Vesterheim Blog

Study in Norway Instructor Professional Development Recipients

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2024-2025 Study in Norway Instructor Professional Development Program!

This professional development opportunity is to help practicing folk art instructors travel to Norway to study, gain inspiration, and develop ideas for future teaching. Find out more about the program.

We look forward to seeing what these talented and creative people discover and learn on their travels to Norway over the next year!

Maree Hampton has been knitting for over 30 years. It was her Norwegian cousin that taught her to knit when Maree was working on a Hardanger fruit farm during college. She has been knitting ever since. Over the years, she has expanded her Norwegian knitting folk art knowledge and skills through research, classes, and instruction. Maree enjoys teaching others how to knit the iconic Norwegian motifs for hats, mittens, sweaters, and accessories. As a lifelong Nordic skier, Maree enjoys the durability and warmth of hand knit mittens and hats. Maree has a Master’s Degree in Education and is a nationally certified health educator. She likes to share that in addition to the satisfaction one feels when knitting beautiful Norwegian items, knitting has been proven to improve our physical and mental health.

Through her Vesterheim Study in Norway grant, Maree plans to deepen her knowledge about the traditional folk art of Norwegian knitting and expand her knitting skills. The knowledge and skills she gains will help her to construct a new Norwegian knitting class for Vesterheim and produce a flip book about traditional Norwegian knitting to share with Vesterheim.

While in Norway, Maree will research Norwegian knitting at textile and folk art museums, interview experts in traditional Norwegian knitting in Sørlandet (southern) and Vestlandet (western) Norway, attend a three-day knitting festival in Bergen, tour Norway’s longstanding yarn factories, and meet everyday Norwegian knitters in the areas where she travels.

She’s excited to communicate about her travels in Norway through a blog, webinar, and social media. We’re excited to see how her study inspires others while growing interest and participation in the folk craft of Norwegian knitting.

Becky Lusk is a third-generation folk artist and a Vesterheim Gold Medalist. She started carving as a teenager and has been a professional carver for over 40 years. 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, dragon style, and acanthus. She and her husband have a workshop near Coon Valley, Wisconsin.

This past February, Becky was able to study a drinking horn carved by Norwegian Lars Kinsarvik during her Vesterheim Artist in Residence. She has always been drawn to this piece and studying it gave her a thirst to see more of his work.

Kinsarvik’s carvings are included in four museums in Norway, and, while there are online photographs, they do not show the details of the designs. The only way to get a good feel for the work and see the many different details is to see them in person.

Through her Vesterheim Study in Norway grant, Becky plans to study these pieces in detail in Norway while also seeing some of the original Viking artifacts that gave Lars Kinsarvik his inspiration.

Becky has been carving her own style of Dragestil for many years and is excited to incorporate some different design motifs into her carvings after studying them in real life. We’re excited to see how this study effects Becky’s work.

Becky will travel in June 2025 and visit Oslo, Strømmen, Voss, and Gudbrandsdalen.