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100 Years of Finnish Independence
1917-2017
Exhibitions at the Nordic Center
The New Nordic Art Show
Paper Cut Artist Torben Jarlstrøm Clausen from Odense, Denmark
News, Updates, & Reflections
Pepperkakebyen 2016
Jardar Johansen Christmas Concert
Nordic Center Performers Invited to Norway
Duluth Builds its Own Wooden Lapstrake “Viking” Ship
Folk and Traditional Artists Showcase at Minnesota State Arts Board
Our Family Sings
Join the Nordic Center’s New Intergenerational Choir!
SunFUNdays for Kids
Nordic Crafts for Children & Families
Enriching Lives Through
The Arts, Education, and Public Forums
CREATE /// LEARN /// EXPLORE
www.nordiccenterduluth.org - - - www.facebook.com/TheNordicCenter
OUR FAMILY SINGS: Nordic Intergenerational Choir Makes its Debut
Kristbjorg Eide
A beautiful concept was born at the Nordic Center during our 2016 Gingerbread City festivities. Like all newborns,
it was small and precious and sounded its voice for the first time. The voice was a musical one as the new concept making its
debut was the Nordic intergenerational choir–dubbed “Our Family Sings.”
Six singers, ranging in age from 4 to 40 performed Nordic inspired songs, including a number in Norwegian and Swedish.
Children added tambourine music to the keyboard accompaniment of master musician Scott Junkert. Set in the middle of
magical Gingerbread City and positioned in front of a 10-foot Christmas tree adorned with Nordic ornaments and garlands
of flags from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland–the enthusiastic group of singers entertained an audience that
filled the Nordic Center space during the afternoon of December 11. Vocalist and leader, Erika Bjerketvedt Field, was pleased
with the group’s first performance. “We will have a larger group when we perform again in May,” she said, “Several others
have signed up, but we are still trying to get the word out that we have formed this new choir. And we are open to new voices
joining us.”
The word that Erika wants to spread is that this is a group for EVERYONE. People from 3 to 103 are welcome to be choir
members. This is an opportunity to make singing in a choir a family activity, an intergenerational activity. Old folks singing
with kids–and everything in between.
Erika emphasized that, unlike performing solo, participating in a choir doesn’t require you have a beautiful singing voice.
Everyone can contribute something to the final effect of beautiful choral music. So if you’ve always wished you could sing,
but have felt unsure of your ability, this may be the group for you.
The music is Nordic–so whether you just like Nordic themes or have some direct ties to Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark,
or Iceland –“Our Family Sings” may also appeal as a way to develop your cultural and heritage interests. Rumors have it that
some Icelandic ukulele players may enter the mix at the next concert.
The children at this concert were dressed in authentic busserull shirts made by last spring’s Nordic Center Folk Arts classes.
Other members donned their Norwegian sweaters, adding Scandinavian warmth to the group’s appearance. More people
joining the group will add even more warmth and positive Nordic energy. Youth novelist Sarah Dessen once wrote, “Music is
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Perhaps this new year is a good time to get out and unite with others in your family and community through music.
To learn more about how you can be a part of “Our Family Sings”– the new intergenerational Nordic choir,
please contact its leader Erika directly at [email protected] or 320-766-9525.
Rehearsals for the next concert begin Monday, March 6, from 5:30 to 6:30pm and will be held every Monday
thereafter at that same hour. Please contact Erika NOW and make your plans to join the choir!
1 00 years o f F i n n i sh In d e p e n d e n c e
Li sa Fit z patr i c k
Finland is an unusual country.
It is unique in that it has a linguistic and cultural history of several
thousand years, but is a young country politically. Finland celebrates
its 100th anniversary this year December 6, 2017. Throughout the
short history of Finland as a nation, it has defined itself through the
arts, culture, nature, and language.
As Finnish national identity was emerging in the early 1800s, Adolf
Ivar Arwidsson famously said, “Swedes we are not, Russians we will
not become, so let us be Finns.” Applied art/design, music, and love
of nature have shaped the culture and the economy in Finland since
the late 19th century. Thus, they have become an integral aspect of
the identity and international image of Finland.
Contemporary Finnish fashion designer Paola Suhonen (Ivana
Helsinki)--“The Finnish identity includes a beautiful melancholy
undercurrent. Its elements are a close connection with nature and the
contrasts of the changing seasons.”
The Nordic Center will be celebrating 100 years of Finland's independence throughout 2017!
Tervetuloa!
Ladies of Kaleva Celebrate Kalevala Day!
Sunday, Febuary 26, 2017
Kenwood Lutheran Church (2720 Meyers Ave.)
@1:00-3:00pm
Presentation about the Kalevala – Tori marketplace – Finnish bake sale
Free will offering – All are welcome!
NEW: From Duluth to Minneapolis: 4North: New Work by Aliso Aune, Ann Kelfstad,
Arna Renanna and Kirsten Aune will be the featured exhibition at Norway House in
Minneapolis, opening May 18, 2018. This group exhibition had its start at the Nordic Center
(2012) and has since travelled to The Vesterheim Museum, (2013-2014) The Sons’ of Norway
National Convention at the DECC and at UMD during the production of Ibsen’s
A Doll’s House (2014), and most recently at the Duluth Art Institute (2016-2017).
SunFUNdays!
Art for Children of All Ages: Everyone is welcome to join together for three community art making
workshops at the Nordic Center with art professor Alison Aune, her UMD art education
students, and special guests. Note the times!
February 12: Nordic Hearts. 1:00-3:30pm. Just in time for Alla hjärtans dag (Valentines Day) crafts!
March 19: New Nordic for Kids of All Ages. 1-3:30 Guest artist-curator Jill Johnson will lead an
intergenerational art workshop making simple Viking rune design prints. Participants will learn
about the New Nordic exhibition on display and find about contemporary Nordic art in Minnesota.
April 23: Dansk Papirklip with Torben Jarlstrøm Claussen.
Note Time: 3-4:30pm. Learn about the wonderful world of Danish paper cutting with guest Torben
Claussen. He will talk about his work on display at the Nordic Center and teach paper cutting techniques that he has developed out of an old Danish tradition. Mr. Clausen comes from Odense in
Denmark, which is the birth town of the famous fairytale writer and papercut artist Hans Christian
Andersen. Claussen writes: “Throughout the workshop, participants will experience the very best of
cutting paper - including the moment where the paper is unfolded, the happy paper cut people
emerge, and the magic occurs.”
Clausen will join professor Aune and her students for pre-performance paper cutting workshops for children
at UMD as part of the UMD Theater matinee performances of HC Anderson’s The Little Mermaid on
April 22 and April 22 from 12-12:45.
Disney's The Little Mermaid:
Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Howard Ashman & Glenn Slater
Book by Doug Wright
Directed by Kate Ufema, musical directed by Andy Kust
Apr 13-14 & 19-22 @ 7:30pm
Apr 15, 22 & 23 @ 1pm
Marshall Performing Arts Center - Mainstage Theatre
Reserved seating
School of Fine Arts Ticket Office
1215 Ordean Court
Duluth, MN 55812-3041
218-726-8561
218-726-8877
the
new nordic art show
January 27 - March 18
March 18, 2017: CLOSING RECEPTION AND GALLERY TALK @7:00PM
The New Nordic Art Show aims to integrate the artwork
of numerous regional artists into the realm of “new classics,”
work conceived in the belly of the mother country,
but birthed in the art world of today.
The exhibition, which features Scandinavian-inspired work with nouveau twists,
highlights the work of Marlene Wisuri, Elise Forer, Kristi Kuder, Michael J. Strand,
Justin R. M. Anderson, and others.
Originally exhibited at the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center, this annual show
of contemporary Nordic-American arts, currated by Jill Johnson, will be
traveling throughout the year.
MARCH 19: INTERGENERATIONAL RUNE PRINTING
WITH JILL JOHNSON @1:00 - 3:30PM
Pepperkakebyen: The 5th year of Gingerbread City of Duluth was again another success with
beautiful houses, craft making, cookie eating, and cider sipping! It was very Hygge (cozy)!
Thank you Ameripride for providing the wonderful red carpets, Nordic Center Board members, Sons’ of Norway Volunteers, UMD art education students, and all our friends who helped keep the Gingerbread City open for one month! Please
help us make 2017 another success! Volunteers are always welcome!
A special thank you goes to the Duluth Art Institute (DAI) for sponsoring the Nordic Crafts Day at the
Nordic Center which was very well received! The workshop was help in conjunction with the DAI
exhibition 4North exhibition.
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Jardar Johansen and his band of musicians (keyboards, bass, and flute) from Tromsø Norway.
The concert was at full capacity at Prøve Gallery on Saturday November 26, 2017. It was a magical night and his music
and stories of Norwegian Christmas traditions and memoires brought many people to tears!
Jardar Johansen is considered one of Northern Norway’s foremost performers, known from concerts, albums,
TV and theatre. His magnificent voice and musical style included a broad spectrum of genres
and the crowd thanked him with standing ovation! Special thanks to Taylor Kline at Prøve Gallery,
Cheryl Reitan for PR help, the Koenig-Hagen Family for set up and take down, and to Leif Hinkel
who helped with sound system.
Join us as we welcome Paper Cut Artist Torben Jarlstrøm Clausen from Odense, Denmark
on Friday April 21th for the opening reception of his exhibition at 7pm!
My universe of paper cut people. I have created a universe of paper cut people. Through my paper cuts, I’m telling the story of the paper cut
people, who are trapped deep inside the paper, before I start cutting and creating their shapes and sizes. As an artist, I can sense that the
papercut people are caught in their sadness within the paper. They are unfulfilled and have something in their lives that weigh them down. After
I start cutting, they are all cut loose and given the freedom to travel around in this wonderful and diverse world, we live in.
Torben Jarlstrøm Clausen
Clausen will join professor Aune and her students for pre-performance paper cutting workshops for
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Mermaid on April 22 and April 22 from 12-12:45.
Duluth builds its own
wooden lapstrake "Viking" ship
FRIDAY, MARCH 10: JOIN US at the nordic center
FOR A PROJECT PRESENTATION, FUNDRAISER & RAFFLE
@ 7:00pm
Carpenter, educator, and boat builder John Finkle is laying the keel of Burr Oak for a
Norsk Færing in the "Magic Smelt"/Justin R. M. Anderson Studio at 134 West 1st Street.
Come along and see–and perhaps help out! A traditional wooden boat is being built!
Finkle has built a handful of small Scandinavian in-shore craft and worked as shipwright
on the Tall Ship Clearwater of Kingston , NY.
This fall he participated in an intensive boat building study in
Nordheimsund, Hardangerfjord, Norway.
This "clinker" type of traditional craft will use hand forged copper roves and rivets, cedar
planks or "strakes" and ribs of naturally curved white-oak ribs. Much of the work will be
done with hand tools.
Come and visit and explore an ancient boat building tradition brought to our time and shore!
Projected launch: early June 2017
Contact John: [email protected]
Swedish Goings-on Around Town!
Svensk Samtal: Swedish Conversation continues! Glenn Peterson is the contact person
(728-5285) Meetings are Mondays at 1:30 at First Lutheran Church.
Cost is a $2.00 donation each meeting.
Svenska Sångarna: Sing in Swedish! Practices are at Holy Cross Lutheran Church on
Arlington Rd at 6:30 on Thursdays. Contact Mary Johnson for more information:
[email protected] or 218-481-7632
Swedish Cultural Society Programming 2017:
Regular meetings are held at 2:30 PM on the third Sunday of February, March,
April, May, September, October and November.
Our current meeting location is the Fellowship Hall at
Bethany Lutheran Church, 2308 West 3rd St. in Duluth, MN
Winter/Spring 2017:
February 19: Carin Skoog: “A Lifetime of Swedish Influence”
March 19: Pat Mast: “Swedish Architectural Traditions in a New Country;
Renovation of Farfar and Farmor’s Upper Michigan Farmstead”
April 23: June Nyberg: Stories & Painting Characters from Swedish Literature
(4th Sunday since Easter is the 3rd Sunday)
May 21: Svenska Sångarna concert Holy Cross Lutheran Church
June: Midsommar date and location to be determined
Meetings are open to the public
Membership is $15 per person/per year payable in February.
Questions?
Betty Selnes, Vice President/Membership: 218-525-4438
Folk and Traditional Artists Showcase at Minnesota State Arts Board
Carol Colburn
The Minnesota State Arts Board offices are located at the
Park Square Court building on Mears Park in Lowertown,
St. Paul. It was there that the Nordic Center participated in
the St. Paul Art Crawl - October 14, 15, 16, 2016. During
the city-wide Art Crawl, the Minnesota State Arts Board
invited the public into their offices and board rooms for
weaving and woodcarving demonstrations, music and
dance performances, textile and silversmith displays, films,
and more.
The Nordic Center was invited to take part in this Showcase as a recipient of a Minnesota State Arts Board Grant
in support of the Folk Art Series (titled “Packing Our
Immigrant Trunk”) held at the Nordic Center in April,
2015. The Arts Crawl weekend consisted of a kalideoscope of events. Friday evening at the opening reception
in St. Paul, I watched a performance of Kalpulli Ketzalcoatlicue, a Twin Cities Aztec dance group, and a film
produced by the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe on the Jungle
Dress Tradition. An exhibit of folk art representing many
Minnesota groups including Somali, Anishinaabe/Ojibwe, Karan Hill Tribe, and more celebrated with a public
opening that weekend and will stay on display until February. A catalog of the exhibit includes photographs and
descriptions of the fifteen Folk and Traditional Arts grantees that have received support from the Minnesota State
Arts Board from 2013 – 2016.
Representing the Nordic Center, my contribution to the
St. Paul Art Crawl weekend was a demonstration and
exhibit of my Scandinavian heritage clothing construction
techniques. The ongoing exhibit in the Park Square Court
building includes three of my Norwegian styled work
shirts (busseruller) such as those that were made in our
Folk Art Series workshop “Sewing a Traditional Busserull;
Nordic Heritage Shirt.” I was very pleased to take part in
the Arts Crawl weekend and to have my work featured as
part of the exhibit. The events at the Minnesota State Arts
Board gathered many cultural groups together to celebrate
the strength of Folk Arts as a means of connecting and
communicating. All together, it was a great experience to
be there and to see the cultural programming at the Nordic
Center as part of the wider mosaic of cultural groups from
across the state.
Nordic Center Performers Invited to Norway
Kristbjorg Eide
Midsummer in Norway is a beautiful time of year when
the sun never sets. And this year nine dedicated and
talented Duluthians will experience just that.
On the evening of June 22, the cast of The Uprooting play
will perform in Tysvær, Norway, a town located between
Bergen and Stavanger on Norway’s rugged west coast.
The play tells the true story of the first organized group of
Norwegians who left Norway in 1825 to escape extreme
hardship and religious persecution. They later became
known as the Sloopers because they made their voyage
across the Atlantic on a very small sloop – and, miraculously, all survived.
The Nordic Center was the hatching ground for this exciting venture: four of the cast members first met in a Norwegian language class, several others attended or taught
cultural and arts classes at the Nordic Center, and others
have served as enthusiastic volunteers to make our
programs successful. Thanks to the Nordic Center’s ties to
organizations like the Sons of Norway, Arrowhead
Regional Arts Council, and the Cleng Peerson Farm in
Texas, The Uprooting has already had three performances.
Most recently, when we performed the play in Texas, the
audience included a group of 40 goodwill ambassadors
from the community of Tysvær, home to many of the
original 1825 Sloopers. And an invitation to bring The
Uprooting production to Norway followed.
Traveling to the home of Nordic ancestors is a dream
come true for individual cast members whose heritage
ranges from being 100% Norwegian to being Swedish and
even Lithuanian. “The first time we gathered as a cast, we
talked about taking our play to Norway. At the time, I was
expressing a fantasy. Now, it’s becoming an exciting
reality,” echoed one cast member.
The troupe will land in Bergen on June 15 and make their
way to the island of Karmøy where they will be greeted by
Norwegian hosts who have offered them homestays. The
itinerary will include a visit to the historic Cleng Peerson
house and the original homes and places of worship of the
characters portrayed in The Uprooting play. Also on the
schedule is boarding the new replica of the sloop Restauration – so the cast can experience firsthand the tight quarters their characters endured during their 100-day journey
to America. Then, of course, there is the performance in
a large state-of-the-art theater in Tysvær, a reception afterwards, and then several days of participating in local
midsummer events with Norwegian community members
-- many of whom are descended from the very characters
we are bringing back to Norway fully costumed in their
1825 garb.
Every member of The Uprooting cast has worked and
saved and bought their own airfare to make this dream
come true. We are taking time off from work to follow
this collective dream. And we are determined to reward
our Norwegian hosts by bringing the finest version of
The Uprooting play that we are capable of performing.
To cover the costs of printing programs, renting costumes,
hiring local technical support for our production, and
getting around when in Norway -- we have been fundraising. We made and sold cookies at Gingerbread City; we
have worked together to write letters about our project;
and we have applied for a grant which will be decided in
April. Our efforts thus far have been rewarded, yet we
have a way to go to reach our goal. So we will continue to
reach out to all of you for support of this project.
We hope you will find it in your hearts to share in this
grassroots Nordic Center project. It may be the first of its
kind for our community – and we hope more cultural
exchanges like this one will follow to provide opportunities for everyone who has the dream of experiencing their
ancestors’ homeland.
We have been honoring our history by retelling the dream of our Norwegian ancestors. And now we are about to fulfill
our own big dream of traveling to the homeland of our ancestors. In June, 2017, we have been invited to perform The
Uprooting in Tysvær, Norway – the birthplace of Cleng Peerson and the emigrants we portray in our play. We are
packing our suitcases with costumes rented from the UMD costume shop. We have all been working extra and saving
as much as we can to ensure we can reserve plane tickets.
And now we are asking for support from you in our final push to bring the Sloopers back home to Norway. Can you
help make it possible for us to tell their story in their birthplace and honor their struggles and the resulting gift of
Nordic heritage they gave to us?
Can you help us make our dream come true?
If you would like to contribute to this dream, you may mail a donation to The NORDIC CENTER, PO Box 3051,
Duluth, MN 55803
In return for exceptional levels of support, we offer you the following:
With a $100 donation, you will receive a CD of our performance of The Uprooting play in Clifton, Texas.
With a $500 donation, you will also receive an autographed copy of The Uprooting book, which contains the script for
the play in Norwegian and English and beautifully tells the story of our exciting project (a $30 value).
THANK YOU, TUSEN TAKK from the cast of The Uprooting
The NORDIC CENTER is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For gifts over $50, you will receive a thank you letter for tax
deductible charitable giving.
We hope you LOVE the Nordic Center
as much as we love you!
A team of giving people
is bringing special moments, teaching new skills, and creating a welcoming place for
you to discover your Nordic heritage all over again – and share it with others.
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are AFFORDABLE, and many are FREE.
We want to keep it that way!
To do that, we need help.
If you believe in what we are creating here in your community –
whether you’ve already visited the Nordic Center,
or plan to come and participate,
or simply want us to keep the doors open so that others can –
we hope you will give what you can to help us grow!
The Nordic Center Board:
Kristbjørg Eide
Dr. Stefan Guttormsson
Rosemary Guttormsson
Jeri Engeseth
Chris Susag
Nordic Center Staff:
Justin Anderson, Graphic Designer
Paul Heltunen, Graphic Designer
Brandon Paulson, Website Designer
Thomas Rebnord
Dr. Carol Colburn
Dr. Alison Aune
Lisa Fitzpatrick
Justin Anderson
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Yes! I want to give!
I can afford to donate:
$5
$10
$20
$50
$100
$________ (circle one)
Count me in as a support of the Nordic Center!
Enclosed is my check for $_______
Or, call me at ___________________ to get my information, so I can donate by credit card.
I understand all gifts are tax deductible.
Please mail donations to:
Nordic Center
21A N. Lake Ave
Duluth, MN 55812
Thank you!
You will receive a Thank You letter and confirmation of your donated amount for tax purposes.
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INDIVIDUAL/SUSTAINER --- $25
FAMILY --- $50
LAGOM --- $75
VIKING --- $100
EINURÐ --- $200
SISU --- $500
Register with Nordic Center Treasurer THOMAS REBNORD: [email protected]
www.nordiccenterduluth.org - - - www.facebook.com/TheNordicCenter
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:KDW·V,QVLGH"SPRING 2017 CALENDER
January 27 - March 18: New Nordic Art Show (Nordic Art Center)
Sunday, February 26: Kaleva Day Celebration
@1:00-3:00pm (Kenwood Lutheran Church, 2720 Meyers Ave.)
Monday, March 6: Our Family Sings Choir Rehearsal
@ 5:30-6:30pm (Nordic Center)
Friday, March 11: Duluth Lapstrake Community Wooden Boat Build Presentation & Project Fundraiser
@ 7:00pm (Nordic Center)
Saturday, March 18: New Nordic Art Show Closing Reception & Gallery Talk
@ 7:00pm (Nordic Center)
Friday, April 21: Exhibition Opening Reception w/ Danish Paper Cut Artist Torben Jarlstrøm Clausen
@ 7:00pm (Nordic Center)
SunFUNdays at the Nordic Center: February 12: Nordic Hearts @ 1:00-3:30pm
March 19: New Nordic for Kids of All Ages @1-3:30
April 23: Dansk Papirklip with Torben Jarlstrøm Claussen @ 3-4:30pm