I'm currently a Queen's Artisan for Her Western Majesty, Queen Zanobia. I've not really felt like I'm doing a "good job" as an artisan. I haven't been doing any research on anything new. I've not really been doing any of my art. I've not been teaching. I couldn't get to March Crown (or even send with someone else) my current projects to display for the populace. The only thing I've been working on is the blackwork sampler chessboard for the Publick House. Literally. I'm still working on game boards for the project that was meant to be a birthday gift last October. I'm sucking at this gift giving thing.
Now, the only other time I've been a royal artisan was during the last Cynaguan reign, for Princess Sylvie. Sylvie was recently made a Laurel right before her husband won the coronet of Cynagua. So she had a lot of ideas for her artisans in order to help promote the arts in the principality. We had a checklist of thing to do. . . I think I got them all done. Maybe I didn't succeed with "make something for yourself" because I usually do make most of my stuff for myself. I'm either crafting for largesse coffers of making garb for me. I did start on, but not finish, the doublet for Jon. That's something new.
So back to Queen's artisan. I was feeling a serious lack of direction and like I was being not a good artisan. I'm not doing anything of note really. Just working on the chessboard. I was also feeling really bummed about missing March Crown and about my place in SCA in general. Sort of sad-sack. My tenure as seneschal is coming to an end and I don't feel like I've done a very good job in running the shire; there's been many times when I think I've done more harm than good and just barely kept the thing together despite my best intentions. (There was a moment when I got an email from kingdom exchequer saying my shire -I'm- the reason we can't use paypal for transactions.) Long sob story short, I really feel like I'm just not present, not doing a good job, not being recognized for anything I do do.
So I wrote to my Laurel Counselor (who just happens to have been my Laurel's Laurel - so she's like my grandlaurel). The reason for this is two-fold. She's the Laurel Counselor for this reign and it's her duty to guide us artisans along our paths. My Laurel has also not been in the game as of late; she's often saying how she's just not feeling the SCA thing anymore and pulling away from the game (so when your own guide is lost, you don't ask them for direction).
"Grandmother,
"I'm very sorry to say that I don't think I've been a very good Queen's Artisan. I've done very little research or creation. I don't have a real direction with any art. I've not done any teaching nor have I even been to our local A&S nights and discussed art. My muse seems to be gone. I spend little time doing any artistic pursuits. And then I add to all of this the inability to get to events; I am lost.
"Do you have any advice for me or suggestions on what I might be able to do? What do I need to do to be able to really be a Queen's artisan?
"Thank you,
Margaret"
"Is real life being overwhelming? Work, family, other stuff? That can often chase away the muse. If that's the case, real life comes first. Find ways to deal with that or hang on and ride out whatever the crisis may be.
"I will often find my inspiration by immersing myself in art ... anything from pinterest to a museum. Another thing that works for me is picking something I've never done and giving it a try. I'm going to attempt the Kingdom A&S Championship (with the new format) this year and I'm doing all the entries outside my comfort zone (i.e. no food). Learning a new skill, even if you may only use it once, can stretch and re-awaken the muse.
"Never let creativity become a chore. Her Majesty chose you to encourage you, not to scare or pressure you. We are all makers, it is part of what distinguishes humans from other animals. Your muse will return when you are ready for her. If that doesn't come until after Beltane, that's OK.
"I hope some of this is helpful. Please feel free to talk to me about this or anything else as much as you need.
Juana Isabella"
This was very much what I needed to hear at the time. You see, for those keeping track at home, it's hard for me to ask for help or to appear fallible. Even though I'm still a learner and unfinished. Which brings us back to the purpose of the post. Almost immediately afterward, my friend (and mega-artisan) Tusya decided to restart a 100 Day Art Challenge - a version 2.0 so to speak. She wants the artists and artisans of the Kingdom to just keep plying their crafts. And part of her initiative is that we even post the days when the craft goes wrong, or all we do is research, or maybe all we work on is boring stuff. She just asked that we work on our art for 100 days between March Crown and October Crown. It doesn't even have to be 100 consecutive days. We'll actually have about 6 months to get it completed.
So I took up the challenge.
