Six people will become Vesterheim Folk Art School apprentices

(Left to right): Vesterheim Director of Folk Art Education Lea Lovelace, folk-art instructor Fred Livesay, folk-art instructor Harley Refsal, Vesterheim apprentice Paul Nyborg, and folk-art instructor Phil Odden

Six apprentices will participate in a new year-long instructor training program at Vesterheim's Folk Art School.

This new grant-funded initiative gives artists a chance to attend Vesterheim classes and meet up with established faculty to explore different teaching styles and experience the community and facilities of Vesterheim's Folk Art School.  James Miller, Marit Nelson, Paul Nyborg, Shawn Sersland, Stacey Ann Tilton and Jill Willems have been selected as the apprentices.

Said Vesterheim Director of Folk Art Education Lea Lovelace, "One of our goals is to potentially cultivate new instructors, but most importantly we are supporting emerging folk artists who are passionate about keeping these folk-art traditions alive. Through the program, we support them to continue their learning and find their own individual voices and teaching styles along the way."

The six people have already visited Vesterheim to kick off their year-long training.  They met with Vesterheim instructors, Vesterheim Gold Medalists, and collections and folk-art education staff. Their weekend included panel discussions and hands-on activities, exploring how to teach from Vesterheim collections and hearing personal perspectives on teaching and learning.