Meet the new Study in Norway recipients!
Vesterheim’s Study in Norway Program allows established folk art instructors who have taught for Vesterheim in the past five years to travel to Norway and study their specific area of interest. The proposed study trip has a narrow focus, and the research and project must support the instructor in deepening their knowledge and skills.
Congratulations to these artists. We look forward to working closely with these talented and creative people!
Andrea Myklebust
Andrea Myklebust is a shepherd, weaver, and fiber arts educator based in Danby, Vermont. Originally from Minnesota, Myklebust holds a degree in art from Macalester College in St. Paul. For many years she and her husband and collaborative partner, Stanton Sears, have created large scale public sculptures for sites across the United States.
Beginning in 2011, Myklebust became interested in traditional textile production, and began to raise sheep and grow fiber and dye plants at her farm. She learned to use the warp-weighted loom in 2013 when she attended a workshop taught by Marta Klove Juhl at Vesterheim. In the years since, she has continued her work with the warp-weighted loom, and currently teaches beginning and advanced students of this ancient weaving tool at the Weaver’s Croft in Marshfield, Vermont.
Andrea has studied the history of flax production in Europe and the U.S., and is presently working with the USDA and the University of Vermont for research centered on both flax and fiber hemp, with an aim to incorporate these crops in contemporary bioregional textile production. She is a member of the board of the Northern New England Fibershed and has taught handmade textile topics at a variety of venues, including Vesterheim, North House Folk School, John C Campell Folk School, The Marshfield School of Weaving, and others.
Andrea plans to travel in May 2026 to study warp-weighted loom weaving at the Osterøy Museum and work with people involved in natural fiber projects through the Norway Fibershed. This will be Andrea’s first time visiting Norway.
Lianna Torres
Lianna Torres is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Scandinavian Studies at the University of Washington. Most recently, Lianna received her Master’s Degree in Ibsen Studies at the University of Oslo in Oslo, Norway. Prior to that, she received her B.A. in Nordic Studies at Luther College.
Throughout her time as a student and in Norway, Lianna developed a deep love for Norwegian language, literature, and culture. She has over seven years of Norwegian teaching experience including Vesterheim classes, private lessons, and, most recently, an Intermediate Norwegian language course at Luther College.
Lianna plans to travel to Norway in August 2025 to study at the University of Oslo and the Speak Norsk Language Center, with a focus on deepening her understanding of Norwegian language pronunciation. She hopes to develop a Norwegian language class that will support learners in refining their pronunciation.
Lianna loves nothing more than using her education and experience to teach others about the beauty of the Norwegian language and culture. Upon completion of her Ph.D., Lianna is eager to continue her lifelong career teaching and researching in the field of Scandinavian Studies.