Vesterheim gets grant to help bring Norwegian folk artists to Decorah

Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum has received an award from The American-Scandinavian Foundation's Andrew E. and G. Norman Wigeland Fund to help bring Norwegian folk artists to the museum to teach and lecture.

"The process of bringing Norwegian instructors to Vesterheim—with travel visas, expenses, and supplies—is complicated, and we want to be able to offer affordable classes for our students," said Vesterheim Executive Director Steve Johnson.

Two Norwegian instructors will come to Decorah in July--rosemaler Tove Ness and knifemaker Morten Hakonsen.  They will teach classes and take part in Nordic Fest.  They will also help judge the museum's "National Exhibition of Folk Art in the Norwegian Tradition," a competition and sale of woodworking, knifemaking, rosemaling, and weaving.