Gold Medalist Portfolios

I grew up near Hawley, Minnesota. During grade school I watched them build the Viking ship, Hjemkomst. This early experience made me aware of my Norwegian Heritage and sparked my interest in learning everything about Norway. Starting in the year 2000, I began taking folk art classes at Vesterheim. I have studied carving, blacksmithing, rosemaling, Norwegian foods, skinnfell and Norwegian knifemaking. I traveled to Norway for the first time in 2003 when I went on the Vesterheim Folk Art Tour. 

My introduction to the spring pole lathe began when I met Roger Abrahamson who was turning Norwegian ale bowls on a pole lathe. In 2014, I had my first spring pole lathe class with Roger, and I was hooked. By 2015, I was able to get some of the hand forged hook tools needed for turning and built my first lathe. For me, it is important to replicate the bowls using historic techniques. I am inspired by objects turned on a spring pole lathe that I can view at Vesterheim and the folk museums in Norway. I study how to turn objects the same way they were turned for the last thousand years and try to use the same type of tools they would have made and used. 

I turn functional cups and bowls that I use on a daily basis. Knowing that woodenware has similar shapes, colors, and tool marks to what my ancestors created is satisfying and gives me a direct connection to the past and their handcraft.