A&S for Estrella next year

[Sō Haruko]

Well, I thought I might get a head jump on putting together something for Estrella's A&S competition next year, given that they posted the subjects today.

arts.atenveldt.org/Estrella

.... Um, well ... never mind, then?

Would it be inappropriate to create Japanese objects that otherwise fit the categories and submit them for display only, not as part of the competition, since only Western European items are permitted? (I feel for anyone with a Russian or Slavic persona ...)

I have no idea, I've never done A&S before. /:

[Ishida Kentarou Mitsumasa]

You could totally do Japanese pickles! They are so delicious.

I'm a little offput by the specificity of the "western Europe" clause there. Is that standard? I'm not used to seeing that in category listings.

[Saionji Shonagon]

Yes, they tend to do that at Estrella, which is why it's one of the few reasons I used to chain myself to a table at their A&S display. Fired off a complaint to the A&S folks this spring about the fact that scheduling the display for Sunday now means nobody can participate unless they lived locally because they're no longer on the Presidents' Day weekend.

So-hime, I say go for it.

EDIT: Brain is whirling with plans for counter-activities. I need to think on this a bit, but I think that if we can get the Rising Sun encampment together again next year, we should sponsor our own display on the same day as their competition, get the word out to all non-Western-European artisans who want to play and show what we're capable of. (It's that or go all Occupy Estrella on 'em with taiko drums.)

[nana]

Occupy Estrella- Has an interesting ring to it....

[Deleted]

May 25, 2012 0:22:59 GMT -5 Sō Haruko said:

Would it be inappropriate to create Japanese objects that otherwise fit the categories and submit them for display only, not as part of the competition, since only Western European items are permitted?

I don't see anything in the rules and regulations that prohibits any entries outside the judging categories, as long as those entries "adhere to the historical time frame of pre-1600 AD." Only the entries that exemplify the official categories have a chance of winning the competitions, though.

While the "Western Europe only" stuff is a little blunt, it's not the only limitation. These categories exclude many kinds of things. What about constructions that are not machines? What about food that is not pickled? What about sewn objects that aren't clothing?

I pretty commonly see "preferences" on A&S competitions. Usually I see them on themed events. If it's a Viking event, Viking themed entries are encouraged. We encouraged Japanese entries at our Japanese event a few years ago. Exclusions like this are a little more rare on large general events like a war, though.

So, in short, enter whatever you want to show off, as long as you don't care about "winning". Personally, I love getting the little tokens some people leave at entries they like. I have a plain hematite ring somebody left me that I just adore.

[Saionji Shonagon]

Personally, (see icon), I've had a bellyful of ill mannered, hidebound naysayers who probably never had to deal with the sheer amount of you-shouldn't-be-doing-that-in-my-SCA nonsense that we experience on an everyday basis. I look at the categories as written and think they've just eliminated the Byzantines, the Slavs and every Muslim not residing in Al Andaluz as well.

I see this as an opportunity to demonstrate to the attendees of Estrella War that we are the SCA too, that we are just as committed to the things we do within the Society and that those things have value. I just need to think about how to stir the midden on this one. (I already teach regularly at this event and had a good turnout on my classes....)

[Lash]

i have an idea why not combine some kingdom areas, each kingdom donate a little land ( outlands,caid,artemisia,west,antir etc) , and create a grand bazaar or silk road exhibition . have all our classes held there and have an asian theme throughout. draw away the regular attendees of the regular classes that are held every year.
steal the thunder as it were.

[Sō Haruko]

I kind of wonder what their definition of Western Europe is. I'm guessing England, Spain, Portugal, and France, but are Sweden, Norway and Finland "Northern Europe"? Are items from the Mezzogiorno considered to be from "Southern Europe"? Where does "Eastern Europe" begin? I think the border is typically where the countries start gaining too many consonants in their names, but I couldn't say for sure. (; Greece is directly south of some of those countries ... does it count as Eastern or Western Europe? (I know, I know, Greece is typically considered part of "Western Civilization".)

I frankly am a bit baffled by the exclusion of eastern Europe. I get the whole we're-playing-on-the-edges thing by doing Asian personae and art, and while I'm not necessarily OK with being excluded, I'll live. But it seems very strange to me to exclude a chunk of Europe, especially across all categories.

(Frankly, if any one of those was an open category for any origin, I wouldn't be complaining.)

[Saionji Shonagon]

Nice idea, Lash-dono, but they don't allocate land like that at the War - Rising Sun usually ends up camped with one kingdom because someone (usually Yagyu-dono) volunteers to be campmaster and get the land for us.

My other thought is that we WANT to be with the official A&S activities, not to split people's attention: that's where we're going to get seen. It works: my Friday and Saturday classes this year were full to capacity.

The SCA is already divisive, let's not compound the problem.

EDIT: I have just written to the A&S minister for the Kingdom of Atenveldt to inquire as to when the artisans' display is going to be scheduled. I will report when I receive a reply.

[Saionji Shonagon]

News of a sort - the KA&S minister says A&S is being scheduled by "the mains", however, one of them is someone he knows and they discussed having artisans' displays on more than one day of the war. If that is the case, we need to represent!

In the meantime, I am messing around with "posters:" suitable for Facebook or wherever...

[Lash]

hey i know those peeps . the beauty and the beast!!!

[Saionji Shonagon]

You being the good looking one, of course. ;-D

[Ishida Kentarou Mitsumasa]

The picture that comes to mind for me when we talk about this is this one that my dad took:


Three helmets by tomlapille, on Flickr

I love the juxtaposition of styles there.

Also, I have some nice shots in the Kubota Gardens shoot if you need another impeccably dressed man for one of those posters

[Sō Haruko]

Huh, that's interesting, the Estrella site is down right now. I was going to go back and double-check the rules to make sure the recipe would follow the guidelines. However (insert big toothy grin here):

There's a preserves recipe in the Nanban Ryorisho, in _Food and Fantasy in Early Modern Japan_.

A period Japanese take on a very-definitely-Western-European recipe. I love it. If I make it to Estrella (fingers crossed, hoping to!), I'm thinking this is absolutely what I should enter. Must figure out where to acquire gardenia flowers ...

[Saionji Shonagon]

May 28, 2012 22:20:36 GMT -5 Sō Haruko said:

There's a preserves recipe in the Nanban Ryorisho, in _Food and Fantasy in Early Modern Japan_.

Isn't that a neat book? I've been sugaring up the kingdom with kasutera ever since - and just got a request for the recipe from someone who wanted to make some up for June Crown. Except, IIRC, I think the competition was for pickles. We'll have to wait until the site goes back up again to be sure.
That said, you should totally try making the preserves ANYWAY!!!! ;D

I love it. If I make it to Estrella (fingers crossed, hoping to!), I'm thinking this is absolutely what I should enter. Must figure out where to acquire gardenia flowers ...

Cool. As you may or may not know, we've had an Asian themed encampment in past years and if enough of us can make it happen next year, we will again because we always manage to have a great time.