Apprenticeship
My Journey
From my first days in the SCA, the idea of taking a path that might lead to being a peer was something I saw myself doing. I think my biggest disappointment I have had was that by the time Countess Gillian Anna di Lando became a peer, her time in the SCA was coming to an end. Up until that point, all I had wanted was to be belted to her. She was my SCA Mother, and to me, was every thing a peer should be. When she left the SCA, I just kinda stopped thinking in terms of that particulate path, and as my fighting career ended, I just kinda stopped thinking about being belted.
By the time I found a groove as a glass artist, the idea of taking such a path just was not on my radar. I was doing the art for myself. After some time, I began to see myself as an outsider artist, a folk artist. I have, for the most part, taught myself with very few hours of direct instruction under my belt. I just had moved beyond looking and found value in going alone. In my head, the role of a laurel was to teach.
Then came my go at Stella Nova, my “sponsor,” Ximena Yannez de Talavera, was not a glass artist or a jeweler, but a peer in the Textile Arts. Over the course of the competition, she proved her worth to me as a shoulder, an ear, and cheer squad and I guess she saw something in me. Over the course of a year, we continued or friendship.
When she asked me to be her Apprentice, I had come to see the Master/Apprenticeship relationship in a new light; a role more about support than instruction. After some time thinking on the idea, I said yes to the belt.
She continued to be a strong pillar of support within my life as an artist not because she has something to teach me about my art, but because like so many others in my life, she is a valued member of my support network and cheer squad.
We had a private belting before Gulf Wars in 2022. She was just as good a shoulder and ear as I prepped for the Gulf Wars Inter-Kingdom A&S Competition. I was so excited for my new role as an apprentice so I made some green jewelry to go with my belt and off to war I went.
One of the things having a Learning Disability has taught me, is the importance of a support system that helps to bridge the gaps left by ones imperfections. While my laurel got me through the emotional strain of the competition, it was my partner and ghost writer who got the paper to a academic standard I could be comfortable with. It was my other friends who were a source of strength going into the competition and with helping me process the results.
Being an Apprentice has been vastly different than my expectations of the 1990s me. I have gained a valued member of my support team and I have also gained a friend, one who apparently comes with treasure.
She bought me this awesome small cup replica made in the glassblowing shop at Jamestown (17th century) from her visit. She always seems to be thinking of my interests. As we came close to the conclusion of year one of our relationship, we chose to have a public belting at Midwinter A&S 2023. This event is also my SCA anniversary event.
So, off to court we went and in the process more treasure; a new belt, an awesome key to her household stores and knowledge, and salt. I think this is the first time I have been in an in-person court happy with my garb.
The key that I was given is a Viking key modeled after a find at Jorvik, constructed by Mike Moulton. The key was symbolic of the availability of my Mistress’s storehouses to me, and oath to provide for my needs whether it is knowledge or material goods. The key now lives on the cord from my OVO pouch. The cord that was made by Baron Wistric for Mistress Justina Di Silvestri’s elevation vail. I was also given a tablet woven belt as an annual livery, and the bag of salt were for annual maintenance. The most importance gift, though, has been her time.
In closing, I think that the key to finding a good relationship of this nature is to do your thing, do it with pride and respect for the art, the other artists, and with a willingness to fail and succeed not for others, but for your own personal growth as an artist. The people who are attracted to that kind of honesty, are the people you want in your life. I hope my life in the arts continues to be worthy of the support of all those who have cheered and pushed me forward down this road. I will do my best to learn from the journey as it is the personal journey that defines who we are more than anything else.
Thanks for all of the support over the years.
