Capricon Demo 2-21-09

I set out some period supplies to discuss. Wax tablet, different kinds of oak galls, walnut husks, handmade ink, cut quills, paints in shells, shell gold, gum ammoniac, gum arabic crystals, vellum scraps, malachite and lapis lazuli samples, agate and hematite nugget burnishers, and the Hours leaves I did for A&S last year.

Calligraphy and Illumination January 2009

January 31, 2009, a Purple fret for Khadagan Jochilun. I did both the Calligraphy and Illumination. The calligraphy is an eastern or Bari type Beneventan Minuscule. The border is based on a border motif from the 11th century Bari Exultet Roll.



January 31, 2009, a Bronze Ring for Miguel de Santiago. I did both the Calligraphy and Illumination.This was based on the Berlaymont Hours, c. 1470-1475, a Book of Hours comissioned for a gentleman. The Berlaymont hours use an unusual color scheme of ochre, brown, teal, and a deep dusty rose/salmon.



January 11, 2009. Award of the Baton (a youth award) for Kinji. I did the calligraphy in an Uncial, Ruth Ellyson did the illuminated blank.



January 11, 2009, Order of the Evergreen for Elaine Ladd. I did the calligraphy in a Humanist Roundhand; Anna Rakel did the Illumination in an Italian Whitevine stlye.



January 31, 2009, AOA for Thomas Ayleward. I did the calligraphy in an Uncial; illuminated blank was by Mikhail Lubelska and Sorcha O'Brannigan.

This is a 7x9' banner, or "fresco" I made as a decoration for Tree Girt Sea's 12th night. We had a Roman theme, and decorated the hall with paper columns.

I used "sign canvas", a vinyl backed cloth, and interior flat house paint, becasue it was going to be much cheaper than buying enough artists acrylics. I got it for a steal too--the paint brand had an $8 rebate special per can at Menards, and the cheapest flat grade of that brand was $8.99 a can. Thats right baby! .99 a gallon!! , but drat, limit 4. I bought 5 gallon pails of the main colors, and mixed artist acrylics to get the other shades.

When I get the chance, I will post what period building this actually came from.

Goals for 2009

Hi all. Just checking in. I will be back to working on my web pages in a few weeks.

I have been very busy this winter working on art projects for 12th night, and my duties as Lincoln Signet.

Among my goals for 2009 are:

Finish the Exultet roll.
Do a fabulous job on a comissioned Elizabethan laurel scroll.
Get back to basics in the technical aspects of C&I
Explore more styles by creating more blanks.

Sew new garb for Mark in more period fabrics.
Get that Elizabethan ensenble going!
More garb for me in more period fabrics.
Finish the Astronomia Gown.

Travel more, but will be harder with less vacation this year.
Finish all the undone house projects.
Do more gardening.
Grow hops.
Throw more parties.
Stick to an exercise and diet plan.
Read more fiction.

Laugh, Love, and Live Life More!

Cant wait for 2009

Just a quick check in, I havent been around here in a while.

The Astronomia dress is on hold while I do the preparations for TGS 12th night. I have projects out the wazoo to finsh in 2 weeks! And my real job, an accountant, is jammy packed with tax returns, new tax rates, PR deductions, etc to get loaded up.

See you in February!

Peace,
Jocelyn

Newberry Library Visit 3

Yesterday I again met Meistarin Katarina and her apprentice Trini, at the Newberry Library here in Chicago again. She had arranged a behind the scenes tour of the bookstacks and vaults for us with one of the curators.
Before our tour, I had imagined the vaults to look either like an ordinary college library, or the secret library tower in The Name of the Rose. Well, it was both! Ha Ha. It was dark and very chilly. Metal shelves hold all sorts of things, from file boxes of paper records, 20th century book collections from benefactors, all the way back to the medieval books still laying on their sides because the metal cover bosses are still intact. We saw minature books the size of postage stamp, up to HUGE antiphonals, like 20x30 inches. Oh to have taken a notebook to pencil in the call numbers of these things so we can look at them later.
Before our tour, we ordered up a few manuscripts to look at. The Library allows you to take non-flash photos now, but I cant show you these treats on the web because of copyright rules.
This time we ordered an Italian roll of Prayers to St Jerome, c.1350-1400, a c.1173 German Missal, a girdle book, a 1459 book of hours I forgot to take notes on origin, and a 1559 item that was catalogued a roll, but turned out to be a letter on paper. I had to leave after the tour, so I dont know what other treasures the ladies requested after I left.
There is book out there, that I think is THE GREATEST general book on medieval manuscripts EVER. It is "Introduction to Manuscript Studies: by Raymond Clemens and Tinothy Graham. Most of the photo examples in the book are from the Newberry, so before we go, we flip through the book and select the things we want to see.
I havent become a member of the Library yet, although it is not that expensive, but whenever I go, I make sure to hit their bookstore. Off I go, for I have 4 new books to read...

Astronomia's Dress

The theme for Twefth Night this year is a 16th c Roman Masque. Because I need some new clothes for my 12th c. persona, I will be making an outfit to depict Astronomia, the allegorical personification of Astronomy--one of the 7 original Liberal Arts.

Cod Lat 2599

Notice the ruffly sleeve lining peeking out from her pendant sleeve. I belive this to be the sleeve of a second layer. This is not the interpretation those on the 12th c Garb Yahoo list, or the folks I have been showing the picture to agree. But I have somone else to back me up.

Check out Teffania's research here:
http://teffania.blogspot.com/2006/09/wrinkly-sleeve-linings.html
This woman's research rocks!

I have a copy of the Stammheim Missal, (also contemporary to time and place as the MSS Teffania shows) again is an image of a ruffly sleeve lining.

I think this is definitely a regional style. We are talking southern Germany, Austria, and the Alps. I think layering 3 dresses is the way to go in an Alpine winter.