Pride Beads. A&S Display. Competition?!?!
Materials: COE 104 Glass, copper jump rings woven in Byzantine weave
East Kingdom Les Beltaines XXXIII
"Did YOU know it was a competition? Neither did I!" - Cailleach, Arabella, Lissa
The weekend of Les Beltaines XXXIII was a busy one, and so full of adventure for me. It was the first time at this event AND it was the first time I had ever been to Canada, too! Somehow, the invisible line between countries does feel different from the other side. The site of Bicolline is made of wonder and feels like being enveloped in a historical time and town. I'm already looking forward to going again.
After K&Q Rapier Champs, in which my partner, Morwill, was competing, I needed a rest, so I went back
to the Inn with Lissa, where we found Arabella. They encouraged me to remove the beads and chain from my ensemble and enter in the A&S display, which I did. Internet signal being sparce, I attributed the inspiration to Gotland, but my research had found so very much more! More information about the beads themselves are at the end of this post.
I have entered very few displays, and fewer competitions, and this was probably only the second historical piece I've shown, be it in person or online during shutdown. I have only begun my art for historical art's sake within the last year and a half or so. This was my first lampwork entry.
So... that display? We obviously did not read the sign. Or the other sign. It was not a display...
it was a competition (COMPETITION?!) for the first ever Les Beltaines A&S Champion.
I'm so glad now that I thought to grab my strand on my way to the tent to get ready for Court! Still having no idea this had been a competition, I was called into court to announce that I won!!! It was said that I uttered an "eeep!" as I rushed from my seat to come before The Royals.
Her Highness said that she stood at the counter for no less than 25 minutes trying to make a decision, and though every entry was magnificent (oh my goodness, were they!!!), she kept being called back to my beads. She complimented me on the obvious precision in which they were created, and said they had been made "with magic". There were other words that She said couldn't say, while wearing "this hat", but the message was clear ;)
I flashed "devil horns" which are a period symbol to ward off evil, as well, and then, like the modern rock-stars we are, we did fist-bump with explosion!
The copper Byzantine weave, she said, was "woven carefully", and though I know the weave itself isn't found within our period, it was the first chain I ever wove for myself, and it is worn with sentimental enjoyment. I am touched by Her words, and absolutely honored with this recognition.
The Prize:
The prize, besides the title, of course, was a GORGEOUS fused glass panel, with five strips of East Kingdom Populace colored glass hanging from chains, the middle of which extending with a circular token of the badge of the Laurel's office.
Two artists collaboratively created this masterpiece:
Maîtresse Marguerite de Gui and Lady Khayra bint Sa'ïd.
Your work is an honor to have in my home, and I will treasure it and endeavor keep it as safe as I did, wrapped in a t-shirt, held in my hands the entire 547 mile ride home to Buckland Cross! I cannot thank you enough for the heart you put into this prize.
The Beads:
Pride Month has been a discussion amongst Royal Staff since the very beginning of this reign. As part of that staff, and Pride being so near and dear to my heart, I decided to create an entire Pride ensemble to wear for this event (the only event I was able to attend during the month of June). It gave me the push to finally finished a rainbow inkle band trim that had been on my loom for over a year, and I used that as the top edge accent of a Viking apron dress. I used part of my second band ever woven to create the straps. The turtle brooches were made by Tomas the Lapidary, and the strand hangers by Roibeard McNeill.
As mentioned above, I've become more attentive to the historical details in my art. Lampworking was an art done in period, and is the art that hooked me into the SCA in 2013. I do use a modern torch, and pre-pulled rods of glass to create my reproductions, but I do take the extent size into account, and in other pieces would also pay heed to color, but this piece was created very specifically to be a rainbow gradient to celebrate Pride.
My inspiration is the eye bead. Eye beads have been found in many cultures throughout history, which I find fascinating! To name a few, shown below: (Han Dynasty) China, France (La Tene), Greek and Roman, Islam, Cyprus/Phoenicia and Levant, Israel/Palestine, Caucasus (Iron Age). It's said that the eye beads were worn to ward off evil, "used to protect the wearer from evil thoughts" (Kenoyer).
So maybe it was subconscious that I chose this pattern to represent and protect Pride, but I was extremely intentional, however, in the size and placement of my beads (of which I ask you will please forgive that a few broke without enough time to replace them before stringing them for this wearing). Each color has a larger eye bead, surrounded by two smaller matching color beads. The beads range from approximately 10mm-18mm. My artistic goal was to hone in my consistency and precision, as I am still relatively new to this art.
Photography Sources:
Court photos by Arabella de Mere
Display photo by Cailleach Chiarain
Bead photos:
The Met Museum - 1st-4th C. Roman beads: specifically the bead furthest to the left, echoing a single colored bead with a white dot and the same base color dot atop the white
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