Learn to throw ribbons of wood over your shoulder! Students will turn multiple bowls while developing the nuances of how to hold the tools for a variety of cuts in green, freshly cut wood. You will learn basic and advanced tool-sharpening techniques, including a swept-back grind. The class will also cover how to select and prepare wood specifically for bowl turning and different finishing techniques with oils and paints. No tools necessary. There will be a $65 materials fee.

Level of Instruction: All levels.

Jim Sannerud is a professional woodturner from St.Paul, Minnesota. With 25 years of woodworking experience, Jim “turned” to the lathe six years ago to follow his passion and creativity. He has shown and sold his turnings nationally and shares his infectious enthusiasm for woodturning with a variety of students—from children in Ukraine to community education classes in St. Paul. He has studied with a number of professional turners and carvers. Jim’s work is a unique blend of modern lathe use and traditional handwork.

Carve several figures in the Scandinavian flat-plane style. In this style, the figures are carved in large, flat planes, created primarily using a simple carving knife. Beginning with tool sharpening, the course provides hands-on carving experience as you complete a figure in step-by-step fashion. Finish the project by painting the figure and applying a final oil finish. After this initial project, you will carve additional pieces independently while Harley offers assistance on an individual basis. Sharpening equipment and finishing supplies are also covered. There will be a materials fee.

Level of Instruction: All levels. Youth ages 12-17 signed up with a participating adult receive a 25% discount.

Harley Refsal is a Vesterheim Gold Medalist who has taught Scandinavian figure carving throughout the United States and Norway. He was honored by H. M. Harald V, King of Norway, with the St. Olav Medal of Honor for his efforts in reinvigorating Scandinavian figure carving in both the United States and Norway. A retired professor of Scandinavian folk art at Luther College in Decorah, he also regularly demonstrates and gives many presentations about Norwegian folk art and traditions. He is the author of several books. Harley was named the 2012 Woodcarver of the Year by the magazine Wood Carving Illustrated.

Our Norwegian ancestors often liked to decorate the things they used in daily life, which included utensils to serve food. In this class for starters we will decorate bread-and-cheese servers with carving. Spoons and bowls and plates can also be decorated with carving. Carving blanks, patterns, and finished examples for most projects will be available. Please feel free to bring other unfinished or new ideas for projects to class as well. If your idea requires special wood, please let us know so we can provide it. There will be a materials fee.

Serving pieces made in Phil Odden’s carving class will be used on the serving table for the class Smørbrød—Open-Face Sandwich Buffet listed in the Traditional Norwegian Food section. Carving class participants will have the opportunity to join the cooking class for the buffet. (Cost will be determined according to number of participants.)

Level of Instruction: All levels.

Phil Odden is a professional woodcarver and Vesterheim Gold Medalist. He trained at the Hjerleid School in Dovre, Norway, and he and his wife, Else Bigton, have a workshop near Barronett, Wisconsin. Together, they authored the book Treskjærer Kunsten (The Art of Woodcarving).

The patterns of chip carving are geometric designs incised into flat wooden surfaces. Chip carving is surprisingly easy to learn and requires only one or two knives. The work is portable, held on one’s knee, at home or away. In this beginning class, we will do geometric patterns on practice boards. The goal of this beginner class will be to master technique, not complete a project. There will be a minimal materials fee.

Level of Instruction: All levels. Youth ages 13-17 signed up with a participating adult receive a 25% discount

Ellen Macdonald was a tomboy as a child and usually had a jackknife in her pocket. As an adult, she searched for the perfect outlet for her love of working with wood. When she discovered Wayne Barton and his revival of chip carving, she had arrived. She has been privileged to study with Wayne and has been chip carving actively for the past six years.

Kolrosing is a decorative technique in which a woodworker uses a knife to make shallow cuts, or incisions, into wood, then fills cuts with finely ground tree dust or coffee grounds. This art form dates back to the time of the Vikings. There will be a $10 materials fee and Darlene will provide knives for carving.

Level of Instruction: All levels. Youth ages 15-17 signed up with a participating adult receive a 25% discount.

Darlene Fossum-Martin has been kolrosing on wooden items for over 15 years. Besides teaching mini kolrosing classes at Vesterheim Museum, Giants in the Earth Hertiage Center, and to private individuals, she has demonstrated the art of kolrosing at John C. Campbell Folk School in North Carolina and at various ethnic festivals, including Høstfest in Minot, North Dakota. Darlene took her first instruction in kolrosing from Judy Ritger, followed by Harley Refsal; Kåre Herfindal, Voss, Norway; and Norway’s master in kolrosing Leif Ottar Flaten, Drangedal, Norway.

Level of Instruction: Beginner to intermediate.

Hans Sandom is an immigrant from Folldal, Norway. He began carving 25 years ago and is a Vesterheim Gold Medalist. Influenced by Leif Melgaard, his work has received attention for its perfection of design and precision of craftsmanship. Sandom’s work has been featured in several exhibitions, including Norwegian Folk Art: The Migration of a Tradition, the traveling exhibition curated by Marion Nelson, former Vesterheim Executive Director. Hans is a featured author in Vesterheim magazine, Vol. 3, No. 2, dedicated to woodworking.

Level of Instruction: Intermediate to advanced.

Hans Sandom is an immigrant from Folldal, Norway. He began carving 25 years ago and is a Vesterheim Gold Medalist. Influenced by Leif Melgaard, his work has received attention for its perfection of design and precision of craftsmanship. Sandom’s work has been featured in several exhibitions, including Norwegian Folk Art: The Migration of a Tradition, the traveling exhibition curated by Marion Nelson, former Vesterheim Executive Director. Hans is a featured author in Vesterheim magazine, Vol. 3, No. 2, dedicated to woodworking.

Level of Instruction: All levels.

Bruce Futterer has been an avid carver since 1977. Bruce has won numerous blue ribbons at the International Carving Competition in Davenport, Iowa. In 2004 his Santa Claus carving was selected as the National Grand Prize winner in the Woodcraft/Wood Carving Illustrated contests. In 2006 Bruce won Best of Show at the National Caricature Carvers Competition and in 2005, he became a Vesterheim Gold Medalist. Bruce was raised in Grand Marais, Minnesota, and returns to the North Shore each summer.

Level of Instruction: All levels. Youth ages 12-17 signed up with a participating adult receive a 25% discount.

Harley Refsal is a Vesterheim Gold Medalist who has taught Scandinavian figure carving throughout the United States and Norway. He was honored by H. M. Harald V, King of Norway, with the St. Olav Medal of Honor for his efforts in reinvigorating Scandinavian figure carving in both the United States and Norway. A retired professor of Scandinavian folk art at Luther College in Decorah, he also regularly demonstrates and gives many presentations about Norwegian folk art and traditions. He is the author of several books. Harley was named the 2012 Woodcarver of the Year by the magazine Wood Carving Illustrated.

Level of Instruction: Attend the first class on July 13-15.

Harley Refsal is a Vesterheim Gold Medalist who has taught Scandinavian figure carving throughout the United States and Norway. He was honored by H. M. Harald V, King of Norway, with the St. Olav Medal of Honor for his efforts in reinvigorating Scandinavian figure carving in both the United States and Norway. A retired professor of Scandinavian folk art at Luther College in Decorah, he also regularly demonstrates and gives many presentations about Norwegian folk art and traditions. He is the author of several books. Harley was named the 2012 Woodcarver of the Year by the magazine Wood Carving Illustrated.

Level of Instruction: All levels. Youth ages 13-17 signed up with a participating adult receive a 25% discount.

Richard Enstad is a Vesterheim Gold Medalist who became a “born-again Norwegian” in 1983. Richard has been on two Vesterheim-sponsored folk-art tours. A frequent demonstrator of Norwegian-inspired woodworking crafts, he returns annually to Nordic Fest in Decorah, Iowa, and Norsk Høstfest in Minot, North Dakota. In 2003 Richard and wife Nancy were honored as Minnesota Science Museum Volunteers of the Year for their involvement with the Smithsonian Institution’s traveling Viking exhibition. Richard is the co-author, with Harley Refsal, of the lead article in Vesterheim magazine, Vol. 3, No. 2, dedicated to woodworking.

Level of Instruction: All levels. Youth ages 12-17 signed up with a participating adult receive a 25% discount.

David Østrem began carving when his wife signed him up for one of Harley Refsal’s classes. David thought he was coming to Decorah to visit his daughter at Luther College, but his wife had a different plan. Since this first class, David was hooked. He has started his own carving business, selling his flat-plane carvings and designing and selling wooden spoons to people worldwide. David has been carving and teaching classes throughout the Midwest for 25 years. He also judges many carving shows. David has had instruction from carvers in the United States, Canada, Austria, Switzerland, and Norway.

Level of Instruction: All levels. Youth ages 12-17 signed up with a participating adult receive a 25% discount.

Harley Refsal is a Vesterheim Gold Medalist who has taught Scandinavian figure carving throughout the United States and Norway. He was honored by H. M. Harald V, King of Norway, with the St. Olav Medal of Honor for his efforts in reinvigorating Scandinavian figure carving in both the United States and Norway. A retired professor of Scandinavian folk art at Luther College in Decorah, he also regularly demonstrates and gives many presentations about Norwegian folk art and traditions. He is the author of several books. Harley was named the 2012 Woodcarver of the Year by the magazine Wood Carving Illustrated.

Level of Instruction: Students should have previous carving experience.

Becky Lusk is a third-generation folk artist and a Vesterheim Gold Medalist. Her work was included in the exhibition Norwegian Folk Art: The Migration of a Tradition, curated by Marion Nelson, Vesterheim’s former Executive Director. Becky carves ale bowls, figures, relief scenes, acanthus, and dragonstil. She and her husband have a workshop near Coon Valley, Wisconsin.