Norwegian Folk Art: The Migration of a Tradition (Introduction)

Norwegian Folk Art: The Migration of a Tradition was an exhibition curated by Marion Nelson from Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum, in collaboration with the Museum of American Folk Art in New York City and the Norwegian Folk Museum in Oslo. The exhibition of 180 objects was a collection of folk art either made in Norway, brought to America from Norway by immigrants, made by immigrants in America or created by contemporary artists in the Norwegian folk art tradition. The exhibition opened at the Museum of American Folk Art in New York in September of 1995. King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway attended the opening, part of their first state visit to the U.S. A lavishly illustrated book with several invited essays was published in conjunction with the exhibit.

The exhibit then traveled for two years to The State Historical Society of North Dakota in Bismark, the Minnesota Museum of American Art in St Paul, the Nordic Heritage Museum in Seattle and ended at the Norwegian Folk Museum in Oslo.

The exhibition included a wide span of folk art types—rosemaling (traditional Norwegian rose painting, wood carving. Textiles were well-represented, with beautiful examples of historical weaving and contemporary pieces to show how the tradition continued in the United States. Since most readers of the Norwegian Textile Letter didn’t attend the exhibition, and probably not many have seen the book, we obtained permission to reprint the photographic sections on geometric weaving and tapestry weaving, and the essay on folk dress by Carol Colburn.

Geometric Textiles of the 18th and 19th Centuries

See the 11-page beautifully-illustrated section here. https://norwegiantextileletter.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/migration-geometric.pdf

Here is a bit more background about two of the weavers who wove modern pieces for the exhibit.

Rutevev, a square-weave coverlet, by Jan Mostrom

Jan Mostrom wrote that she was happy to be chosen as one of the contemporary weavers.

It was a rutevev weaving inspired by a coverlet I saw at Little Norway near my home town in Wisconsin. It is a nine cross pattern which I combined with a diamond made of many diagonal lines and a cross in the center. I chose Norwegian yarns that I imagined were close to rather bright natural dyed colors in red, blue, green, gold and natural white. The design had many color changes and many pattern rows had over 50 butterflies. It would take a generous hour to weave half an inch. The main geometric pattern was bordered by pick and pick stripes and lightning designs. I remember listening to many audio books as I wove in the rhythm of interlocked blocks.

It was very exciting for me to go to New York City for the first time and to be going to an opening of a show that included a piece of my work. The event was fun and exciting and all of the artists were invited to a dinner at a nearby restaurant after the opening.

When the exhibition was in St Paul for three months, the Scandinavian Weavers Study Group set up a loom to weave krokbragd at the museum. We would demonstrate every Sunday. I have happy memories of several afternoons weaving and talking with people visiting the exhibit.

Skillbragd coverlet by Liv Bugge

Liv Bugge, born in Norway, and now living in Norway again, had a beautiful skillbragd weaving in the exhibit. Liv has been interested in folk art, including for dancing, embroidery, and knitting, since she was a teen. She first learned to weave at teacher’s college in Oslo. When she moved to Wisconsin for several years, she continued her weaving exploration. She wrote,

Studying and reading about different Norwegian techniques was extremely important because I was so far away from home and yet surrounded by so much Norwegian heritage.”

“When we were living in the US I had plenty of time to weave, and I found this “skillbragd” technique very interesting. I studied a lot of books and also old magazines from Norsk Husflid, so I’m more or less self taught in this technique while living in Wisconsin. Everything Norwegian got very important to me then, which I’m sure was the case for many of the immigrants.”

Liv wove several hangings in the traditional skillbragd technique.

Liv and her husband moved back to Norway, where she studied weaving again for a year, before returning to elementary school teaching for 15 years. “I now have a very nice studio with a stunning view of the mountains including Mount Gausta,” Liv reported. The skillbragd hanging from the exhibition still hangs in her office.

RETRO REPRINTS–A New Occasional Series in the Norwegian Textile Letter

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By Robbie LaFleur

RETRO REPRINTS–A New Occasional Series

For its first two decades, the Norwegian Textile Letter was published only in print. The readership was loyal; there were nearly 300 subscribers before it became a digital publication in 2013.

It’s safe to say that most of the 1100+ current readers who are notified of each new issue haven’t read the early issues, so we are beginning an occasional series that reprints articles from the first decade (1995-2005). The new digital versions will include color photos, as opposed to the grainy black-and-white images of the early photocopied newsletters. The reprints will include updated and new information. Two articles from Volume 1, No. 2, January 1995, are included in this issue. An in-depth article by Lila Nelson, “The Ruteaklaer Tradition in Norway,” is enhanced with many photos. “For the Loom,” a short piece on a krokbragd technique, had no photos in the original. Now the technique is illustrated with photos of a beautiful hanging woven by Jan Mostrom.

National Exhibition of Folk Art in the Norwegian Tradition

Due to the pandemic, the annual National Exhibition of Folk Art in the Norwegian Tradition will not be held at Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum this year. (Sad news!) Normally, the August issue of the Norwegian Textile Letter includes wonderful photos of the entries.

A short “Congratulations” paragraph in the September 1995 issue sparked an idea for a substitute. 1995 marked the 14th year of the National Exhibition of Weaving in the Norwegian Tradition. I will try to gather photos of pieces that were entered in the early years.

In this paragraph, John Skare is congratulated for winning “Best of Show” with his “Segalstad #1 coat/hanging.

“Segalstad #1” The material is primarily wool, but the collar includes a mohair blend. The sleeves and body were woven on one warp, and the collar on a separate warp.

Segalstad #1 became part of a series, including a commissioned piece. The client came all the way from San Francisco to visit Nordic Fest. He saw John’s piece and after discussion, commissioned him to make a similar coat, but with a sash/belt in case he wanted to wear it.

You can look forward to seeing more of John Skare’s entries from the National Exhibition early years in the next issue of the newsletter. And if any readers of the newsletter contributed to the exhibit before 1996, and have photos, please contact me!

A Fun Fact from the First Year of the Norwegian Textile Letter

The Norwegian Textile Letter had a different name for the first year, the Norwegian Breakfast Club Newsletter. For many years, members gathered at Convergence, a national weaving conference–at breakfast. But within the first year, the members opted to change the name. From the September 1995 issue:

The Norwegian Breakfast Club met in July, 1995, in Prince George, British Columbia, during Frontiers of Fibre, the biennial conference of the Association of Northwest Weavers Guilds. That’s when the name changed to the Norwegian Textile Letter. Janet Meany wrote:

“Karen Casselman recommended that the name be changed so that it could more accurately convey the nature of the contents rather than appear as a collection of good Norwegian lefse recipes!”

Migration of a Tradition: Tapestry Images

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Norwegian Folk Art: The Migration of a Tradition (Abbeville Press, 1995) features beautiful photos of Norwegian billedvev, or tapestry. The section is available in pdf format here: “Reflections of the Renaissance: The Tapestry Technique and Picture Weaving.”

Several historical tapestries were included in the book and the exhibit it celebrated. Also, two modern pieces reflected Norwegian billedvev tradition: a tapestry by Nancy Jackson and a quilt by Helen Kelly.

Nancy Jackson, “The Battle of the Horse and Bull”

When Marion Nelson asked Nancy Jackson if her tapestry, “The Battle of the Horse and Bull,” could be included in the traveling exhibition, she felt very honored. He told her he thought her tapestry was an important link between the old Norwegian picture tapestries and the newer Norwegian tapestry images. It was also meaningful because Marion’s wife Lila was important to Nancy’s development as an artist. Nancy wrote, “I always respected Marion and Lila so much, and consider Lila to be the first person who opened my eyes to tapestry as a serious weaving expression. She understood me and directed me through the many letters we wrote back and forth after she taught my first tapestry weaving class in the late 1970s.”

Nancy Jackson, “Battle of the Horse & Bull.” 41-inches x 58-inches. Materials: Wool on cotton warp. Photo: Charlie Langton of Vesterheim Museum.

While Nancy never saw the show in person, it led to a marvelous new tapestry. Nancy’s Norwegian friends saw the show in Oslo, completely by chance, and were excited when they found “The Battle of the Horse and the Bull” by their friend back in the U.S. Later Nancy wove a commissioned tapestry for the couple, a five-foot-high “King Olav,” inspired by Norwegian billedvev tradition.

Nancy Jackson continued to have a distinguished career as a tapestry artist and icon painter. In 2003-2004 Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum held an exhibit of Nancy’s work: Incarnations: A Nancy Jackson Retrospective 1980-2003. “The Battle of the Horse and Bull” was featured prominently, along with the working documents, including the life-sized cartoon and woven color samples.

See more of Nancy Jackson’s work at Timshel Tapestry and Iconography Studio.

Helen Kelley, “Renaissance”

Photo: Jason Onerheim, Minnesota Historical Society

Helen Kelly (1927-2008), a noted quilter from Minneapolis, Minnesota, paid homage to an old Norwegian billedvev design in “Renaissance.” Helen and her quilt were featured in the Norwegian Textile Letter in August, 2019. See: ““Under the Skin of Those Old Weavers”: Helen Kelley’s ‘Renaissance’ Quilt” By Lisa Anne Bauch.

The quilt is now in the collection of the Minnesota Historical Society.

Amy Axen: The Baldishol Bandana

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By Robbie LaFleur

Amy Axen, from Stony Creek, New York, was inspired by the images and designs in the Baldishol Tapestry to create her 21st-century “Baldishol Bandana,” both a decorative and functional piece. She studied the flora and fauna, and the geometric and organic shapes, in the original tapestry. She parsed the design elements and the story told in the images to create her own layered interpretation and homage. She began with careful study of the symbols in the Baldishol Tapestry.

She came up with came up with a complex, layered design and prepared both hand-carved wood blocks and hand-cut pochoir stencils for her textile printing.

Amy wrote in her application, “Each iconic image…will be inspired by those utilized in this treasured, historic, Norwegian antecedent.”

She mimicked the colors of the original tapestry with several botanical inks and dyes, including ochres harvested on a recent drive from San Diego, California, to the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York.

With color and symbols she added layers of meaning.

The finished piece:

Amy has a broad art education and work background. She majored in Fine Art for both her undergraduate and graduate degrees, worked in the art departments of two magazine publishing companies and an advertising agency, and finished her formal career with over two decades as an art educator in public and private schools. She is skilled in several media, and especially enjoys drawing, painting, print and book making, ceramics, jewelry, puppetry, and animation. And fiber! Amy remembers two special textile mentors. She remains grateful to her junior high school Home Economics teacher who taught her to pin, cut, sew and iron a garment made from a paper pattern. Later, she felt blessed to be introduced to both dyeing and and the beauty of tapestry weaving by her professor, Margaret Kilbuck Johansen (1921-2004).

Amy Axen pulled together her Baldishol design into layers of meaning, a joyful re-assemblage of symbols from the Medieval tapestry, using skills from her rich and varied career. And despite the current challenges and constraints of the pandemic, she wrote, “Now, in “retirement,” each day I awaken to continue to create and I love every moment of it, just as I always have.”

During the summer of 2020, follow along with stories of the artists and several virtual experiences during the Norway House exhibit, The Baldishol: A Medieval Tapestry Inspires Contemporary Textiles.

Jonna Gjevre: Baldishol Birds to Sheep

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By Robbie LaFleur

The artists in the upcoming exhibition, “The Baldishol: A Medieval Tapestry Inspires Contemporary Textiles,” have remarkably varied responses to the inspirational tapestry. They have taken elements of design, color, materials, and story into their own fiber art practices.

Jonna Gjevre pulled in diverse Scandinavian references when planning her Baldishol piece, “An Eye on the Past.” Four birds appear in the original tapestry: three facing forward, and one back. In Jonna’s cushion cover, she uses Norwegian stranded knitting technique to depict four sheep; again, three facing forward, and one turned away. The horned sheep designs are adapted from traditional Icelandic lopapeysa designs. The groups of colored dots around the sheep reference the background in the tapestry. She used natural dyes made from madder, indigo, chamisa, and cota (Navajo tea), echoing the historic dyes used in the tapestry.

Studying the Norwegian tapestry led Jonna to more Norwegian research. Tapestry designs in Gerhard Munthe: Norwegian Pioneer of Modernism sparked background ideas. She was looking at a collection of mitten patterns from Selbu—selbuvotter—and found a design that echos the wave-like border of the Baldishol.

Though she grew up in Minnesota, her current home in New Mexico has a strong influence on her work in fiber. The Baldishol and tapestries woven in Medieval Norway used lustrous yarn spun from indigenous spelsau sheep. The breed became nearly extinct, but was revived through conservation efforts. The yarn Jonna used in “Eye on the Past,” 100% Navajo-Churro wool from northern New Mexico, came from an old sheep variety, too. She wrote,

Having grown up on a sheep farm in northern Minnesota, I’ve long had an interest in the societal significance of wool production and textile arts. In this piece, I’m using naturally dyed wool from Navajo-Churro sheep. Due to culturally imperialistic government interference between 1860 and 1930, this rare, desert-hardy breed was slaughtered in great numbers and nearly rendered extinct. Through the efforts of a few dedicated Diné (Navajo) shepherds and other conservationists, these sheep—deeply significant to Native American communities in the southwest—were saved. The Navajo-Churro Sheep Association was formed in 1986, its aim to protect this rare breed from becoming a memory.

During her research, Jonna turned up a reference to the Baldishol in another medium, Norwegian postage stamps.

Jonna’s lifelong passion for fiber arts started on a sheep farm in Minnesota, and grew to include a passion for words. With a PhD from the University of Wisconsin, she has taught creative writing in Scotland and film studies in the United States. She wrote a textile-themed novel, Arcanos Unraveled. Perhaps Jonna could take up another homage to the Baldishol Tapestry? A Medieval knight on a dappled horse–there could be a novel there!

Website: jonnagjevre.com

Nordic Notes: Articles, Exhibits, and News

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Beginning with this issue, the Norwegian Textile Letter will include a regular column to alert readers to recommended online Scandinavian textile information. I often hear of interesting articles online, and this will be a venue to share. Several times each year I learn of Scandinavian textiles in gallery or museum exhibits. This “catch-all” Nordic News column will include websites, blogs, conferences, or projects. Let me know if you have items to share!

Articles

The Journal of Dress History is the academic publication of The Association of Dress Historians. This very readable historical article from 2018 chronicles the development of bunads (regional national costumes), and their relationship to traditional peasant dress. See: Solveig Strand. “The Norwegian Bunad: Peasant Dress, Embroidered Costume, and National Symbol.” The Journal of Dress History, Volume 2, Issue 3, Autumn 2018, pp. 100-121. (The link is to the whole issue; scroll to page 100 for the article.)

Claudio Cocco traveled all the way from Arizona to study drawloom weaving with Anne Nygård at her Damaskvev studio in Bjorn, Norway. Read about Claudia’s travel and textile adventure in her extensive blog post, Damask Adventure – Weaving at the 66th Parallel. You can follow Claudia’s further weaving adventures on her blog, Vairarenbeth’s Blog, and on Instagram, where she posts under the name #teacatweaver.

Exhibits

Ann-Mari Forsberg (Sweden, 1916–1992) for Märta Måås-Fjetterström, Red Crocus hanging, 1945. Cooper Hewitt Design Museum

A trip to Milwaukee this summer is in order, to visit a major exhibit, Scandinavian Design and the U.S., 1890-1980 at the Milwaukee Art Museum, from May 15–September 7, 2020. There are a substantial number of textiles included, 32 of the total of 180. From the overview:

Scandinavian Design and the United States, 1890–1980, will be the first major international loan exhibition to examine the extensive design exchanges between the United States and the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) during the twentieth century. The exhibition will examine how both Nordic ideas about modern design and the objects themselves had an indelible impact on American culture and material life, as well as demonstrate America’s influence on Scandinavian design.

News

In Minnesota, the Scandinavian Weavers Study Group is embarking on a group project. 18 members will weave pillow tops in rosepath, inspired by Anna Östlund’s book, Från Januari blues till December röd: 18 kuddar i rosengång (From January Blues to December Reds: 18 pillows in rosepath). Watch for updates about the project on the Scandinavian Weavers blog, at scandinavianweaversmn.com.

National Exhibition of Folk Art in the Norwegian Tradition, 2019

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Each year the ribbon-winning weavings are published in The Norwegian Textile Letter, for those not lucky enough to visit the National Exhibition of Folk Art in the Norwegian Tradition at the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah, Iowa.

Laura Demuth, Gold Medalist
Decorah, IA
Best in Show

This is a traditional Rutevev Wall Hanging. I simply love to sit in front of my loom with yarn in my hands creating a textile. Weaving rutevev is particularly pleasing, involving simple geometric patterns and an appealing rhythm. The weaving process offers a certain peace and structure to any day. I have been weaving and working with wool for over 40 years. I am especially drawn to traditional textiles. Although I am not Norwegian, I greatly appreciate Vesterheim’s textile collection as a continual source of inspiration. Laura Demuth

Wendy Stevens
Decorah, IA
People’s Choice

This is a 6-shaft danskbrogd weaving. I have been weaving since 1976. I have been fortunate to have taken numerous classes at Vesterheim including Jan Mostrom’s class in danskbrogd last fall. Renting an 8-harness loom at Vesterheim for the month of January allowed me to continue to experiment with this technique. Wendy Stevens

Lisa Torvik
St, Paul, MN
“Better than Lawn, My Garden”
White Ribbon

This contemporary wall hanging is done on a warp set up for traditional tavlebragd (monk’s belt) technique with traditional treading and untraditional use of inlay color. This piece is inspired by a painting of our house done by my husband. When I sat down to work on this warp, I got the idea of weaving our yard, front to back. Starting at the bottom with the rain garden on our boulevard, through plantings of tulips, lilies, cone flowers, crabapple trees, various iris, coral bells—-well you get the idea. Then our tiny back lawn through the seasons and our back gardens with hosta just about everywhere. I am a native of Decorah, grew up running around the museum and was exposed there and elsewhere to traditional and contemporary textiles. I started weaving, knitting and sewing when I was young, took some classes here and studied weaving for a year in Norway. Now, finally, I have time to weave again. Lisa Torvik

Carol Culbertson
Evansville, WI
Honorable Mention

This traditional piece was woven to be a 32.5” x 16” table runner. This is an example of danskbrogd bound weave. The inspiration from this work came to me while taking a weaving class at Vesterheim in July 2018. One of the students had an example of Danskbrogd with her. I was instantly drawn to this technique. By the time I finished the class, it was time to make a table runner for the Christmas holidays. After experimenting with patterns from class and others I had seen at the museum, this piece emerged. My 4 year old great-granddaughter saw this weaving on the loom and excitedly announced “Christmas” so it is called “Grace’s Christmas” in her honor. After weaving in the Navajo tradition for 10 years, I was introduced to weaving in the Norwegian tradition 4 years ago when given a wall hanging by a family member. Since then I have been driven to learn more about Norwegian traditional weaving techniques. Carol Culbertson

Carol Culbertson
Evansville, WI
Red ribbon

This piece was woven to be a 27” x 14.5” table runner. It is an example of krogbragd bound weave. My inspiration for this piece comes from weaving I have seen in the museum’s collection as well as weaving brought into classes by other weavers. It was an experiment on my part of using only three colors with single point krokbragd pattern elements. Several trials of a variety of patterns were tried before this sequence was determined. It was a challenging process turning the multicolored patterns into the three color runner I wanted. Carol Culbertson

Corwyn Knutson
Roseville, MN
Red ribbon

This contemporary handwoven, hand knotted rya is based on northern Norway Boat Rya Wall Hanging. I studied with Syvilla Bolson of Decorah and at College of Art and Design in Toronto. I’ve been weaving Norwegian textiles for 20 plus years. Corwyn Knutson

Helen Scherer
Shawnee, KS
White ribbon

This traditional woven wall hanging or åklæ, is in a single interlock square-weave tapestry technique known as rutevev. The overall design was created by arranging several major traditional motifs, including eight-petaled roses, knots, a lily, and crosses with a hint of overall diamond, plus rows of crosses (korsbord), lightning (lynild) and hag’s teeth (kjerringtenner). The motifs were described in Katherine Larson’s book, The Woven Coverlets of Norway, and other elements in written documentation by Lila Nelson. I took a Rutevev class as part of Vesterheim’s 2011 Textile Tour and having discovered how slow and frustrating it could be, wanted more practice and familiarity with the traditional elements. Weaving has been a hobby for over a decade, and weaving in the Norwegian tradition is a very pleasant way of remembering my mother, who was quite skilled in both weaving and knitting. Helen Scherer

Lisa-Anne Bauch
Bloomington, MN
Honorable mention

Nordic folk arts are simple, using basic materials found in the Northern environment. However, they are also complex including a thousand variations on traditional colors and materials, motifs and techniques. My goal in weaving “Colors of the North II” was to express both aspects. I chose three primary colors—red, blue, and yellow—found in folk arts throughout the North, including Scandinavia, Finland, and the lands of the Sami peoples. The colors are bold, cheerful, and almost childlike in their simplicity, but the small variations in the size of the stripes and placement of the colors hint at a potential complexity. Although woven in a contemporary style, this rug is my homage to the folk artists of old. I am a weaver whose work explores traditional Nordic weave structures in a contemporary color palette. I have studied traditional techniques at the Weavers Guild of Minnesota, where I am a member of the Scandinavian Weavers Study Group. Lisa-Anne Bauch

Vladimira Fillion-Wackenreuther: Dress Me Up

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“Dress Me Up.” 24.5” W (+ 3.5” long fringes) x 16″ H

1. What is your artistic background? My entire life I have been creating through needlepoint, sewing, embroidery, quilting and patchwork. My grandmother was a professional dress maker and I was exposed from the time I was a toddler to needles, fabrics and fashion. Later in life, in 2008, I became interested in the Fibre Arts. I learned to spin yarn and weave tapestry. From that time I have woven many tapestries and I became a member of the Canadian Tapestry Network, the American Tapestry Alliance and Arts Council of Surrey, BC, Canada. I took courses at Capilano University in BC where I studied weaving, dyeing and design at the Textile Art department. I reside in British Colombia, Canada. My work has been displayed at many exhibitions throughout Canada, United States and Australia.

2. What is your creative process when you weave a tapestry? Designs for my tapestries emerge from the books that I’m reading, from the different subjects of the stories, and many times from studying the themes for exhibitions I would like to enter. Some of my tapestries grow from the color or the color combinations which appeal to my feeling to view the world through naïve fantasy. I work with collages of different photos and with swatches of paper. The drawing is only the undeveloped idea and through the process of weaving, I eliminate, add and alter the tapestry as if it’s talking to me. I spin and dye most of the yarn for my project.

3. Were you familiar with the Baldishol tapestry before this exhibit? Yes. When studying Tapestry weaving at Capilano University in British Colombia, which was one part of the Textile Art program, we were going through the history and the origin of famous tapestries around the world.

4. What draws you to the original Baldishol tapestry? What fires your imagination? I love Naïve Art and many of my tapestries that I create reflect this style. I found so many small details, beautiful color combination and I was researching for more information about it through the internet. I purchased the book from Norwegian Tapestries by Aase Bay Sjovold for further information.

Paper doll-like headgear accompanied by the wave-like border of the original tapestry

5. How did your piece reinterpret the original? I was curious about the design of the clothing at the time the original tapestry was designed; this was the base for my reinterpretation. I reinterpreted the original tunics and made them like paper clipping art.

6. How did your piece challenge your technical and artistic skills? I weave some of my tapestries from the back and some from the front. The Baldishol tapestry was made with great technical skill of the weavers so my choice for weaving the piece from the back was easy.

Vladimira wove from the back

I wove on a vertical loom from the side. Because I planned to weave with many details, I warped my loom the first time with a sett of 12 EPI. I decided to use Norwegian Spelsau yarn,which I mostly hand dyed with Cushings dyes. After weaving couple of inches I had to change the sett to 10 EPI and rewarp the loom again.

The image is woven on its side.

As the progress of the weaving was going I had to make some adjustments in my primary design–sometimes for technical reasons, sometimes for new ideas when the tapestry spoke to me differently. I use pick and pick often, so that wasn’t a problem, but a special “jagged” technique for the jagged looking effect I used only once on one of my tapestries and this was really challenging for me. It is also a challenge to work with a cartoon, which I designed on graph paper. I love all these new challenges!

the tapestry cartoon

7. What do you wish we knew about the original tapestry and its makers? I would like to know exactly the time when the original tapestry was woven (this was very important part of my study about the clothing). What was the warp sett on the loom and which type of wool was to use for the warp? How many weavers were working on the tapestry and for how long? Who did the design for this one and for other tapestries? What is the appearance of the colors of the weft today because the yarn was dyed many years ago with natural dyes? It is a real pity that we have only a fragment of the original longer weaving.

See more of Vladimira Fillion-Wackenreuther’s work at: vladimiratapestry.com, and see “Dress Me Up” in Minneapolis in the summer of 2020.

***The Baldishol: A Medieval Norwegian Tapestry* Inspires *Contemporary Textiles***

June 26-August 30, 2020 Norway House, Minneapolis, Minnesota Opening Party: Friday, June 26, 2020, 5-8 pm

Inspired by the Baldishol Tapestry

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The previous issue of The Norwegian Textile Letter included articles on the Baldishol Tapestry and a Call for Art for the exhibit of Baldishol-inspired textile works to be held at Norway House in Minneapolis, Minnesota, beginning in June, 2020.

The Baldishol: A Medieval Norwegian Tapestry Inspires Contemporary Textiles

June 26-August 30, 2020
Norway House, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Opening Party: Friday, June 26, 2020, 5-8 pm

There is Still Room for Your Creativity

The response to the Call for Art has been outstanding; nearly 20 entries have been accepted–from the U.S., Canada, and England so far–all with thoughtful interpretation based on the theme, design elements, colors, or technique of the original.

Consider creating a piece for this show; space is available for up to 35 Baldishol-inspired works. Registration is open until December, or until the space if filled.

A Few Examples of Work Underway

Garment-maker and Quilter Laurie Bushbaum is creating an appliquéd and quilted coat inspired by the April man, a seed bearer. Look for transformed vines and flowers from the Baldishol Tapestry, medieval text, and even pockets to bear future seeds. Deborah Lawson was also inspired by the tunic of the April man, and will be re-creating his bell-sleeved tunic in hand-woven silk, with tablet-woven edges in a design that echos the border of the Baldishol Tapestry. She wrote, “I am attempting to replicate the feel of the original tunic while using modern sensibilities to expand on it.”

Deborah Lawson has started dyeing silk for her Baldishol exhibit piece

Do you see the spots on the Baldishol horse? They will appear again on wide stripes in shades of indigo in a wool rug by Jan Mostrom, and on a thick pile rya by Katherine Buenger.

Melanie Groves was intrigued by the calendar aspect, and will create a 3-dimensional felted panel for another month: Sólmánuður (sun month), the third month of summer in the old Norse calendar. It will include a Viking longboat, a solar image, and a tessellation of fish. Lisa Bauch will represent the months of April and May from the Baldishol Tapestry with two long, narrow rugs (16” x 9’). Their abstract designs will be based on the color relationships in the original tapestry.

Medieval techniques and materials are integral to many pieces. Kelsey Skodje’s embroidery on linen will include floss spun with a medieval-style drop spindle.

A wide range of textile techniques are represented, including fabric block-printed designs using botanical inks and dyes by Amy Axen, and mixed media textile collage by Amy Ropple.

Appropriate to an exhibit honoring the Baldishol Tapestry, several tapestries will be featured. Vladimira Fillion-Wackenreuther is using traditional Norwegian billedvev (tapestry) technique, design, yarn, and colors for her tapestry. See this clever concept sketch of the men and their costumes in “Dress Me Up.

Lindsey Marshall designed a tapestry banner after learning that the Baldishol fragment may have been part of a long frieze. In her concept sketch, the wings at the end reference the Baldishol birds.

The Baldishol Tapestry is a physical embodiment of a past time. Sally Reckert will weave with Scandinavian rare breed wool warp and weft using Norwegian tapestry techniques in an image that brings the Baldishol to today. The horse, birds, and standing person from the Baldishol are joined by children marching behind the horse for action on climate change. Mark your calendar–you’ll want to see her sketch turned into a timeless tapestry.

More information: Call for Art

For inspiration, see these articles in the Norwegian Textile Letter: “Baldisholteppe: A Treasure from the Middle Ages;” “The Baldishol Tapestry in the White House,” which originally appeared in the Kulturhistorisk Leksikon (Cultural History Encyclopedia), published by Fylkesarkivet i Sogn og Fjordane (the County Archives of Sogn and Fjordane); and “The Baldishol Tapestry–The White House Replica and Others.”

Call for Art:The Baldishol Exhibit

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The Baldishol: A Medieval Norwegian Tapestry Inspires Contemporary Textiles

The exhibit: June 26-August 30, 2020
Norway House, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Opening Party: Friday, June 26, 2020, 5-8 pm

Most people aware of weaving traditions in Norway (or Europe) have seen an image of the famous Baldishol Tapestry. This tapestry textile fragment, depicting the months of April and May, was discovered in Norway in 1879 when a church was torn down. It is now recognized as one of the earliest European tapestries.

This Norwegian historical treasure has been replicated many times. The Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah, Iowa, alone has three full-sized copies. A group of Norwegian-American women presented one to Mrs. Calvin Coolidge in 1926, in honor of the Norse-American Centennial celebrated the year before. Many students in Scandinavian weaving schools in past decades wove copies of the head of “April man.”

The head of “April Man,” unknown weaver. Tapestry owned by Carol Johnson, Minneapolis

Now it is your turn, as a contemporary artist, to be inspired by the Baldishol Tapestry.

We are looking for original weavings and other art works in fiber that look to the Baldishol Tapestry for inspiration, not replication, for a textile art exhibit at Norway House in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the summer of 2020. Sponsors include Norway House, the Weavers Guild of Minnesota, the Textile Center of Minnesota, and the Norwegian Textile Letter. The purpose of the exhibit is to highlight the talent and creativity of textile artists, internationally, while educating Norway House audiences about the famous Norwegian tapestry.

Examine the rich images of the April and May panels. Elements of the images could be woven, perhaps in multiples—birds? The dots of the horses? The designs of the bands? Could you weave cloth and make the tunic of one of the figures? Or make the shoes, or the helmet? Could you imagine the characters in a different time period, sowing seeds or going to war? If the Baldishol tapestry was only two months of a longer frieze, what would have happened on other panels? How are you inspired?

Prizes! Works in The Baldishol: A Medieval Norwegian Tapestry Inspires Contemporary Textiles will be judged before the opening by Karen Searle, noted Minnesota artist, and Laurann Gilbertson, Curator of the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum.

First Prize: $250
Second Prize: $100
People’s Choice (To be given following the exhibit): $50

Details and dates

This show will be curated by a group from Norway House and the Weavers Guild of Minnesota. To be included, you must submit an application. Art works, which must be original and executed by the artist, will be accepted into the show based on relevance to the theme as well as overall concept, design, and technique.

Applications will be taken from March 1-December 15, 2019, or until the exhibit space is filled. The piece does not need to be completed for approval of the concept. Applications will be processed within 6 weeks of receipt. Approved pieces should be delivered to Norway House between June 8-June 20, 2020.

The application form is here.

Cost: The application fee is $25, to help defray administrative costs (to be paid upon acceptance).

Sales: Items may be for sale, but transactions are the responsibility of the artist, not Norway House (due to is tax status). Details will be available in the acceptance letter.

An Exhibit Catalog will be published and available for purchase.

Questions? contact Robbie LaFleur at lafleur1801@me.com. The curatorial committee: Max Stevenson and Rachael Barnes from Norway House; and Claire Most, Sara Okern, Lisa Ann Bauch, Lisa Torvik, and Robbie LaFleur from the Weavers Guild of Minnesota.

Norwegian Textile Letter

Archives

Norwegian Folk Art: The Migration of a Tradition (Introduction)

Geometric Textiles of the 18th and 19th Centuries

See the 11-page beautifully-illustrated section here. https://norwegiantextileletter.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/migration-geometric.pdf

See also these articles: Migration of a Tradition: Tapestry Images and Migration of a Tradition: Norwegian Folk Dress in America.