What Arts & Sciences do you do?

[Divash]

Lately I've mentioned the SCA to a few friends of mine who have actually heard of it, but they think that the only thing there is to do in the SCA is fight. Fighting is terrific to watch and, I hear, terrific to do, but it isn't all we are. What are some of the non-fighting (and non-weapon-making, non-armor-making) things you do in the SCA?  

[Out to the Black]

Singing! I love Bardic circles and fireside revels.  

[Divash]

Here's my list of the SCA-relevant things I have just begun to learn:

Sewing, for garb purposes
Calligraphy, so I can eventually make award scrolls
Heraldry, both book and field
Period cooking
Pottery
Medieval Jewish prayer (yes, it has changed -- a little -- since then)

What I'd like to learn:

Leatherworking and cobbling, for making shoes and such
Tent making, for the obvious
Woodworking, for camp furnishing
Illuminating, for prettier award scrolls
Perfuming/incense making
Book binding
Middle Eastern dance
Drumming
Playing period musical instrument(s) in period style/compositions
Storytelling
Spinning
Dyeing
Weaving
Paper making
Brewing
Early forms of vocal music
Medieval forms, materials, and methods of architecture
Wagon/cart making (including Living Wagons)
Metalworking (functional, not jewelry, I don't care beans about jewelry)
Glassblowing, glassworking  

[Dragostae]

I'll admit it. I'm a arts goob.

I even made this for regalia: this is an Order of the Calon Cross (Calontir's Grant-level service award) medallion. Super blingy, and I'm so ready to make more. I even have a few people interested in Pel and Laurel medallions because this sort of thing is relatively stealthy. (I love my stealth Peers, I won't lie.)

That being said, I dance, I sing, I'm learning how best to do calligraphy with my sinister self, and I've got plans for an encaustic (or hot wax paint) Byzantine icon. Mm. Icons. I'm also muddling through making glass beads, too. My best bead was given as a favour to one of my dearest friends who has an Anglo-Saxon persona and it works for him.

Yep. Not only am I a service monkey, I'm an arts goob. If I'm really not careful, and my joints behave, I may end up fighting, too.

Lord, have mercy. biggrin  

[Runa Whynd]

Wow. So you're trying to learn everything.

I do a few things. Scribal arts, bardic stuff, minimal sewing (I make my own garb but don't think I'm good enough to make it for anyone else), some leather working and wood carving, learning about plants and herbs and such. Archery, and heavy when I can manage it. I'm interested in brewing and armor making, and I really need to learn how to play at least one instrument.  

[Berzerker_prime]

I'm in a performance-oriented household (in that the two requirements for joining are that you are some form of performer and you ask to join), so I do a number of things, there. I'm in my group's choir and my favorite night hangout at events is the bardic circle. Commedia dell'Arte is also an interest of mine, though I haven't really had the chance to ply that trade for some time.

I'm also a garb addict, but that stems from my general costuming addiction. There's nothing like dressing up all pretty.

I also have a certain interest in the period aspects of fighting. I fight rapier and there is a small mountain of material on it floating around out there. There's a growing cut-and-thrust culture here in Northshield that I really want to break into, since it's a lot closer to actual period rapier fighting. But there isn't yet anyone in my group who does it (even though Jararvellir has more White Scarves per capita than anywhere I know of!).

Yeah, I'm another one of those people who needs to calm down a bit...  

[Tchipakkan]

Calligraphy, Illumination, Embroidery, Cooking, brewing, Costuming, knitting, pottery, metalwork, woodworking,  

[PathlessPlot]

I am trying to learn how to naalbind, which is an ancient Scandinavian (mostly) method of making socks and other wearables, and I spin....badly  

[Out to the Black]

I'm trying to learn card weaving.  

[MorganOfCalafia]

I actually haven't done a whole lot of A&S lately. I'm kinda waiting until I get out of the youth category because there isn't much to do in the way of A&S for youths. I do go to scriptorium to learn calligraphy. I do some drumming, though I haven't actually done anything with it and I would like to learn wood working, leather working, and metal working.  

[Divash]

Morgan, where is Calafia? Everywhere I've heard of, you don't need a separate youth division for anything but fighting and equestrian, because those have safety issues. Anything else, you really just need your parents' permission and/or presence to attend classes and engage in practical learning.  

[Sir_Catherine]

I reside in a Shire and don't have much access to either fighting or A&S. It's pretty much what one can do on one's own around here and in that regard I have very little A&S talent to work with. Who am I kidding, make that no talent. Not looking for sympathy, it's just true.

My favorite part of the SCA is Bardic Circle and I intend to hand write a bardic book for myself in a nice looking leather journal (bought, not made) so I can follow along with the songs. I enjoy wearing period garb and admiring all the pretty and/or accurate garb I see. While I don't cook, I am willing to help out in a kitchen and enjoy sitting feast with friends.

Probably what I do that would most qualify for an answer here is I adore Heraldic research and other aspects of book heraldry. Don't ask me to draw your shield for you, but I'll gladly discuss it with you and hope to become my shire's official herald soon. I'm still learning but am also the only one really interested in the job.  

[Out to the Black]

Keep at it Sir Catherine. A small, mostly unskilled shire can grow. Do research, take classes at events, experiment, and encourage the rest of your members to do likewise. I'm part of a Shire as well but ours is quite large and knowledgable. We have several squires and warders, an apprentice to a laurel, a new made court baroness, and our herald (who's only been at this for about two years) is looking to become escutcheon herald. Just keep up the enthusiasm and keep learning. You'll get there.  

[Runa Whynd]

Out to the Black

Keep at it Sir Catherine. A small, mostly unskilled shire can grow. Do research, take classes at events, experiment, and encourage the rest of your members to do likewise. I'm part of a Shire as well but ours is quite large and knowledgable. We have several squires and warders, an apprentice to a laurel, a new made court baroness, and our herald (who's only been at this for about two years) is looking to become escutcheon herald. Just keep up the enthusiasm and keep learning. You'll get there.

Yeah, we pretty much have everything but equestrian and really hardcore armoring. We also have a newly formed scribal goup that exists soley because there were several people who were interested in learning how to do it. Before that, we didn't have any scribes.  

[MorganOfCalafia]

Calafia I believe makes up San Diego County could be more or less, I'm not sure. I don't think it's exactly that they have to have a separate youth division for arts but they do anyway.