Gausta Day Tour
On Thursday, September 26, Vesterheim staff member Rolf Svanoe took a day tour to seven churches in Iowa and Wisconsin where participants examined the altar paintings by Norwegian-American artist Herbjørn Gausta. They also enjoyed a meatball and lefse lunch at Borgens cafe in Westby, Wisconsin.
Herbjørn Gausta has long been a favorite for fans of Vesterheim and Midwesterners of Norwegian ancestry. Last spring, Vesterheim offered two day tours to explore Gausta’s life and art in Minnesota and Iowa. These tours were so popular that we added a third day tour including more churches in Iowa and Wisconsin. What better time to enjoy Gausta’s art than late September when surrounded by nature’s beautiful fall colors?
The group was lucky to have tour leader Sharen Haugerud Storhoff guide them through their journey. Sharen has had a longtime interest in Harmony’s most famous son, Herbjørn Gausta, and has traveled throughout Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin documenting and photographing Gausta altar paintings. She has also co-authored a story on Gausta published in the Telesoga, a publication of Telelaget of America, and she has given presentations on the life of Gausta to several groups. Sharen is part of a seventh-generation Norwegian-American family. Her ancestors immigrated in 1853 from Telemark and Setesdal, and they were founding members of Greenfield Lutheran Church in Harmony, Minnesota. Sharen has always had a passion for history and the importance of keeping it alive. She is a member of the Harmony Area Historical Society and combines her passion for history with a lifetime pursuit of photography.
