a peer before I did. It's possible my sobbing was misconstrued as "upset" when in reality I was so happy I couldn't contain it. No. And every peer that was announced before or after me has never made me feel upset. Every award that went to someone that wasn't me has never bothered me. Because those people have their own Dreams they bring to the table and I can't carry the Dream alone.<br />
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Besides, I've still got a long road I'm enjoying skipping down. <br />
<br />Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-53593973587529840542015-09-11T14:10:00.004-07:002015-09-11T14:10:54.827-07:00Growth mindsetThis post is a two-fer, relevant to both the SCA and to my work as an educator.<br />
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We are reading a book called "Mindset" for our professional development book this year at our school. I'm at a new school this year and it was a book that was readily available and encouraged in my old school so this is actually my second read of this particular theory. Really, I'm posting about it today because the subject of "panic!" came up in discussion. I don't like panic. Panic shuts your brain down and stops you from making decisions. Panic doesn't help. Panic, really, just gets the heck in the way of getting things done in my life. Whenever possible, I try to not panic. It is, in general, much more beneficial for me to take a step back and instead of being upset, try to figure out how to fix whatever situation it is that is causing the upset. Sometimes that is managing a tremendous amount of mentor activity at work. Sometimes that is trying to figure out why linseed oil varnish didn't dry.<br />
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In this way, I am growth mindset. <br />
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The basic gist of the aforementioned book is that people have two different mindsets. The first is a "fixed" mindset, where intelligence, ability, and possibility are all static and unchangeable. The second mindset is a "growth" mindset where intelligence, ability, and possibility are all flexible and can be changed through work and over time. People generally fall into one of the categories although they may change their overall mindset. People may also be of one mindset on somethings and a different one on others. (For example, I am generally growth mindset but I tend to have a fixed mindset regarding my weight. Something I'm working on.)<br />
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Mindset is huge and can affect how you perceive yourself, how you perceive the world, and how you perceive others. A fixed mindset person may feel that their worth is demonstrated only in the tangible and *successful* outcome of a project or task (for example, getting an A on a paper). Generally, if they aren't good at it already, they don't want to do it. Conversely, a growth mindset individual generally finds worthiness in stretching to meet the challenge even if the end result is not perfect. This has nothing to do with actual intelligence or ability either. First, both of those are misnomers as they can be changed, but there are some naturally talented people out there with fixed mindsets who never become better or successful while their "average" counterparts excel because of pushing themselves.<br />
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There are two facets to this that really play into the SCA. The first is very applicable to the arts. So many times, I hear artisans state how they could "never do that." Or are simply "not good" at a particular skill. The entire idea behind growth mindset is that this simply isn't true. You may not be *immediately* good or *immediately* good to the level you *want* to be, but through practice and work you can reach artistic prowess. Or any prowess. Think about how many times people say "I could never do that." or "I can't fight like they can." Or "I'm just not organized." Or "I'm awful at papers." I've seen the fixed mindset ruin projects, stop folks from entering art-sci, and keep people from trying new things. Generally, I tackle this as a laurel by "chunking" the pieces of whatever the task is. For example, a person who "can't draw" I will generally walk through geometric designs or let them paint a pre-drawn scroll. This provides the necessary ice breaker, as it were, to make people start to consider the skill differently. The short version of this: DaVinci wasn't DaVinci when he started. Relax, and give yourself room to grow. It's okay if you're terrible for a while - no one is actually judging you because you are, in fact, *learning.*<br />
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Growth mindset also applies to service and tasks, however. Fixed mindset people are far more likely to give up on difficult tasks, when they encounter challenges, or when they don't immediately know what to do. Their worth - or how they perceive it - is based on being successful and if they don't quickly see how to be successful at it, they generally would rather not attempt it. Unfortunately for them, learning often means NOT being successful MANY times before you can ever BE successful at the end. That means that failures, and what we learn from them, are as vital to becoming better at something as successes; I would argue that failures are actually MORE vital as they really teach you how to recover and what went wrong. I'm a good reading coach. In a few years, I'll be an even better one because I've screwed up a lot in the interim. The same applies to any task.<br />
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So what does this all mean?<br />
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It means you need to pay attention to your mindset. Whether in your career, life, or the SCA, it's important to try and go for a growth mindset. It's how we learn to be better, how we take on new challenges, and how we learn from our mistakes instead of being shut down by them. You CAN change your mindset. Anyone who knew me in high school what with the crying over papers lower than an A will know that I am no longer like this. Thank goodness! You may even find you switch back and forth but awareness of where you stand on things can help you alter that awareness and alter that mindset. Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-41736588172952646992015-03-31T20:16:00.001-07:002015-03-31T20:16:49.940-07:00On new apprenticesThis weekend I am taking my first apprentices since having become a laurel about a year ago. The timing is marginally off as one of them is about to give birth so we bumped belting up a few weeks so I didn't have to orchestrate around birthing schedules. Good that.<br /><br />
This is a learning curve for me but one I'm enjoying. I already work very well with all three of these ladies and they have been my students formally for several months now. They also get along with my existing household as I have not split off to form my own after my elevation.<br />
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The fun - and learning part - is learning to understand their backgrounds. It's very easy to assume that someone you are taking as a student knows less than you about "all the things." In truth, that's rarely true. Tatiana can school me in the general organizational finances of a group and knows more about Russian history than I ever will. Toki has all of this incredible drawing skill and is an awesome and ever improving fencer. Adelina's drawing skills and emotional empathy far outrank my own. None of this is precisely what I'm talking about however. Part of the relationship I am forming with these three ladies is understanding their own strengths and weaknesses based off their experiences. They are, without me, quite capable adults and human beings in their own right and so part of my job as their peer (and friend!) is figuring out where I can help them grow further - and, in truth - where they can help me grow as well.<br />
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Unlike children, we gain our students with lives of skills and experiences behind them that we need to take into account in interacting with them. It's easy to assume ignorance or lack of skill when knowledge and competence are present already, or to be unaware of past history that can make a student more capable in an area than their SCA experience (usually vastly shorter than their life experience) doesn't yet fully showcase. <br /><br />It's a challenge. But one I am looking greatly forward to experiencing as I grow with my new associates!Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-37976009718310315182014-10-26T15:36:00.001-07:002014-10-26T15:36:15.216-07:00St-st-studioBonus generational points if you get the title reference. Someone on the SCA scribes group recently asked what folks work spaces looked like so it's time for some studio pictures. One of the requirements of buying our house was that my lord needed his own office and I needed my own studio space. Scribing is - by no means - the only art I work on and so having space where projects can get laid out, left out, and worked on without interference from furry felines or the rest of the world is extremely important for me.<br />
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This first one is my main work space. It's a little cluttered looking here but mostly that's poor lighting as it's late afternoon in these pictures. This is my central desk with light coming in from a side window, an overhead fan light, and a desk lamp. I also have an ott lite that isn't shown here. Love the rolling chair and the laminate wood flooring (great for spills). The phoenix on the wall was painted by me and is a stylized design given to me by a good friend.<br />
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A better view of the table. Glass - which was necessary as I ended up destroying a wooden desk I had over time A number of organizers are suspended on the wall for easy access to oft-used materials. The photo on the upper right is my pelican and my protege-sister and I.<br /><br />
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<br />One of the scribal storage spots - as the supplies outgrew the original drawer. there actually is a method of organization to the pile involving carefully stacked bottles of liquid and pigment.<br /><br />
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The studio's fabric and fiber shelving. Go Ikea! The drawers hold smaller items and the rest is fabric generally organized by color range. the top of the shelf currently has a friend's sewing machine, my "tree of shiny items" with event tokens, and a blanket where the cats sleep when the are allowed in the room.<br />
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Storage area (all labeled) for paper and small items. The oven is for polymer clay. There's also a pile of half completed miscellaneous projects on the floor here at any given time, all organized by individual bags or boxes. We currently have guests staying with us for an extended period so there's far more clutter here than normal.<br />The masks are all ones I've made, some not period, some period.<br /><br />
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This chair is usually comfy and free of clutter but at the moment, see reference to guests. I like to read here and sometimes the husband or a friend parks here when they want to keep me company. There is a plethora of phoenix and ferret plush animals on the back, including my very first stuffed dog from when I was a wee scribe.<br />
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Some of my art sci awards<br /><br />
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Above the shelf - I like inspirational signs and art.<br /><br />
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This is an idea stolen from a good friend - an art alter. It has some inspirational cards on it that I try to look through before I start a project. The rest of the items are bits and bobs collected from travel (the dreamweaver on the wall has a stone from glastonbury tor and was a cherished gift from my protege sister.) When I need a brain break I get up and play with the items on the alter, move them around, fiddle with them, and generally give myself a stretch and a chance to get some new perspective.Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-9649002436301404622014-09-07T11:58:00.003-07:002014-09-07T11:58:33.306-07:00Happiness inside yourselfThere's an interesting phenomenon I sometimes encounter in the SCA - and in the mundane world as well - wherein the idea of self-satisfaction has been completely removed from the individual and placed upon others. This sometimes plays off mildly with moments of cranky and sometimes seems to lead to intense dissatisfaction with almost everything.<br />
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There are two key facets to this I've been contemplating. The first is that someone else doing something they enjoy does not reduce or depreciate the thing you enjoy. We all have vastly different interests and its important that we give ourselves - and our populace - the opportunity to pursue those interests. Events do better when they are open to any number of those interests and offer activities that hit more than one area. We've seen this again and again with "specific" events that cater to only one subsection which then do substantially better if other interest areas are pulled in in various ways (Art Sci and Scots Welsh being combined, for example.) Not only does this offer more people a chance to be involved, but it does not in any way depreciate whatever the original focus was. Essentially, just because everyone is not enjoying the exact same experience or moment doesn't make anyone's choices invalid.<br />
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The second facet is the nasty habit of comparing our own work or progress to others. This is, admittedly, human nature, but it leads to all sorts of dissatisfaction. I'm not speaking of competitions here - that tends to be another kettle of fish - but the general self assessessment of your work and worth compared to others. This is so hard to stop - I still struggle with as do many Laurels I suppose - but its vital to actually being happy with yourself. Instead of going "that person is a better scribe" try focusing on "I did so much better on this scroll than the last." Variations in style alone mean that comparing one person's work to another is difficult at best. <br /><br /> It's possible - likely even - that we are *all* good scribes or artists and are all learning and none of us need to decide who is better than the other. We can all belong to the artistic community without needing to best our fellows or continually compare ourselves to their speed, ability, or progress. Work for you. Work to improve and enjoy your art. The rest comes out in the wash.Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-10227622760512674822014-09-07T11:54:00.001-07:002014-09-07T11:54:28.146-07:00Courtesy and Being a PeerThis one's a bit rambling but is something I'm contemplating.<br />
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Courtesy tends to be a double edged sword. We seek it as a laudable quality but the practitioners of it who value it the most are sometimes then caught by it as we try to maintain it around those are acting discourteously.<br />
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I have a pretty strong stance on addressing issues of rudeness or discourteous behavior. I am strongly in the camp of "if it's not addressed it will continue to happen" but I struggle with how best to do this, both as a person and as a peer. There is, in the end, no one right answer I suppose which is why its something we always struggle with.<br />
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I have realized I don't like the internet for these purposes - FB and email and other electronic forums lack the force of having a face to back an opinion and make it easy for arguments to spiral out of control with name calling and commentary, often from parties who have nothing to do with the original problem. On the other hand, discourtesy is rampant online for that same factor and so I remain torn between calling it out and taking it off thread or in-person because that's more personally effective and provides a calmer scenario and image to everyone at large.<br />
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Similarly, not everyone sees the "behind the wall" conversations where rudeness is addressed and so many people think those conversations don't happen - even when they do. I have no idea how to address this save that I wouldn't call out one of my students in the middle of class either, so I would be discourteous to address an adult in that manner as well, even though that is often my preferred method of telling someone they've been stomping on feelings.<br />
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In the end, there's a few important things to remember as we continue to work on this as people who come from a modern world that are trying to live up to an ideal of courtesy that has always been an ideal.<br />
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* Our job as peers - and populace - is to try and *always* be courteous, be that online or in person. When we slip - which we will - it behooves us to address those moments and make the necessary apologies and alterations to our actions.<br />
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*You should expect the best from people. People tend to live up to expectations and generally, if we set out the expectation of courtesy, it will rise to a more prominent position.<br />
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*Our job as peers, in particular, is to help address those who are not behaving well in a manner that is effective. As noted above, I don't think this is always the same method or that all methods are equal. If I ever am brilliant enough to find a good answer to this, I will tell everyone. At this time, all I have is that this is an intensely uncomfortable but necessary job but it does not need to be done cruelly or with embarrassment in mind, nor does it always need to be public. Remember my epiphany of "help people be better"?<br />
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*Our job as peers and populace is to make things better, not tear things down. When we belittle ideas and efforts, when we tell people that their efforts are not enough, we don't help them be better - we pull the carpet out from under their feet and make them feel useless. A person's efforts may not be enough to resolve or fix a situation - but they can be a start. I'll use my students as an example here. We started a forty book reading challenge this year and for some of my students novels are a true challenge. They are starting with smaller books and that's fine and someday their confidence and ability - along with sound advice and teaching - will help them read longer things. Everyone starts somewhere. Sometimes we *restart* somewhere and need a reminder to try to be better than we are. But each of those steps is vitally important and should not be belittled.<br />
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And lastly, my constant reminder to myself.<br />
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My job is to help people be better. In whatever way that better is aimed or that their happiness leads them.<br />
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In short, I wish I had more solid answers on all of this but I will continue to wrangle them in my life. Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-9443094330449554022014-08-06T16:33:00.000-07:002014-08-06T20:16:47.330-07:00Why I love period materialsI've been painting with period replicated materials (or as close to it) for the last few years now, not all the time, but certainly for various bits of research or commission work or what not. I generally also try to extend that to other areas of interest; at the moment that happens to be embroidery but the extension applies to most of my crafts and arts at this point.<br />
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There's often a question of *why* I do this, particularly when I clearly have no aversion to modern materials and in fact get quite a kick out of using many of them (3-D plastic pens? awesome.)<br />
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The answer to this was never clear to me until recently. Part of it is simply because I *should* as a re-enactor and studier of history and, more recently, as a laurel. But that was never really what got me hooked on period materials, their complexity, the endless variations and books.<br />
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It didn't hit me really or really gel until recently when the husband and I took a trip to London. On a side trip to Glastonbury, there was a case of monk's artists tools in the abbey museum, among them an oyster shell filled with ground up verdis gris. I felt tears spring to my eyes and then immediately had to explain to my poor, non-scribal husband why I was crying over an oyster shell and some ground up copper oxidization. Poor man.<br />
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The simple truth is, period materials and the exploration process around them make me feel connected to the past in ways that even the artistic process does not. Art styles change, even when replicating period style. Formats of art change, even the rooms or spaces we create in change. The materials, however, are one of the basic fundamental pieces that can get us closer to what our historical counterparts experienced than anything else. I could feel that connection resonating, knew precisely what that monk did to make that pigment, what time it took and what he used it for. I knew precisely that he knew he couldn't paint it next to orpiment because the touch points would destroy the page - even if he didn't know why. I knew the soreness in his wrist and arm from the grinder and muller and the acid tang of oxidized copper.<br />
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Sometimes it seems like the search for period materials or to replicate what they used in period is snobbery or elitism but its not. It's a search for that connection, a suggestion that yes that goauche paint is great but if you want to get what the artist did - really did - you *gotta* try this.<br />
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And admittedly, it's always nice to add to your zombie apocalypse skill set.Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-22487714537104942382014-04-01T19:14:00.002-07:002014-04-01T19:16:55.156-07:00The peer like quality of helping others be betterI was actually all set to write this before this weekend and had been pondering it since several moments and discussions at the Bay Area demo. Then my entire weekend rather stood on its head by my elevation being announced at court and its taken me a few more days to really be able to articulate this concept.<br />
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The peer like quality of helping others be better people.<br />
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Not many people really mention this as a peer like quality. I suppose it might fall under courtesy or chivalry or grace but I prefer to think of it in more in this mundane phrasing because it is, to me, the main purpose of peers. Yes there is advisement to the crown and teaching and service and inspiration and leadership and a bunch of organizational fu but it really struck me that all of that lends back to the purpose of helping people be better.<br />
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Maybe it's the teacher in me but this concept is pretty darn important to me.<br />
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Sometimes it happens by simple leadership by example - providing a good model for behavior and action or thought.<br />
Sometimes it happens by direct advice - sitting and advising someone or discussing a difficult topic honestly and with constructive feedback.<br />
Sometimes it happens by teaching a class or hosting a discussion.<br />
Sometimes it happens by inspiration - a moment of leadership, a kind word on a touch day, a stretched out hand that shows someone a different side of things, or an optimistic outlook where there wasn't one before.<br />
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But really this is the crux of it - that the main job of a peer is to be an example of the Dream (in whatever way that Peer fits into it as we all have such different ideals for that Dream) and to help others reach toward it and be better in whatever ways that Peer can. That doesn't mean perfection or being critical - there was never a snarky comment on seams that made anyone feel better or be a better seamstress - but it does mean finding what it is that others need in them to grow and be better and nurturing that aspect, be that an art, a service, fighting, or a personal quality.<br />
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I have been blessed with so many brilliant examples of this I cannot even list them all - but lets just say trimaris is often particularly lucky.Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-40248061788610622852014-01-01T11:02:00.002-08:002014-01-01T11:02:42.931-08:00Why "learning time" is importantPlease note that this post is me mulling over concepts rather than stating "this is what it takes to be a peer" or even establishing that I have mastered any of this. I'm always hesitant to open this topic as it sometimes gets seen as pretension but it's not meant in that spirit in the least. <br />
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I have been quietly mulling this concept over for the better part of a year, ever since James and I first heard the "it just takes time," expression from several peers. It was not meant as a criticism of ourselves - which we realize - but was just part of the conversation surrounding this topic. We both have very open and healthy dialogue's with our own peers and are comfortable with our actions and the joyful path we are on.<br />
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We're both - myself more than him - A type personalities, however, so we do better with stated goals and concrete expectations than we do with nebulous statements. I am certainly not the only protege/apprentice in that wagon either. I don't need a checklist, but I do prefer to have concrete reasons rather than vague statements on what makes a peer. I don't even like calling them goals as I think that establishes a sense of "Do x, y, z and tada you're a peer" when I believe it's more accurate to say that these types of experiences are what allow you to develop into that mind set over time.<br />
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This is also with a heavy dose of acceptance that there is some <i>je ne sais quoi </i>involved just as there is when trying to figure out why anyone serves as an example or leader or is inspiring. James and I were never fully able to articulate that ourselves in our gaming days - sometimes people just eventually reach a point where we look to them and at least a small part of that is undefinable.<br />
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I've managed to, at least for me, boil down why "learning time" is important. It's actually similar to the same reasons I would give my students and because it comforts the organized part of my brain to have these concepts articulated:<br />
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1) Learning time is important to encountering new experiences in the Society and learning how to deal with them - this was my big "ah-ha" moment. I realized that I'd encountered several things I just didn't know how to approach in the Society. Peer interactions or "when do I tell this person" moments. These are things that, if I were at work or dealing with friends, would have been absolute no-brainers but because the various levels of people in the Society and the various jobs and tasks sometimes complicate or change dynamics it takes time to even just see those events and experiences in action and learn how best to approach them.<br />
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2) Learning time is important to meeting people. Part of being a peer is being well networked and knowing who to turn to when you yourself don't have answers. Even in a small kingdom like Trimaris, that takes time. It also means learning who is connected to who and who knows who and how person A may not be a good fit to teach person X but person B is a great choice.<br />
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3) Learning time is important to evaluating your own weaknesses and strengths. There are some things you are already faboo at. Maybe it's your art or maybe your interpersonal skills already kinda rock. That's good to know that you already bring a strength to the SCA table. You're also probably not very good at some aspects of things and it takes time to develop actual awareness of that so you can consciously improve as a human being. More on this shortly.<br />
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4) Learning time is important to learning your own pacing. I don't mean in becoming a comet and burning out, but in learning when you can reasonably be a leader and step forward, and understanding when you cannot. This is actually a completely separate curve from real life pacing as it involves layering your SCA obligations with your real world ones. It has taken me a few years to figure out that taking on additional "leader" style tasks during FCAT season is, for a teacher, utterly freaking stupid. If I want to enter art-sci, I also shouldn't take anything on in December. Conversely, the summer is a spiffy time for me to take the lead on improvement projects. The pacing of my year and such demands that certain times of it are much better for me to take on a project or task than others and figuring out how that dovetails with my "mundane" life was very important.<br />
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5) Learning time is important to understanding that you are always in learning time. To be fair, I am teacher so I get to claim an edge on this one. You are always learning. As many have said, learning time doesn't stop when you become a peer (or when you graduate or become an adult or are a teacher...) You keep learning, you keep growing. It's that job-description thing. Teacher's get a bonus because we know that learning and self-reflection and growth never *really* stop but for many people it can be a revelation to figure out that reaching a peerage doesn't mean you suddenly have reached the top of a mountain. Self reflection continues. Learning continues. There are probably significantly more people watching you do that in this case, but it's all still there.<br />
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I'm sure there's more to this but...there ya go. Five concrete reasons that learning time is important. Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-9719589747594428982013-12-30T19:21:00.001-08:002013-12-30T19:21:39.180-08:00Wherein medieval art writers conveniently leave steps out and wherein not living in Italy makes you swear at your projectSo, I thought it might be time to publicly reflect on two issues that happen in Arts and Science projects that cause them to not go quiiiite the way you had planned them. While this is obviously part of my projects analysis and reflection as well, I think it's important that people understand that even working on high level entries stuff goes wrong. All. The. Time.<br />
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First, the more innocent. We do not live in Italy. Well, I don't - maybe you do - and we are not in the middle of a global temperature freeze nor is the humidity level and temperature level of Florida like anything anywhere. We have days where gilding is easy peasy and other days where we laugh and won't touch the stuff because its just not going to stick - or it will stick to EVERYTHING including the cats, yourself, the floor, your table. Not that I've had to take gold leaf off the cats or am still trying to buff it out of the dining room table or anything.<br />
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The point is, our weather - or your weather - really affects your art. Here in Florida it's either insanely humid and hot or rather chilld and humid or.. just to be confusing... chilly and dry because the air conditioner sucks all the moisture out of the air. While some of this can be mitigated by opening and closing windows, humidifiers, etc, it's a constant game of roulette to try and get "ideal" conditions for your supplies to behave as they would have in the 1400's in Belgium or Flanders or England or Florence. It just doesn't work right. Sometimes this means absolutely nothing - parchment will still act like parchment. Hardened metal will still be hardened metal. But other times - like with anything involving paint, glue, varnish, or anything susceptible to weather - you're playing a game of artistic high-stakes poker and praying you've got it right. Sometimes it takes several attempts to figure it out and sometimes what worked PERFECTLY last time didn't work at all this time.<br />
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Second, Medieval artisans lie. Maybe, to be less accusatory, they omit. This may be because they were attempting to protect a trade secret that kept them as popular artisans in a time when selling your art was absolutely a commodity and a trade. This may also be sometimes because the step seems so infantiley stupid that OF COURSE you would know to do that. Strain the bits from the oak gall ink? Well duh. Leave the varnish on to seep into the cloth? Of course. Why would you tell someone how to turn on the light instead of just telling them to turn the light on today? You wouldn't - you'd expect that they know where the switch is.<br />
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In short, there is no perfect art sci (even those high scoring ones). It's a learning process and part of that process is, well, learning. To do that you need patience and the ability to let go of perfection and how it "should" be and sometimes go with "how it is" and "what does that mean?"<br />
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Also, don't gild the cats.Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-78926369929368980492013-10-27T08:18:00.001-07:002013-10-27T08:18:35.867-07:00On Optimism and Expectations - an SCA musingI spent a great deal of time pondering this concept of expectations on my drive home last night. We had a lovely event and saw some much beloved friends and James was utterly passed out from lack of sleep this week. <br />
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I spent a lot of time yesterday listening. This wasn't really my initial goal for the day but I ended up in a position that landed me in several moments of individuals dealing with various topics and situations that I was only peripherally part of or that I wasn't entirely fully informed enough to make my own commentary. It left me as a sideline viewer of these moments and I try to use those times to learn and absorb. These situations were all by and large pleasant or were neatly handled and resolved quickly and so none of this was negative in the extreme. No drama or fights or anything of the sort. I noticed, however, many of these moments began not with positive expectations but with negative ones. Not even strongly negative ones - I would say they were absolutely mundanely realistic expectations based off life experiences and hard-won world-knowledge. In short - we were all being very practical in our approach to everything. I was too - lack of sleep and a very difficult mundane month made me a little less shiny and optimistic than I normally am yesterday. <br />
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The problem came, as I drove home and tried to figure out why this was not settling entirely well with me, is when I realized why that didn't mesh with my vision of the "Dream" yesterday and why yesterday felt quite... well... mundane...in several ways. I don't mean this in the sense of the backroom work necessary to organize crowns and coronets or the paperwork or the mundane legalities of the society. All of that is part and parcel of what I normally deal with at events and I find it enjoyable. I mean it in the general sense of people interacting with one another. We were mundane in our expectations of those around us.<br />
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The ideals of chivalry and honor and hope and love and faith and all that we strive toward have very little room in them for the practicality of "mundane and realistic" expectations. They were and are chivalric ideals that are based on striving toward something better and that are, often, difficult to achieve. It is why we admire them so -because they are not common and because they demand dedication and work. They demand optimism, hope, and expecting the absolute best from those around you. Ah! Lightbulb moment! Now how to wrangle this into the "real world" that we live in as well as the Societal expectations around us.<br />
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There are two "problems" with this need for optimism and high expectation. The first is that, obviously, not everyone has that same "Dream" vision and so you're bound to encounter a few folks who don't live up to those high ideals even some of the time. This can cause problems when you were expecting better than you saw or received. Sometimes - often I think -this is a matter of someone having an off moment or a bad day. Most of us come to the SCA to find something different than our mundane lives, after all. That's an easy fix as a return to those ideals really just involves awareness, a sincere apology or moment of reflection, and bam we're back on track. Even the best of us have those moments and that's perfectly fine. Humanity at its finest.<br />
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Sometimes, however, we encounter people who are so mired in the negative, pessimistic, or simply just "realistic" view of the world that it's hard to be around them and still have those feelings that honor and chivalry, courtesy, and high expectations are in fact possible. This does not make those people bad - far far from it - but it means an awareness of mindset that sometimes they simply just won't "get" the viewpoint you're coming from. This is, again, also all right but it means that those of us working to live up to those chivalric ideals may have to adjust our own mindsets to compensate or endure through those encounters with our own optimism intact. <br />
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The second problem is simply that this is a very hard mindset to personally shake. The mundane world conditions us to be practical - and by and large practicality is a wonderful thing. It allows us to tone back our art or planning flails to something workable. It lets us work with identifiable resources rather than funds or volunteers we don't have. It lets us budget our time wisely and plan rationally to accomplish large tasks that need getting done. The mundane world, however, has also taught us that people are generally not trustworthy, hard working, or reliable. It tells us that people cannot live up to high expectations or fulfill our ideals outside of those we trust the very most. This seems particularly prevalent in American society that we tend to feel like everyone is somehow "out to get us" and this isn't a viewpoint helped by our modern media and its focus on the negative. There's probably some very valid sociological and psychological reasons for this but that isn't really here or there when the Societal demands in the SCA ask for something very different from us. I was very much prey to this yesterday and I expected not the best but, at least, practical and mundane reactions from those around me. <br />
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The ideals of chivalry ask us to believe that our fellows are good, upstanding, reliable, noble, kind, chivalrous, hard-working and capable.<br />
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Obviously a bit of a disjoint when we show up from jobs that leave us often feeling beleaguered and frustrated with the abilities of those around us.<br />
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I can tell you however - our mundane views are wrong. Boy is it hard to cling to that sometimes too, but they are and I am a happier person and a better person when I can believe this.<br />
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Oh, not all the time. There are bad folks out there and people who are not worth spending time around. There are true pessimists and people who don't lug their share of the weight in this world. But most people are good and want to be hard working and productive and offer the best within themselves. <br />
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We have to, however, let them do so. We need to expect that our fellows are going to meet the same ideals we are striving for ourselves. We need to ask for it. We cannot assume that, going into a given problem, the people we are approaching were intending malice - even though sometimes this gets us burned. We cannot assume that because someone is having other problems in their world that they cannot have a rational, adult moment and be spoken to with caring and foresight for their duties and well being. We must assume that someone working on a project can have a rational and constructive conversation about their project - be that art or service, and can work toward a better end as a result. <br />
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If we approach situations with optimism in mind, with the highest expectations of those around us - we often *get* it. I see it in students constantly. If I expect that they are stupid or inept, they will only ever live up to that, in part because it is the ONLY thing I become willing to see. If I expect them to work hard and be brilliant -they often are. And it becomes self-fulfilling. They do it again... and again... and again. If I expect that people will be calm and polite and gracious, they often will be because there becomes a social obligation of trying to move toward the same goal.<br />
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Does this mean I expect perfection? Nope. Does it mean everyone will live up to this 100% of the time? Nope. Does this mean we will occasionally have messes created by those who fall short? Sure does. But we have all of that even if we're being "practical." What it does mean is that if I - if we - cling to our expectations and our optimism, we will see it more in those around us. We will see it become fulfilled more often and our interactions with those around us will become more positive and less based in the mundane ideals of a practical world that tells us our fellows have "already failed' because that is a safer social option in our mind. <br />
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It's a scary, scary place to go. But it's pretty amazing when it happens - and it will happen far more often than you might think. This is what I cling to. Or try to - yesterday was a reminder that I have off days myself. But when I reach it, my world is very much filled with glory and happiness and something intangible that makes it infinitely better than it was the moment before.<br />
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<br />Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-73217045627421034632013-07-30T15:58:00.002-07:002013-07-30T15:58:18.318-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4MH6AcRCgqo/UPAhGdlf6HI/AAAAAAAAE0U/BqjNzJ0ZFHE/w1023-h577-no/2013-01-10_21-43-34_686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="uw xO" height="360" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4MH6AcRCgqo/UPAhGdlf6HI/AAAAAAAAE0U/BqjNzJ0ZFHE/w1023-h577-no/2013-01-10_21-43-34_686.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
A recent discussion on the Ask a Laurel Facebook reminded me that I don't post here often enough. Fortunately I keep galleries of all my scribal work here: https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/112735004436194670657/albums/5647757165271617473<br /><br />The most recent "big" endeavors have been continuing scribing but also last year's Visconti Tarot project (a snippet here from the scribal gallery.) Twelve cards all completely reproduced with period methods and materials, including my own handmade cardboard. Needless to say the house was covered in gold leaf for months!<br /><br />I am currently working on period style banners (pictures coming soon) and period masks, all of which ended up as odd extensions of scribal work because it seems almost everything I'm directly interested in is an extension of that.<br /><br />The below shows a sketch of the French royal arms a la Charlemagne that is being completed with period materials and process. The cartoon was done in charcoal, traced onto the silk in charcoal and is in the process of being gilded at the moment. The only substitutions on this one will be the leaf itself as that was WAY too much gold leaf (all those fleurs) for my wallet!<br /><img class="uw xO" height="360" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YFQHdJQSA18/UfCQIflcgiI/AAAAAAAAGvQ/sPQajT1psZ8/w1024-h577-no/2013-07-24_13-34-03_273.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-87676153159645764042013-04-09T17:30:00.000-07:002013-04-09T17:37:02.615-07:00Peers and Associates - a response to Mistress IleneAnd now for something non art related ;)<br />
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Since I like a good thought question - and one of my favorite things in the SCA is the sheer number of peers that I get the privilege of hanging out with and listening to (they're cool people with neat outlooks!) - my Baroness and good friend - and a Pelican, asked today on her blog that people consider what they thought was a good peer and a good peer/associate relationship.<br />
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Like Christoff, I feel rather compelled to answer this as part of my apprenticeship to Mistress Gwen is considering those very concepts.<br />
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A peer/apprentice relationship needs to be tailored to the pair of individuals. What works for Gwen and I, for example, is a fairly hands off relationship where I approach when I have questions. This typically turns into me having more like five laurels due to the way Feilicean works, which is juuust fine by me. My role with her is far more about discussion, partnership, and shared interest and less about her being a "teacher" and me a "student." She absolutely *does* teach me - but she knows I'm motivated enough to Hermione-wave when I need help and when I want to talk. For me, this is a perfect combination as I dislike people standing over my shoulder. In contrast, my friend Mora has often said she'd like someone with a more hands on approach to nudge and guide more regularly and to be able to run questions by. For me, this means that a good peer/associate relationship has two things. <br />
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The first is clear expectations. Gwen and I clicked fairly quickly but we did have several conversations about her expectations and mine, my learning goals, etc. We were very clear with one another, which was as important to us as friends and mentor/student as it is as artists. Actually Feilicean's pretty good, as a whole, about being straight forward and it's a valued trait amidst butterflies. Who knew?<br />
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The second is respect and trust. That can come in many forms but it's important that both the peer respect the associate and the associate respect the peer. I don't mean in a kiss-up sort of way, but in the way that a person values a special friendship, relationship, or interaction. I trust my peer's advice and I respect it, but in turn I am given respect and trust to pursue my interests, and to be my own person. I realize there are a number of associates who have formal relationships with their peers and that works for them, so I point back to the need for trust and respect on both sides in whatever sort of relationship works for those folks.<br />
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As for what makes a good peer - I think I revise this concept about once a month. I had some very definite opinions when I first started my SCA journey and some of those remain intact while others have altered significantly as I've gotten older and more experienced.<br />
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They should be knowledgeable. Not just about their area of passion, but about the workings of the society and other aspects that may not be their specialty as well. You don't have to be a "master" at everything but I like a certain sense that a peer is well rounded enough to be able to point people in a direction if they themselves don't personally know how to do something. I also like to think that Peer's aren't just "one trick" ponies - I may be a good illuminator (see Jake I admitted it!) but I feel like I should also at least be decent at some other stuff too. One of the reasons I try so many arts and try to push myself to excel at anything I try is this belief. I don't think I'm going to be amazing at everything. But I want to have a good breadth of knowledge in addition to the passion I feel for illumination, calligraphy, and service.<br />
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They should be a role model. This can either be direct mentoring or by example. "You never know who's watching or how far the story goes," is one of my favorite lines from a Heather Dale song. I have been sometimes sorely disappointed to see how people forget to be chivalrous when they think no one is looking. Obviously, everyone is human and I really try to maintain that awareness so that our peers don't feel as if they need to be PERFECT all the time. That said, a peer should remember that they are a role model and strive to BE what they want to encourage. Chivalrous, kind, honest, and thoughtful are my biggies.<br />
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A peer should serve. I never understood this when I was younger and then I played a queen in changeling for three years. This may seem like an odd correlation - you played a role playing character and understood service and noblesse oblige? Yup. I got a really good grasp in those years of leadership position in-character (which was pretty much a volunteer job on its own) of the concept that the highest up are the ones that are often working the hardest and serving the most. The job of a peer is, in part, to be certain that the Kingdom, the populace, the whomever, are served and happy and able to access and LIVE the Dream as much as possible. That doesn't mean as a Peer that you are going to be toting the feast trays all the time - but maybe sometimes you tote a feast tray ;) I feel like a peer's job is, in part, to be inspiring the ideals we strive for and that often means a sort of reverse philosophy of serving the kingdom and populace.<br />
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A peer IS human. That and a buck fifty will get you a cup of coffee, as they say. A peer is human and I think its important to remember this. They go home. They have lives. Chaos happens and they don't get to their e-mail. They have a bad day and may get a little grouchy on occasion. These are the things that all humans go through. I think what separates a peer, however, is how they ultimately deal with those moments. Did they get a little snappy at feast after fourteen hours of cooking? Well sure - but did they also talk to people to encourage them and smooth away the snap? Did they make a mistake and own up to it and work out the issue? Those are qualities I look for in a peer. I don't EXPECT or WANT perfection, but I do expect that a Peer recognizes the power and force of their own presence and words in the *context* of the SCA.<br />
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That last one was my biggest revelation in the past year. I was suffering, at one point, from a major case of Peer Fear but I've largely had to get over that becoming Chart Signet. That said, I have tremendous respect for peers but still realize they are human. The ones that also realize and accept that - and work to be the best they can WITH that knowledge - are the ones who have earned so much of my admiration.<br />
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<br />Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-77686659732838674962012-12-23T20:11:00.006-08:002012-12-23T20:11:56.404-08:00Just a little Christmas updateI spent most of today working on a large arts and science project for the 2013 winter art sci competition in January. I've got all my pieces nearly drawn and need to gild and paint now, which was an accomplishment. The slightly larger accomplishment was likely shuffling the entire paper into a semblance of order. It's at 32 pages at the moment and likely close to 40 by the time I've added in the last few bits of process and pigment explanation. I'm entering this at master work level which is... slightly... terrifying. However, I think I'm at the point where I simply need to just commit to it, leap off the cliff, and see how it goes.<br />
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My brain is absolute mush tonight, but it's a happy mush, full of learning and art and affection from friends and family. I can think of no other way to spend Christmas.Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-78355146742229119372012-12-05T18:06:00.003-08:002012-12-05T18:06:59.137-08:00New page added to blogI've added an A&S fifty challenge page to my blog to provide an annotated list of the books I'm reading for the A&S fifty challenge. I'm trying to deepen my research by actually READING all these scribal and persona books this time. So far I've four of them listed. 46 to go! It's a good thing I read even faster than I scribe. <br /><br />You can check out the list at the top of my blog page on the new tab.<br /> Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-20004358847039199422012-03-11T08:14:00.006-07:002012-03-11T08:24:12.939-07:00Most recent piece and scribal kitten<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N3vs7YAqcww/T1zBzlFt3_I/AAAAAAAAByw/MybpDo6TKt0/s1600/horoscopescroll.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 181px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N3vs7YAqcww/T1zBzlFt3_I/AAAAAAAAByw/MybpDo6TKt0/s320/horoscopescroll.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718658718727266290" border="0" /></a><br />I recently finished a new scroll for kingdom use based on the Tres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry - it's a horoscope page with some modifications for scroll use. There's about fifteen hours of work in this one, give or take. The most interesting part was those itty bitty horoscope signs in the border.<br /><br /><br />This was an interesting shape to work in for the calligraphy and required a bit of planning to get the text in properly and to fit. There's also a rather crazy amount of gilding involved, though that was, ironically, one of the easier steps. I modified the background of the border a bit as it was originally gilded, however I wanted more contrast and to cut back on the amount of gold leaf required and so I filled in the "background" of the border with gold gouache.<br /><br /><br />This one will be submitted to kingdom for use for a Triskele as a GoA level award.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MMDkK00IuSo/T1zB-Lkv6rI/AAAAAAAABy8/cySCCy4A64U/s1600/horoscopedetail1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 181px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MMDkK00IuSo/T1zB-Lkv6rI/AAAAAAAABy8/cySCCy4A64U/s320/horoscopedetail1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718658900856662706" border="0" /></a><br />In other news, scribal cat is scribal. This is one of my kittens, Shakespeare, who has decided to become involved in the scribal arts.<br /><br />Here, he oversees Sarah looking through my new book. "I can has scribal nowz?"<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i5DCTup4ELA/T1zDUyMUCNI/AAAAAAAABzI/C-ditw6_Q3U/s1600/2012-03-09_20-22-04_754.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i5DCTup4ELA/T1zDUyMUCNI/AAAAAAAABzI/C-ditw6_Q3U/s320/2012-03-09_20-22-04_754.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718660388691904722" border="0" /></a><br />And here: "Go call your laurel. Now." Apprentice kitten?<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xJoQLk79x3M/T1zDjmlyFlI/AAAAAAAABzU/F38DP-F3GF4/s1600/2012-03-11_11-12-36_247.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xJoQLk79x3M/T1zDjmlyFlI/AAAAAAAABzU/F38DP-F3GF4/s320/2012-03-11_11-12-36_247.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718660643275544146" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div>Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-39312791319985382992012-02-15T13:03:00.004-08:002012-02-15T13:07:22.322-08:00How art attracts coffeeMy week (or the last two) have been mostly filled with work flailing and a great deal of small projects that were around the house and needed to get done, but very little painting time. I was almost done on a batch of AoA level scroll blanks that were going into a gift basket until Saturday morning when, upon pouring my coffee I cleverly managed to trip, spill coffee on my hand, and send coffee droplets sailing fourteen feet across the kitchen to where the scroll was sitting patiently on a table waiting for me.<br /><br />Could it at least fall on a nice unpainted area I still had to complete?<br /><br />Nope. Smack dab in the middle of the calligraphy area.<br /><br />I swear, some days, just to make up for how easy an occasional project is or the days my muse is quietly smothering my brain in glitter and joy, that damned little demon is just hanging out waiting for me the rest of them.<br /><br />In that vein, tonight, I shall attempt to appease the demon, felt the little bugger, stick him in a cage, and put him in my studio - where, like the trolls, he has now been invited in so that he may cause less trouble.<br /><br />Yah I doubt it'll work either but at least I'll then have cute little felted scribal demons.Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-73764106505909884512012-02-08T18:31:00.000-08:002012-02-08T18:33:22.543-08:00Past Works GalleryCan be seen at:<br />https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/112735004436194670657/albums/5647757165271617473<br />For scribal work<br /><br />https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/112735004436194670657/albums/5633790601956822977<br />For masks<br /><br />https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/112735004436194670657/albums/5633791339511269729<br />For dolls and sculpture<br /><br />https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/112735004436194670657/albums/5633802956264687217<br />For small squishy felt thingsLana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-39815308624635874732012-02-08T18:28:00.000-08:002012-02-08T18:29:16.624-08:00Just a brief updateI'll be doing more blog work of pieces here and cross posting to FB and G+ to try and keep a bit of a better record of both scribal and other artistic endeavors. More soon - I've got a bunch of photos to take this weekend!Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-90388118364311161742011-09-30T17:37:00.000-07:002011-09-30T17:51:55.182-07:00SCRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIBEMuch like a zombie cries "Braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaains," this is essentially what my artistic brain has been doing for the last three weeks. For those that know, I've rejoined the Society of Creative Anachronism and am back into the scribal arts making award scrolls for them. I've completed two small awards, one large one, and two backlogs in under a month. There's something very soothing about it, adapting medieval motifs to modern artistic endeavor and I really love the creative process of taking something old and watching it come to life again.Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-31373617922916241382011-08-08T11:09:00.000-07:002011-08-08T11:21:00.523-07:00And some art updates<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RBuhxUQvKSA/TkAm9qGUoNI/AAAAAAAAAjU/QGlGr8_DolA/s1600/waitingfull1.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RBuhxUQvKSA/TkAm9qGUoNI/AAAAAAAAAjU/QGlGr8_DolA/s320/waitingfull1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638549574182543570" border="0" /></a>
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<br />This lovely lady is my newest sculpture piece and I'm very proud of her. She's been percolating in the back of my brain for some years now but I didn't feel comfortable attempting her until recently. I've been using paper clay a lot and I'm finding it was a real break through in my abilities, possibly because it forces me to slow down and really consider what I'm doing, pause, and rework as needed in stages. It's not a sort of "control factor" that polymer allowed and given my tendancy to rush and push, I think this really helped overall. I've been using paperclay for my masks for years - but the shift to art dolls and sculpts was a new one.
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<br />I'm exploring some different themes lately in my dolls - lots of seasonal thoughts, but this is the first time I've ever created a pregnant figure as well. I'm, ironically, not pregnant in the least and my husband and I are waiting until we feel ready for that. However, several friends have been blessed recently and so I've been watching their anticipation and joy increase as days go by. Their glowing and excitement and patience was a major emotional inspiration behind this piece.
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<br />I've also started playing with silk fiber again, from dress to wings to shawl I'm finding I really just don't get the same results with anything else on figures of this size.
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<br />In other news, we're back to work at school next week. I'm both terrified and excited all at once and I'm hoping that I can keep my artistic bent this year amidst everything else. The students are both inspiring and exhausting on a regular basis so we'll see how that goes. It's always interesting to see the new batch of my kids every year and see what challenges the job has in store. In many ways I get the same sort of thrill from teaching as from my art in terms of problem solving and approaching things with new angles.
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<br />Today we're about to go work out on one of our last days of summer laziness; the recharge has been very much needed. After that I'll be heading into the studio again to see if I can work more on Pinwheedle.
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<br />Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1717642017647892404.post-75657641970752840042011-08-08T11:00:00.000-07:002011-08-08T11:01:36.375-07:00Moving over to a new blogI'm trying to consolidate my google accounts a bit and while I'm now on google plus and post a lot of of shorter items there, I wanted to keep this for longer ramblings and following some of my favorite artists. I'm going to try for a weekly update here - both on studio work but also on random writings.
<br />Lana Tesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047893551852619529noreply@blogger.com0