MEDIEVAL PAVILION RESOURCES--From the Editor, Issue #1

FROM THE EDITOR--Issue #1 of Sacred Spaces

Welcome to the first issue of Sacred Spaces. After my short article in Tournaments Illuminated, many of you took the time to write and express your support and interest in the development of an interkingdom architectural guild.

As we decided how this guild might work, I would like to lay out some suggestions for your consideration. I am not a "rules" person, and the last thing I want to do is dampen any creative impulse with needless bureaucracy. These concepts remain open to discussion and change.

In the guild, all member have equal rank and status. Any hierarchy is of knowledge, where members with expertise share their knowledge with people who have less experience.
The purpose of the guild is to encourage re-creation of historic archictecture, broadly defined as furniture, camp items, living accessories and structures.
The newsletter will focus on how to build things, and will not become a rhetorical exercise. We will take a "hands-on" approach to this guild, and avoid becoming mired in the microscopic details that so often curtail major projects.
The guild will encourage research. Ultimately, we want to recreate structures and objects that resemble precisely their period counterparts.
We encourage the use of natural materials as much as possible, yet we recognize that expense, weight and other factors sometimes prohibit this--stone walls are a problem, for example. In cases where the actual material cannot be used, we will attempt to use another material with the same look, texture, and hardness as the original, and we will use the least environmentally destructive materials.
Finally, we will be slow to criticize and quick to praise the work--any work--that shows a genuine commitment to the creative architectural spirit.

Now that I've tossed these ideas on to the table, I would like to talk about the newsletter, the guild, and everything. I expect to publish the newsletter quarterly, and as you see from this first issue, it's about evenly divided between plans and editorial. To be honest, I have said about as much as I want to say (maybe more). I would like some of you to do the talking in the next issues. Even more important, I would like you to send me some how-to articles.

After reading your letters, I feel rather humbled. Many of you have engineering degrees, drafting skills, and plans for projects ready to go. Please send copies for publication!

As you can see from this issue, I have an early period persona, so my projects lean rather heavily toward the Roman, Post-Roman, and Norse time periods. Don't let this throw you. I think the newsletter should include projects from all time periods (roughly within Society guidelines).

Obviously, putting out this newsletter costs money. I have to pay mailing costs, purchase paper and toner, and make copies; and I would like to be able to purchase the rights to articles in books occasionally. If you want me to continue doing htis newsletter, here's the deal:

I'm going to charge $10 for a year's subscription. Because we're just getting started, I'm sending you this one for free as a sample. I will also send the next issue for free to anyone who sends me a how-to article--complete with sketches. After that I'll need the cash.

In future issues, I would like to include a forum of letters from guild members, helpful construction hints, and detailed descriptions of project you have made. Please send stories in any standard MacIntosh format (on 3.5" disk) or a hard copy that has been laser printed. Include color or black and white photos (B&W are better) and construction sketches. I can scan them directly into the newsletter. I'm also interested in any research sources you stumble across. Maybe we can develop a bibliography.

I would also like to suggest that we plan a get-together at Pennis this year, to talk shop.

Welcome, everyone, and thanks for the great letters!

Email Syr Arlof here Email Lady Mira Silverlock here

Home\ Tent links\ Tent gallery\ People gallery\ Resources\ Costuming\ SCA\ Needlepoint\ Site Stats\ Tent Info\ Camp Cooking\ Tents for Sale\ Art Gallery\ FAQ\ Pennsic\ Great Camping Ideas\ Packing List\ Furniture