Vesterheim’s Benefit Auction ended with great success on Sunday, October 16. View the final bids here.

Vesterheim is especially grateful to all who donated items to the auction, including the amazing artists who shared their work, as well as Viking and Ruth and Randy Schultz for their donated vacation packages. A heartfelt thank you goes to everyone who generously bid and shared this opportunity with family, friends, and community to benefit the Vesterheim Annual Fund in support of Vesterheim Folk Art School!

There were 206 bidders and 72 items sold, bringing in $40,959! Tusen takk for making this our most successful Benefit Auction yet!

The online auction was full of amazing pieces from fantastic artists, an eight-day European river voyage from Viking, and a Colorado Getaway! There was a tremendous selection of rosemaling (Norwegian decorative painting), weavings, traditional needlework, Norwegian clothing, and creative woodworking. Vesterheim is very grateful to everyone who donated.

Each year this auction is full of one-of-a-kind folk-art by artists working in the Norwegian tradition. Many of the pieces in the Benefit Auction are donated by Vesterheim Gold Medalists and exhibition ribbon winners from Vesterheim’s annual judged competition, The National Norwegian-American Folk Art Exhibition.

Proceeds from the auction benefit Vesterheim’s Folk Art School, which has provided classes since 1967 in fiber arts, woodworking, painting, cooking, jewelry, blacksmithing, knifemaking, and more. At the Folk Art School, students and instructors create a community of learning and experience the joy of making something by hand.

Vesterheim is very grateful to everyone who donated to this auction. Through exceptional support from artists and donors, combined previous auctions have raised more than $145,000 for the Folk Art School.