Éowyn Amberdrake
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 Baroness Éowyn Amberdrake | ||||||||||
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 Azure, in pale three dragons passant Or, and for augmentation, a Caidan Cross in canton | ||||||||||
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Baroness Éowyn Amberdrake, OP, OL, has been recognized with an Augmentation of Arms and Personal Heraldic Title. She is married to Baron Jamal Damien Marcus, OL, KSCA.
Her motto is borrowed from Michaelangelo, who inscribed it next to an image of Father Time: "Ancora Imparo", translated by Ralph Waldo Emerson in "Poetry and Imagination" (1847) as "I am still learning."
Persona Biography
Born in Northumbria near the Holy Island of Lindisfarne in the year 650, Éowyn learned to read, write, and cipher from the fathers of the island. She ran away with a bard, but after she was left a widow, she eventually became a scribe at Lindisfarne. She has a carved amber dragon that others mention when distinguishing her from the other Éowyn who lives not far away. She left/will leave this amber drake to her granddaughter, also named Éowyn . She, in turn, leaves it to her daughter, and so on. The last Éowyn was heard from shortly after 1600, in the New World, about to embark on a trek through the deserts of New Mexico.
SCA Biography
Éowyn first found the SCA at LACon, the World Science Fiction Convention in Los Angeles, in 1972. She returned to her home area of al-Barran, Outlands, Atenveldt, where she participated mostly through the UNM fencing club and the Albuquerque Science Fiction Society. Moved to Freehold of the Great River, Outlands, Atenveldt, where she started training as an SCA fighter. Moved to Barony of Angels, Caid, in 1975, and became a founding member of the canton of Lyonesse (soon to be Lyondemere) in July 1975. Has remained resident in Lyondemere ever since. She received her Laurel in 1979 for Scribal arts (primary) and leaded glass (secondary) at Balin and Amsha's Coronation, and her Pelican for her work with the office of Scribe Armarius, at Adrian and Ealasaid's Coronation in November 1982.
As Scribe Armarius, she computerized the records of the office (before the era of home computers) and that of Caidan awards in general, held semi-regular scriptoria at people's houses, hosted the scriptorium on the second day of Collegium that is now an institution, wrote several teaching broadsides, and generally encouraged scribes.
Éowyn joined the Board of Directors in 1984. At her first meeting, there were the first phone calls and letters in what promised to be a storm of upset subscribers to the Compleat Anachronist over issue #13. She volunteered to pull together a bonus issue on short notice, and by leveraging the skills of many talented Caidans, got issue #14 ready for publication in record time. She also participated in the Corporate review of the offices (which resulted in the consolidation of the separate offices of Arts and Sciences at the Corporate level). She was Chairman for her last year on the Board, and stepped down in 1988.
Later in 1984, Baldwin of Erebor, was tapped for Laurel and he asked Éowyn to be Clarion Queen of Arms. As Clarion, Éowyn and Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme worked with the College of Arms to revise the Rules for Submissions, and introduced several useful pieces of documentation (since superceded). They were also regulars at the monthly Laurel work parties.
In 1989, Caid's College of Heralds decided to host the Known World Heraldic and Scribal Symposium, and Éowyn agreed to be both overall autocrat and producer of the Proceedings volumes (Hrorek Halfdane of Faulconwood was editor). She did the layout, pulled together the Florilegium article from past CoA correspondence, and contributed some articles. She discovered that also teaching at that symposium was one task too many, and finds those classes to be a blur in her memory.
In 1991, Éowyn agreed to serve the remaining year of a Board director that needed to retire. So she was back on the BoD for a year.
In 1992, Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme became Laurel, and Éowyn agreed to be Drop Dead Deputy, mostly working at the monthly work parties. She did supervise the transfer of the office to his successor, and issued one month's LoAR documenting Laurel's decisions. She decided that was not her forte.
Then there was a period of rest and relaxation, in which she held no offices, and took up embroidery. She wrote some articles, but generally kicked back. She did design the site token for the first Great Western War 1997.
In 2000, she and her lord husband were named as successors to the Baron and Baroness of Lyondemere. There followed five years of intense local activity in a great Barony, until stepping down in 2006. At Winter Weekend in 2006, she was talking with some other heralds, and somehow agreed to autocrat the next Known World Heraldic and Scribal Symposium in Caid, in 2007. With the help of a great group of people doing most of the work, we pulled it off, even hosting a 1-day scribal workshop on the art of Jean Bourdichon, with Sylvana Barrett (a local teacher who often teaches at the Getty) the day before.
In 2007, a Westerner approached Éowyn and Richenda Elizabeth Coffin with an idea about holding an interkingdom needlework symposium (IKINS). The first was in Caid in 2008, the second in the West in 2009, then rest for a bit. The third IKINS was part of the Collegium Caidis event in 2012, with Éowyn and Richenda as local co-autocrats.
Éowyn is currently holding no offices, and concentrating on writing and publishing books about embroidery based on historical styles, and teaching embroidery as well, in the modern world.
Many thanks to the generous scribes who have made award scrolls for me: Louise of Woodsholme (Pelican), Zenobia Naphtali (Court Baroness), Teleri of Gwynedd (AA), Atanielle Unesse (Dolphin), Thomas Brownwell (Leaf of Merit), Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme (Augmentation of Arms). I treasure each one.
Offices & Positions
- Chancellor of the Exchequer of Lyondemere, late 1970s
- Seneschal of Lyondemere, early 1980s
- Kingdom Scribe Armarius (changed the office's name from Chancellor of Scribes), 5/1979 - 11/1984
- Golden Rose Pursuivant (keeper of Order of Precedence), 1983 - 1985
- Director of the SCA Board of Directors, 7/1984 - 1/1988
- Clarion Queen of Arms for tenure of Baldwin of Erebor, 1984 - 1986
- Chairman of the SCA Board of Directors, 1/1987 - 1/1988
- Coral Herald of Lyondemere, 1989 - 1990
- Director of the SCA Board of Directors, 7/1991 - 1/1992
- Drop Dead Deputy for Laurel KoA, tenure of Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme 1992-93
- Fourth Baroness of Lyondemere with Jamal Damien Marcus, 7/2001 - 7/2006
- Editor, Compendium Caidis, 2008-Present
- Chamberlain, Conrad II and A'isha
- Caid's Arts & Sciences Pentathlon Champion, Individual, in 1979, 1999, 2019
- Queen's Arts Champion for Queen Stæna, Spring 2019
Classes Taught
- Lecture class: A 16th c. Woman's Blackwork Forehead Cloth Collegium Caidis 2020
- Sampler of Threads for Blackwork Collegium Caidis 2020
- Romanesque Knotwork Panels in the St. Albans Psalter 2014 Known World Heraldic & Scribal Symposium
- Before You Stitch, Collegium Caidis 2011
- Elizabethan Embroidered Flower Identification, part 2, Collegium Caidis 2011
- Drawing Conventions of 16th c. English Flora (Elizabethan Embroidered Flower Identification, part 1), Collegium Caidis 2010
- Overview of Elizabethan Coifs, Collegium Caidis 2010
- Elizabethan Drawstring Pulls,Collegium Caidis 2009
- Cutting Quills Into Pens, Collegium Caidis Spring 2008
- How To Draw Manuscript Dragons, Collegium Caidis Spring 2008
- Many Styles of Blackwork, Collegium Caidis Spring 2006
- Advanced Interlace, Collegium Caidis Fall 2005
- Elizabethan Metal Thread Stitches, Collegium Caidis Fall 2005
- Survey of Threads, Collegium Caidis Spring 2004
- Knotwork: Roman, Coptic, Celtic & Arabic, Collegium Caidis Spring 2004
- A 10th Century Welsh Embroidery (with Rhieinwen Cyfarwydd ferch Angharad) Collegium Caidis Fall 2003
- How to Draw Heraldry, Collegium Caidis Spring 2003
- Learning the Runes in Anglo-Saxon, Collegium Caidis Fall 2002
- Elizabethan Tassels and Braids, Collegium Caidis Spring 2002
- Principles of Elizabethan Sweetbag Design, Collegium Caidis Spring 2002
- Beginning Insular Knotwork, Collegium Caidis Fall 2001
- Intermediate Knotwork, Collegium Caidis Fall 2001
- Advanced Calligraphy, Collegium Caidis-General Session 1982
- Basic Illumination & Mantling, Scribe's Studies Collegium 1980 (co-taught with Bjo of Griffin)
Publications
Author
Many articles in Ars Caidis, Tournaments Illuminated, and the Proceedings of various heraldic and scribal symposia Some of the more recent ones include:
2014 - Known World Heraldic and Scribal Symposium Proceedings Romanesque Knotwork Panels in the St. Albans Psalter; A Brief History of the Coptic Church and its Books; Coptic Knotwork Overview; Coptic Knotwork in Manuscripts; Coptic Knotwork on Ostraca
2014 - Tournaments Illuminated Knots and Dots: The Evidence; Notes at an Armor Lecture
The Compleat Anachronist
Author and Illustrator of:
- The Compleat Anachronist #061, "An Enchieridion -- The Education of a Scribe". 1992.
- The Compleat Anachronist #116, "I See By Your Outfit: Order Robes Medieval and Modern". 2002.
- The Compleat Anachronist #118, "Characteristically Pictish". 2002.
Editor/ Compiler of:
- The Compleat Anachronist #014, "Costuming to a T: Basic SCA Sewing" by Karen Crouch. 1984.
- The Compleat Anachronist #050, "Armorial Display". by various authors. 1990.
- The Compleat Anachronist #100, "A Veiled Reference". by Lisa Ford and Theresa Sherman. 1998.
Illustrator of:
- The Compleat Anachronist #050, "Armorial Display". by various authors. 1990.
- The Compleat Anachronist #100, "A Veiled Reference". by Lisa Ford and Theresa Sherman. 1998.
Editor
- Caidan Bardic Circle Songbook #1
- Caidan Bardic Circle Songbook #2
- Caidan Bardic Circle Songbook #3
- Caidan Bardic Circle Songbook #4
- Caidan Bardic Circle Songbook #5
Illustrator
- A Lymner's Roll of Arms of the Kingdoms, Principalities, and Baronies of the Knowne World. 1984.
- Hrisoulas, Jim. The Complete Bladesmith: Forging Your Way to Perfection. Boulder: Paladin Press. 1987.
- A Lymner's Roll 2 of Arms of the Kingdoms, Principalities, and Baronies of the Knowne World. 1991.
Layout
- Heraldic Proceedings of the Known World Heraldic Symposium in Caid, 1989.
- Scribal Proceedings of the Known World Heraldic Symposium in Caid, 1989.
- Song Book of the Known World Heraldic Symposium in Caid, 1989.
Event Staff
- Co-autocrat, 2nd Caid Coronation November 1978, which was the Coronation of Martin and Neptha, in Lyondemere
- Autocrat, Collegium Caidis Calligraphy and Illumination, 3/22-23/1980, in Angels
- Revel autocrat/ event steward, 11/20/82, Coronation of Adrian II and Ealasaid, in Lyondemere
- Bardic circle autocrat, Caid Twelfth Night 1987
- Event Steward, Known World Heraldic and Scribal Symposium 1989
- Event Steward, Known World Heraldic and Scribal Symposium 2007
- Co-Event Steward, Inter-Kingdom Intensive Needlework Symposium 2008
- Co-Event Steward, Inter-Kingdom Intensive Needlework Symposium 2012
Arts and Sciences Pentathlon Participation
- Individual Overall Winner, 2019 Pentathlon with entries
- 1.2.0 Visual: Illumination - Artisan -reconstituted dry pigments on vellum - "Dancing Dragon"
- 4.6.3 Embroidery - Artisan - technique is Elizabethan Raisedwork - "Full Metal Fruits and Nuts"
- 6.1.0 Performance: Dramatic Interpretation - Journeyman - "Rune Songs"
- 7.4.1 Composition: Prose: Informational Expository - Artisan - "Cushion Cover LACMA M.88.102.1"
- 7.5.0 Composition: Prose: How-To Paper - Artisan - "Flecked Flowers in Hearts"
- Individual Overall Winner, 1999 Pentathlon with entries
- Calligraphed "Beowulf and the Dragon" based on hand of original ms., bound into a book
- Dramatic Reading of "Beowulf and the Dragon"
- Scribal tools of quills and ink used for "Beowulf and the Dragon"
- Embroidery - I think it was blackwork of two Ellizabethan dancers titled "Sellinger's Round"
- Research Paper (actually, a How to paper, which didn't quite fit the guidelines, so new category was created for the following Pentathlon)
- Individual Overall Winner, 1980 Pentathlon with entries
- Calligraphed Scroll
- Illuminated Scroll
- Leaded Glass panel
- Woodworking - large chest (now used for storing vinyl phonograph albums)
- don't recall other items
- Team Winner, 2001 Pentathlon as part of Team Lyondemere
- Team Winner, 2003 Pentathlon as part of Team Lyondemere
- Judge of Pentathlon 1981 - 2017, when not competing
Projects
Artistic Interests
- Calligraphy, especially Insular from ca. 700 - 1000AD
- Ms. Illumination, especially Insular from ca. 700 - 1000AD, Medieval European, and Renaissance
- Pictish, Anglo-Saxon, Irish, British, and Viking Art (ca. 600 - ca. 1000)
- Dragons and Monsters, what they looked like in mss and art, how they are blazoned, fabulous stories about them
- Embroidery, especially English Elizabethan and Italian Renaissance whitework
- Elizabethan sweet bags
- Heraldry, especially Heraldic art
- Woodworking
- Weaving and braiding, especially fingerloop braids
Scrolls
Photos
Irish Faire Demo, June 10-11, 1989
Research Resources
- Research Resources in Caid
- Observations about Current Crowns and Coronets
- Embroidery Applications
- Historical Images in the Public Domain
- Fantastic Primary Sources and Where to Find Them: [1]
