Reception and Artisan Presentation 4:30 – 7:30 pm
4:30-5:30: Social hour with refreshments by New Scenic Café
5:30 – 6:30: Presentations by artisans
6:30 – 7:30: Q & A and Social time
Suggested donation $5 individual; $10 per family
Sätergläntan Institute for Handcraft in Dalarna, Sweden, has trained generations of folk artisans, preserving and carrying forward age-old Scandinavian handcraft traditions in woodworking, weaving, sewing, and metalwork. The school is celebrating its 100 year anniversary and The Nordic Center is honored and excited to host this delegation from Sätergläntan. They will introduce their crafts and talk about the popular short summer courses open to international students. Please join the Nordic Center to welcome and meet the director and four lead instructors representing all areas of craft traditions.
Susanna Ayton came to weaving through the study of economic history. As she learned about the importance of textiles and so-called “women’s work,” she wanted to make that theoretical understanding practical. She found her way to Sätergläntan, the renowned Swedish school for handcraft. “What I love about weaving is the inherent magic of creating something tangible where once there were only disconnected threads,” Susanna notes. She currently works as one of two weaving teachers at Sätergläntan and has earlier worked as the head weaving teacher at Gamleby Folk School in southern Sweden.
Beth Moen has worked with wood for 40 years, both furniture and green wood. She teaches Sloyd and traditional woodcraft at Sätergläntan, Sweden’s institute for sloyd and craft. Beth says, “I love and respect the big trees that have grown for ages, before they become my material. I am fascinated with simple tools and what you can do with them. My favorite tool is absolutely the axe, so I am very happy chopping bowls!” She also likes the precision of furniture making and the beauty of nice joinery.
Johanna Runbäck is a professional seamstress and the head hand-sewing teacher at the renowned Sätergläntan Institute for Handicraft since 2010. She did her craft training at Mora Folkhögskola and Sätergläntan, and started her own company in 2008 where she sews traditional Swedish folk costumes to order. She also teaches evening sewing classes to adults in her community and advises the costume department at Rättviks Hemslöjd. Johanna has a passion for horses that borders on a lifestyle, and when not sewing, she can usually be found riding her Northern Swedish draft horse in the moonlight across the Swedish countryside.
Johan Säfström is a traditional blacksmith holding a journeyman’s certificate in the blacksmith trade and is one of two blacksmith head teachers at Sätergläntan. During his education, he himself attended Sätergläntan and also the Järnakademien. Johan has a great passion for traditional crafts, history, and ancient technology. When he is not doing crafts or teaching, he likes to be out in nature hiking in the forest or canoeing.
This visit is supported by the American Scandinavian Foundation and the Minnesota State Arts Board.
This visit is possible with coordination of North House Folk School in Grand Marais, MN and The American-Swedish Institute in Minneapolis
