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. Class meets Friday evening and during the day Saturday and Sunday.

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, including a new one, Art & Technique of Scandinavian Style Woodcarving. Harley is a featured author in Vesterheim magazine, Vol. 3, No. 2, dedicated to woodworking.

Add some old Norwegian charm to your festive koldtbord (Norwegian buffet table).

Learn to make carved candle holders decorated with acanthus leafage, dragon-style carving, and other relief styles. Carved table decor for this class could include small ale bowls. You can also work on table decoration for Christmas or Easter. In this class Phil will encourage and help facilitate creativity of design within the Nordic traditions. He can help develop ideas for suitable designs and the carvings can be painted if time allows. Cut-out carving blanks ready to carve will be available for purchase from Phil, who will also bring wood that can be used to make a new design. You should have enough time to finish at least one reasonable example of carved table decoration during the class. Phil will bring enough carving tools to loan during class and will have carving tools for sale. Please bring your own carving tools to class, including a whittling knife if possible. Bring paints and brushes if you would like to use them. There will be a materials fee.

The festive table decor from Phil Odden’s carving class will be used as decorations for the class Planning and Preparing a Festive Koldtbord Norwegian Buffet Table scheduled for the same weekend. Carving class participants will have the opportunity to join the cooking group for dinner. (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 published the book Treskjærerkunsten (The Art of Woodcarving).

Every Norwegian had a hengeskap, hanging cupboard, in their home especially between the periods of the late 1700s to the 1900s. Some used this cupboard as their tobakk skap, where they kept their tobacco and pipes. Others used it for their spoons and bowls after a meal. Of course it had other storage purposes as well. Join KJ as you work step-by-step in building a hengeskap, which will be made out of yellow poplar and includes an adjustable shelf. The finished size of cupboard will be 9 inches diameter by 25 inches wide and 27 inches high. The door will have a raised panel, which is intended to be painted with rosemaling. Power and hand tools will be used for the construction and the joinery. Techniques for making various moldings will be a part of the class as well. Metal hardware for the cupboard will be provided but KJ also will explain how to make your own. Yellow poplar is easy to work with and takes paint well, however the hengeskap will not be painted in class. KJ will demonstrate the product he uses to finish his cupboards. Building this cabinet will give you a good foundation for more advanced joining techniques, molding construction, and metal work. There will be a materials fee of $150. Youth ages 16 and 17 signed up with a participating adult receive a 25% discount.

Level of instruction: All levels.

Kjetil “KJ” Groven grew up in Skien, Norway, and spent most of his childhood on the family farm working with his grandparents. In 1999, he left Norway to attend South Dakota School of Mines and received a degree as a mechanical engineer. He says that he learned quickly that traditional engineering was not for him and that he needed to work with his hands. When growing up on the farm, he was always surrounded by Norwegian folk art, and it is the style he likes the best. After some time as an engineer, he built a Norwegian log building, which led him to a job as a log-home builder. He spent the next six years building homes and doing custom woodworking. He was introduced to a blacksmithing club around that same time and was soon building buildings, cabinets, and other furniture in the Norwegian style, as well as forging tools and hardware. He believes he has found his true calling.

Learn to throw ribbons of wood over your shoulder! Make 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. No tools necessary. There will be a minimal materials fee of $50.

Level of instruction: All levels.

Jim Sannerud is a professional woodturner with a studio in St. Paul, Minnesota, overlooking the Mississippi River. With a background of 25 years 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 wide 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 craft, using the modern lathe while holding on to traditional sløyd handwork and techniques.

The sløyd knife is an all purpose utility knife, commonly used in Scandinavia for carving spoons, coat hooks from a crook of a tree, and decorations. Through repetition we will focus on learning a variety of safe and efficient sløyd knife cuts with “stops” so you can carve with confidence. After practicing these cuts you will make a butter spreader and a hook to take home. We will also learn to sharpen the knife. The instructor will provide the knives and materials for class.

Level of instruction: All levels. Children ages 16 and 17 signed up with a participating adult receive a 25% discount.

Jim Sannerud is a professional woodturner with a studio in St. Paul, Minnesota, overlooking the Mississippi River. With a background of 25 years 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 wide 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 craft, using the modern lathe while holding on to traditional sløyd handwork and techniques.

Learn to carve elegant, ornate leaf designs in wood. Acanthus carving, a baroque style of relief carving, dates back many centuries and is used to add beauty to both structural and decorative woodwork. In this class you will learn the basic techniques of working with wood grain, the elements of design, and the use and care of wood carving tools. There will be a materials fee.

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.

This class is for students with some experience in acanthus carving and who are ready for a new challenge. Hans will present you with complex projects and advanced elements of design. He also will cover design and carving techniques. This is a good class for those interested in larger-scale Acanthus projects. Students just completing Beginning and Intermediate Acanthus Carving are welcome. There will be a materials fee.

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.

Traditional Scandinavian bowl carving starts with the selection of a green, or undried, log. The log is then split in half and the selected piece flattened on two sides with a carving axe. With the wood held in a vise, or traditional carving bench, the bowl is hollowed out with a bowl-carving adze. The swing of the adze creates a natural arc that lends to the elongated shape of the log and develops the finished shape of the bowl. After the inside is smoothed, the piece is returned to the chopping block to shape the out side of the bowl. Details of decoration, drying, and finishing with oil will be covered resulting in a piece of usable tableware. We also will have the opportunity to construct a traditional carving bench to meet the needs of carving this type of bowl. Tools will be provided by Jon. There will be a materials fee.

Level of instruction: All levels.

Jon Ström carved his first bowl and spoon in a junior high art class in Worthington, Minnesota. Wood was a scarce commodity on the prairie, and thus a fascinating substance. He got the wood for his first sculpture, a drummer boy, from the local lumber yard. Jon attended McPherson College and Southwest University in Minnesota, where he studied for a degree in art education. He moved north to the woods in 1980 and has been working with wood ever since. He is a sculptor, woodworker, and log builder with a strong interest in spoon and bowl carving techniques. Having the opportunity to study under Jogge Sunquist, a Scandinavian carving artist, Jon polished his skills in the world of Scandinavian wood carving. Jon has demonstrated at Grand Portage Monument, Old Fort William, and White Oak Society. He has taught at various workshops including Goods from the Woods in Grand Rapids and North House Folk School. Jon and his wife Elma Tuomisalo Ström make Davison, Michigan, their new home.

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, done 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 age 13 and older 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 five years.

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. Class meets Friday evening and during the day Saturday and Sunday.

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, including a new one, Art & Technique of Scandinavian Style Woodcarving. Harley is a featured author in Vesterheim magazine, Vol. 3, No. 2, dedicated to woodworking.

The beautiful and romantic dragonstil (dragon-style) relief carving dates back thousands of years and is often found on stave churches in Scandinavia. Learn all aspects of this carving style with master carver Becky Lusk, as you carve a panel for a raised panel door. Becky will also discuss painting the finished piece. There will be a materials fee.

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.

Make your own Christmas gifts or decorations by learning to carve holiday 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 a hands-on carving experience as you complete a figure in step-by-step fashion. Complete the project by painting the figure and applying a final oil finish. 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, including a new one, Art & Technique of Scandinavian Style Woodcarving. Harley is a featured author in Vesterheim magazine, Vol. 3, No. 2, dedicated to woodworking.