S.A. Holt Studios

Hi all,

I know I haven’t posted in a while, but I’ve been doing other stuff. Wednesday evening, I went to a friend’s house as she is coordinating a big Tudor feast here in Phoenix for our SCA stuff. Anyhow, she needs tiny bowls for salt cellars and I’ve been itching to work on my new potters wheel, so I said I would make them. I now have about 25 little tiny bowls drying waiting to be fired next week. As soon as I get them glazed and fired, I’ll get a picture and post it so you can see them.

I got a big award last weekend, the Pelican, which is the highest level award for service in the SCA. This scroll was not done by me, but by my good friend, Jennifer Richardson, who is a fantastic artist.

Here’s the newest one that just went to it’s recipient yesterday (Sunday, May 3rd). It’s period pigments, gold leaf and iron gall ink on 140 lb Hot Press Watercolor Paper. It is the Knighting Scroll for Jost von Luck. I had quite the time of it with this one, but it came out as one of my faves!

This piece is another oldie but goody. I made this one in July 2002, it is gouache and modern ink on 140 lb Hot Press Watercolor Paper. The award is the highest level service award (the Pelican) one can receive in the SCA.

I’m reaching back in time for this one again. I did this one in April of 2007, it’s for the winner of a tournament that’s held the day after our Coronation of a new King & Queen for our SCA group. (We get new ones every 6 months.) This piece is gouache and modern calligraphy ink on 140 lb Hot Press Watercolor Paper.

Here’s the original, I took my inspiration from. as you can see, I changed the colors and Heraldry to represent that of our local Kingdom (Atenveldt).

Hi again!

Here’s an SCA scroll for the Barony of SunDragon that has a Celtic circular design on it. I curved the calligraphy so it becomes part of the central shape. It is gouache and gold paint on 140 lb Hot Press Watercolor Paper. The award is an Honor of SunDragon which is the local level service award.

Good day! This is a piece that I did in November of ‘08. It is the highest level arts award for our local group (the Barony of SunDragon/Western metro-Phoenix area). It is watercolor and gouache with Calli ink on 140 lb Hot Press Watercolor paper. It is done in a Celtic swirl motif and in earth tones specifically for the recipient.

This is one Jennifer Richardson and I did in October of 2008. It is gouache with gold paint and gold leaf on pergamenata (a pressed pulp paper which mimics animal vellum for calligraphers). Jennifer did the uber-beautiful calligraphy! This is a friend’s Laurel scroll, a Laurel in the SCA is the highest level award one can receive for their arts.

I’m sorry the picture isn’t a little more clear, that kind of paper buckles when it get’s wet. I still like my 140 lb Hot Press Watercolor Paper better!

This one I just got done yesterday. It uses period (loose) pigments bound with egg yolk, gold leaf, iron gall ink on animal vellum. What I haven’t mentioned is the original source for these mini-illuminations. It is the Bourdichon Hours, my absolute favorite manuscript! I don’t have a full copy of it, but rather pages of it in several books.

One other little tidbit, is I have pulled out the original calligraphy hand and am using that on these as well.

Here’s the first SCA Scroll I’ve done with period pigments, gold leaf, iron gall ink on animal vellum that I have really liked. The ink on the first line is smudged because I did not pounce the vellum with gum sandarac first. (It creates a smooth writing surface and makes the ink not spread. It’s magic!) This was also done in March 09, it went out to Isemay of Whytby, one of the other scribes.