- Life Dates Born 1943, Cresco, Iowa
- Occupation Retired from Finholt Construction, Inc.
- Residence at Time of Award Decorah, Iowa
Stan Finholt
Gold Medal In: Woodworking, 2017
Ribbons
- 2012 Red ribbon for a turned walnut bowl with woven embellishment
- 2013 Red ribbon for a turned cherry bowl
- 2014 Red ribbon for a wet-turned walnut bowl
- 2017 Red ribbon for a turned black walnut bowl
Artist Statement
In 2007, as I planned for retirement from my construction company, my wife told me I had to find a hobby. She had recently seen the catalog listing all the upcoming folk-art classes offered at Vesterheim and was sure I would be interested in a woodturning class. I immediately signed up for the turning class taught by Phil Holtan. And I was hooked! I was able to take more classes offered by Phil at his home workshop in Perham, Minnesota. I am so appreciative of and thankful for all the help, knowledge, and experience Phil gave me.
In August of 2017 I traveled to Norway for the first time. While there I visited relatives in the Voss and Vik areas. My newfound cousins took me to the family farm where my ancestors lived. They showed me the wood shop where many turned projects, spinning wheels, rosemaled bowls, wood buckets, looms, and carvings made by my ancestors were still stored. It was there that I could trace my love of woodworking.
2017