Pikestaff cover

Back in January,  Lady Katerine atte Wyshe put out a call for Pikestaff covers.  She assigned me the May cover and this was what I designed.  I haven't done portraits in a long long time, but I'm not displeased with this one.  It's based on a photo taken by Lady Camille DeJardin at King Edward and Queen Thyra's Crown Tourney in Endewearde.  If I were to do this again, I would extend that background pattern under the two pointy bits on the top of the P.  I'd also remember that like hair, beards have a shape that should be drawn in, rather than drawing the shape of his face and adding the beard after.  Rookie mistake, but it did spawn my new favorite exclamation of frustration "Gregor's beard!"

Tourney O' Love - Endewearde

With an old Unitarian church as the backdrop for this event, I have to say that it's come a long way from the Tournament De L'Amore  from my youth.  Not only do people competing for the time-honored pink baldric have to win at both heavy list and rapier combat, they must now also submit an Arts and Sciences entry - and Endewearde is not fooling around with the A&S. 

I had a small entry which was really more for dessert than to take home any prizes.  Some of the items put out on display were just amazing.

My contribution to the event was this scroll, based upon this 15th century Rosary with Virgo Lactans that really caught my eye.  The latin text is from a work by Thomas a Kempis, a late 14th/early 15th century German copyist and writer.  The translation reads: Love flies, runs, and leaps for joy; it is free and unrestrained. Love gives all for all. Love knows no limits, but ardently transcends all bounds. Love feels no burden, takes no account of toil, attempts things beyond its strength; love sees nothing as impossible, for it feels able to achieve all things. Love therefore does great things; it is strange and effective; while he who lacks love faints and fails.

This year's Champeen O'Love was Master Julien de la Pointe.

Unfortunately, the weather took a nasty turn and we had to leave before we were snowed in for good.  We missed out on what was sure to be a delicious feast.  Hopefully my cream puff swans were well received.