Brunissende Dragonette (Order of the Laurel)

Order of the Laurel
Pennsic War 45, Kingdom of Aethelmarc
Awarded August 11, 2016 (AS LI)

Details:

Calligraphy & Illumination by Isabel Chamberlaine. Inspiration taken from The Ellesmere Chaucer held by The Huntington Library, specifically f. 88 r.

Paper: Goat parchment (double-side finish) from Pergamena.

Materials: Mitchel #6 nib for the calligraphy and a crow-quill nib for line work; Oak Gall Ink, Ruby Red Writing Ink from Arte of the Booke and Higgins (Blue) Pigmented Drawing Ink. Kolner Miniatum with 23k gold leaf. Pigments used - lapis lazuli, vermillion, green earth, lamp black, and lead white.

Words by Vicomte Alexandre d'Avigné
Kenric Dei gratia regni Orientis Rex et Avelina Dei gratia Regni Orientis Regina defensores Tir Marae legisque Orientis Archiepiscopis Ducibus Comitibus Vicecomitibus Episcopis Baronibus Militibus Prepositis liberis hominibus ac omnibus Officiariis Ministris et Subditis nostris quibuscumque ad quos presentes litere pervenerint salutemus.

How can one take the measure of a dame whose mighty work spans such a vast array that diverse artisans proclaim her fame? To simply list her skills would fill the day, And yet this fearsome task we must essay. So let us now rehearse the many things Which bring this lady to the note of kings.

She forms her subjects out of humble clay And gives them to the unforgiving flame To issue forth again in bright array. Her beads of glass are worthy of acclaim So their production doth increase her fame. But broader still is her creative scope. To seemly make the court she giveth soap.

 To arts both scribal and heraldic too She doth contribute with both wit and quill Providing with her research insights new Which then she implements with her good will. Yet this is not the limit of her skill She labours in the fair arts culinary With great sucess beyond the ordinary.

How can one praise an artist so diverse With words, although they matter, I am told, Or with a few scant lines of humble verse? The skills she doth display are great and bold And prized above both silver and bright gold. There is but one way to repay this debt; A laurel for Brunissende Dragonette.

Ergo, eum nos prefate Rex et Regina per literas nostras patentes sub magno Sigillo nostro Orientis confectas gerentes datum decimus dies Augustii tempore regni nostri tertii quod est anno societatis quinquagesimo apud Bellum Pennsicus.

Scroll ID: Isabel C 55
Time Invested: 18 hours.
Completed July 2016

East Kingdom Roll of Kings (and Queens) for SCA 50th Anniversary

Roll of Kings
SCA 50th Anniversary

Details:
Calligraphy & Illumination by Isabel Chamberlaine. This piece was inspired by a number of different Rolls however The Canterbury Roll housed by the University of Canterbury was my primary source; I find the simplicity of it's central red line truly beautiful.

The final piece is four and a half pieces of parchment glued together, with final dimensions being approximately 7" wide by 70" long. The wooden holders were produced by Wilham de Broc.

Paper: Goat parchment created by Baron Jean-Paul Ducasse.
Materials: Oak gall ink with Mitchell #4 nibs. Gouache.

Scroll ID: Isabel C 54
Completed April 2016

Lissa Underhill (Order of the Laurel)

Order of the Laurel
King’s & Queen’s A&S Championships, Shire of Barren Sands
Awarded February 6, 2016 (AS L)

Details:
Calligraphy & Illumination by Isabel Chamberlaine. Inspired by this page from the Cnut Gospels housed in the British Library.

Paper: Peramenata, 230gsm, Natural.
Materials: Oak gall ink for main calligraphy; green calligraphy used verdigris; red calligraphy used vermillion. Kolner Miniatum with 23k gold leaf. Pigments used - vermillion, lapis, green earth, French ochre, and lead white.

Words by Master Grim the Skald
Listen as I tell of Lissa the wise whose heart was inspired by the spark of the kiln, delved into secrets, and deftly became a fire-former of finest beads.  Her skill grew swiftly and soon treasure-glass adorned the necks of dauntless thanes and ladies alike. Lissa then spread throughout the East this shining art and fires of the kiln caught the eastern hearts.  Brennan the bold, bright Tyger’s King, kindly Caoilfhionn Queen of the East, have heard council of crowned-in-leaves and on Brinolf’s day in Barren Sands they ask Lady Elysabeth Underhill accept a Patent, a peer’s title, and join the order of art-forming – for fires of the kiln caught the laurel’s hearts.

Scroll ID: Isabel C 53
Time Invested: 24h 20m
Completed January 31, 2016

Order of the Brooch for Adrienne d'Evreus

My awesome Apprentice, Adrienne d'Evreus, being inducted into the Order of the Silver Brooch at Birka 2016 for her work with medieval pigments.

A Reassessment & The Taking of Dependants

Its been almost a full year since I last posted to this blog, and to be honest I'm a little disgusted with myself because of it. I truly love my activities within the SCA but by the time of my last post I was exhausted. I had been chasing one goal and over-working myself with another, to the point where I just shoved everything to the side and gave up for a while.

Initially that was fantastic, I had all this spare time on my hands that allowed me to pursue other things. And I did, but I started to miss the relationships I had formed among our merry band of misfits.

Fast forward a little, and I started to pick up my blades and brushes again. Even better, I began to feel like I was again enjoying these things that had given me so much joy. However, I was beginning to discover that my joys had morphed a little; I was finding that I was getting more pleasure out of showing others how to do these awesome things.

Elewys of Anglespur
and Isabel Chamberlaine

Over the course of the past year I've been cultivating two very special relationships. Both of these ladies found me at a point in my life when I didn't really know what I wanted to do next and they have helped me discover that I want to help nurture those that are still finding their own path.

The Cadet - Elewys of Anglespur

At Birka I took Elewys of Anglespur as my first Cadet (fencing). We have been working together for a couple of years now at our local practice in Concordia of the Snows where her skill has grown a great deal.

Over the course of this past summer we started discussing her desire to become more active within the SCA and she expressed her desire to become more serious with her fencing. If you see her in the lists then please grab her for some passes.

I truly look forward to working with her as she continues to find her fencing feet, but also as she more confidently starts to navigate all that the SCA has to offer.


And the Apprentice - Adrienne d'Evreus

One day, over the course of this past summer, I received a random private message from this person Facebook asking science-y questions about pigments; this piqued my interest immediately since I don't get to have these conversations very often.

Adrienne d'Evreus has been following my work (apparently) and has been finding her own way among the artist manuals; experimenting with her own understandings and sharing what she knows. We have had some wonderfully geeky conversations and I am now proud to call her my (first) Apprentice.