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Norwegian Woodcarving
Coon Valley, WI
Welcome to Nordic Fest!
A gold medal for woodcarving? You won’t find it at the Olympics. If you want to compete for this gold medal, you’ll have to go to Decorah, Iowa, to the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum. Welcome to Nordic Fest!
Every summer, Norwegian-American artists and those who love their art come to Decorah for Nordic Fest. It’s a time for the community of Decorah to celebrate and to highlight Scandinavian traditions.
Vesterheim doesn’t just celebrate Scandinavian traditions. It helps them to continue. Throughout the year, Norwegian and Norwegian-American artists teach classes on rosemaling, woodcarving, knife making, and other Scandinavian crafts.
Serious Dedication
Becky took her first class at Vesterheim when she was a teenager. Now she’s an instructor there! There was a lot of hard work during those years in between.
“You have to be dedicated. You can’t just carve in the classes,” Becky says. “You need to carve on your own. You have to take it seriously.”
For those trying to seriously pursue an art, Becky has some advice to offer. Find a group or organization of people who do the same thing.
“I need to get together with other people who are doing the same thing, so I don’t feel alone. It makes you feel connected, knowing there are other people trying to do the same thing you are. Woodcarving is an isolated thing. You’re by yourself, and you have to concentrate, so there’s not a lot of room for other people to be coming through and interrupting.”
Nobody ever said it was easy to be a gold medal woodcarver!
In Your Community
Who are the people in your neighborhood who love making beautiful things? Do they work with wood too, like Becky? Do they connect their art to their heritage? Ask questions and find out!
For more information about Norwegian art traditions in Wisconsin and Iowa, go to Resources for Students.
For Educators:
"It makes you feel connected, knowing there are other people trying to do the same thing you are."
– Becky Lusk
Home | Search | The Artists | Teaching | Hiring | About This Site | Contact Us