Here’s a picture from 2008 for Throwback Thursday. It’s an award I did with calligraphy and illlumination for an SCA friend, Luciana. (You know, that’s the Society for Creative Anachronism). Luci received a Laurel for all the amazing Renaissance and medieval clothing she researched and made.

The whole story is…Luciana received the actual award many years earlier, but not the thing. (In the SCA, we call it a “scroll”.) A mutual friend finagled me into making this and even getting it given to her in court. It made it a big deal for her again.

Because this award is so high in the SCA, I painted it on real vellum with gold leaf. It’s done in a 1600s rich book style. The empty space is left for signatures.

Unfortunately, Luci passed away a couple of years after she received this. She is so missed by all who knew her, especially her friends in Calontir.