Kingdom university: hurrah for Flintheath and its splendid event
This was actually over a week ago now, so my post is a bit late.
We'd booked early for this year's kingdom university, taking advantage of the lovely Buckden Towers in Cambridgeshire. This proved to be a Catholic centre with an associated charity to support the restoration of the space, and a very handsome space it was. See pics on the (somewhat dated) charity website.
Booking early we scored an 'apartment': a private room with adjoining bath and tiny self-catering kitchen. If I were spending a week on retreat there I'd be very happy to ensconce myself in it. The building is clearly 16th c or earlier, with wonky walls and angled doorways where the doors don't fit, but it was very cozy, and I was very, very glad of a hot shower and a real bed after a full day.
We were blessed with a glorious sunny early-winter day: warm in the sun, which shone all day, cool in the shade, bright and crisp. It was mild enough to take our midday meal in the Tudor-style knot garden and enjoy her highness' court, where Jahanarabanu was made kingdom artisan for the coming year. HE aryanhwy, Lord Raconzy and HG Fiona were all there to welcome her, as previous winners.
My highlights were taking part in fencing authorisations, where we had 3 fencers (1 from Thamesreach and 2 from F'heath) successfully authorised in single sword.
This process brought home to me that expectations of authorisation varies across the principality: this process was different again from the previous authorisations I've witnessed.
The scriptorium had classes all day. nusbacher had 2 keen students, and Katherine's illumination class had at least 6 people in it, though they ran short of time to actually finish their pieces (Kat says: 3 hours minimum, anything less doesn't work). But wow: 6 people learning to outline, ink, gild and paint in one afternoon. Awesome.
My own class was small but perfectly formed, and provided just the range of experiences and opinions on how to scribe that I'd hoped for. Artists are so opinionated!
I laughed out loud watching each of us demonstrate our preferred way to draw straight lines: of 3 scribes you got 4 opinions on how to use a ruler...
I got only a glimpse of the bestiary themed arts and sciences display, but apparently badgersandjam and I managed a 3rd place as a populace-choice item in the display: pretty good for some plain calligraphy that isn't yet illuminated!
I had included a plain text (eg. printed) version so folks could read it without having to struggle with early Gothic hand.
Robert had a rapt audience for 3 hours in the afternoon, puttering with his pewtering moulds. He'd successfully arranged for his moulds, tools and gas burner to reach the venue (OMG heavy!) without actually being hauled by us on the train(!) which meant he could demonstrate and work using his actual tools, not borrowing or jury-rigging some substitute.
This class was not for raw beginners but for people who were familiar with the carving and casting process and I think the people who attended were just right.
It included J, aryanhwy's other half who has taken to pewtering like he was born to it, as well as Yann who had done some other metal casting (he's since posted his first piece based on what he learned!), and G, a Thamesreach newcomer, who is an experienced maker-of-things and loves the technical business of 'how do you do that?'.
I wandered into Robert's class late in the afternoon to find a great sprawl of moulds and tools across every flat table surface, and every one of the attendees were still there, still absorbed in the work.
I was amused to find the 3 of the Dutch attendees in his class. Polderslot has 2 of the most active pewterers in the kingdom in it. I'd thought they would have had their fill of pewter. We'd done casting just the month before at the event.
When I mentioned this, Snorr said, 'Simeon can demonstrate, but he's not a teacher', which I thought was typically honest, and a compliment to Robert. His teaching skills just keep getting better.
While HG Sir Jonathan had won the Holly Monarch tournament, he and his family weren't staying for feast so he passed his monarchial duties (handing out gifts) to Lord Walter, a gent recently returned to Drachenwald from a stay in Atlantia, who worked hard to distribute the many many gifts.
I was charmed when he approached me, said 'I'm not supposed to ask, so I hope you'll just accept this gift', and I found written on it 'for a young lady'. Very sweet! My gift was a very long string of glass beads.
I'm now contemplating how to change them so I'll be more likely to wear them - they'd make a nice string of 3, but I may tweak the bead choices.
The feast by Lady Auriana and Lord Gyles was very impressive, particularly her efforts to ensure everyone with food sensitivities got something to eat.
The ball itself ran long: HE Margaret even said she was surprised folks were still dancing, and was taking requests as her dance list was run out. I had a splendid time, and we even danced one of my all time favourites Rostibolli 'for those who know it', and nz_bookwyrm managed to fake his way through!
The other treat, aside from the classes, feast, venue, apartment and great company? was getting home midafternoon on Sunday with enough time to recover for work.
We'd booked early for this year's kingdom university, taking advantage of the lovely Buckden Towers in Cambridgeshire. This proved to be a Catholic centre with an associated charity to support the restoration of the space, and a very handsome space it was. See pics on the (somewhat dated) charity website.
Booking early we scored an 'apartment': a private room with adjoining bath and tiny self-catering kitchen. If I were spending a week on retreat there I'd be very happy to ensconce myself in it. The building is clearly 16th c or earlier, with wonky walls and angled doorways where the doors don't fit, but it was very cozy, and I was very, very glad of a hot shower and a real bed after a full day.
We were blessed with a glorious sunny early-winter day: warm in the sun, which shone all day, cool in the shade, bright and crisp. It was mild enough to take our midday meal in the Tudor-style knot garden and enjoy her highness' court, where Jahanarabanu was made kingdom artisan for the coming year. HE aryanhwy, Lord Raconzy and HG Fiona were all there to welcome her, as previous winners.
My highlights were taking part in fencing authorisations, where we had 3 fencers (1 from Thamesreach and 2 from F'heath) successfully authorised in single sword.
This process brought home to me that expectations of authorisation varies across the principality: this process was different again from the previous authorisations I've witnessed.
The scriptorium had classes all day. nusbacher had 2 keen students, and Katherine's illumination class had at least 6 people in it, though they ran short of time to actually finish their pieces (Kat says: 3 hours minimum, anything less doesn't work). But wow: 6 people learning to outline, ink, gild and paint in one afternoon. Awesome.
My own class was small but perfectly formed, and provided just the range of experiences and opinions on how to scribe that I'd hoped for. Artists are so opinionated!
I laughed out loud watching each of us demonstrate our preferred way to draw straight lines: of 3 scribes you got 4 opinions on how to use a ruler...
I got only a glimpse of the bestiary themed arts and sciences display, but apparently badgersandjam and I managed a 3rd place as a populace-choice item in the display: pretty good for some plain calligraphy that isn't yet illuminated!
I had included a plain text (eg. printed) version so folks could read it without having to struggle with early Gothic hand.
Robert had a rapt audience for 3 hours in the afternoon, puttering with his pewtering moulds. He'd successfully arranged for his moulds, tools and gas burner to reach the venue (OMG heavy!) without actually being hauled by us on the train(!) which meant he could demonstrate and work using his actual tools, not borrowing or jury-rigging some substitute.
This class was not for raw beginners but for people who were familiar with the carving and casting process and I think the people who attended were just right.
It included J, aryanhwy's other half who has taken to pewtering like he was born to it, as well as Yann who had done some other metal casting (he's since posted his first piece based on what he learned!), and G, a Thamesreach newcomer, who is an experienced maker-of-things and loves the technical business of 'how do you do that?'.
I wandered into Robert's class late in the afternoon to find a great sprawl of moulds and tools across every flat table surface, and every one of the attendees were still there, still absorbed in the work.
I was amused to find the 3 of the Dutch attendees in his class. Polderslot has 2 of the most active pewterers in the kingdom in it. I'd thought they would have had their fill of pewter. We'd done casting just the month before at the event.
When I mentioned this, Snorr said, 'Simeon can demonstrate, but he's not a teacher', which I thought was typically honest, and a compliment to Robert. His teaching skills just keep getting better.
While HG Sir Jonathan had won the Holly Monarch tournament, he and his family weren't staying for feast so he passed his monarchial duties (handing out gifts) to Lord Walter, a gent recently returned to Drachenwald from a stay in Atlantia, who worked hard to distribute the many many gifts.
I was charmed when he approached me, said 'I'm not supposed to ask, so I hope you'll just accept this gift', and I found written on it 'for a young lady'. Very sweet! My gift was a very long string of glass beads.
I'm now contemplating how to change them so I'll be more likely to wear them - they'd make a nice string of 3, but I may tweak the bead choices.
The feast by Lady Auriana and Lord Gyles was very impressive, particularly her efforts to ensure everyone with food sensitivities got something to eat.
The ball itself ran long: HE Margaret even said she was surprised folks were still dancing, and was taking requests as her dance list was run out. I had a splendid time, and we even danced one of my all time favourites Rostibolli 'for those who know it', and nz_bookwyrm managed to fake his way through!
The other treat, aside from the classes, feast, venue, apartment and great company? was getting home midafternoon on Sunday with enough time to recover for work.