Hope you’re enjoying fall wherever you may be. The special Nordic events that have been happening around the country this past summer are coming to an end soon. However, there’s still a chance to experience Edvard Munch in Massachusetts, Sámi Dreams in Iowa, and Icelandic book arts and textiles in Oregon.
I highly recommend the Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth exhibit in Williamstown, MA, if you or any friends or family are anywhere nearby (last day October 15). Munch has a large body of work and might be best known for depicting emotions in figures, but my favorite paintings are his landscapes so this exhibit was right up my alley and didn’t disappoint at all. I was very impressed with how the exhibit was curated. “The exhibition is organized thematically to show how Munch used nature to convey human emotions and relationships, celebrate farming practice and garden cultivation, and explore the mysteries of the forest even as his Norwegian homeland faced industrialization.” I saw favorites presented in a new light and was introduced to new ones from private collections.
If you miss this exhibit, you can catch it November 18–April 1 in Potsdam, Germany; and April 27–August 24, 2024, in Oslo at Munchmuseet. Or consider buying the book/catalog, Edvard Munch: Trembling Earth (pictured above), that accompanies the exhibit.
Selections for Online Nordic Books Clubs, October 2023
Online book clubs continue to meet. Visit Nordic Book Club Meetings: October 2023 to see details about book selections and meeting dates.
Are you a Nordic film enthusiast in the Los Angeles area? AFI Film Fest 2023 (October 25-29 in Hollywood) will screen films from around the world, including Best International Feature Film submissions for the upcoming Academy Awards from Denmark and Finland. On October 26, you can see Finland’s Fallen Leaves (Kuolleet Lehdet), and on October 28, you can see Denmark’s The Promised Land (Bastarden) which will be followed by a conversation with director Nikolaj Arcel and actor Mads Mikkelsen.
And finally, Southern California readers, mark your calendars for the Norwegian Church’s annual Christmas Fair which is taking place Friday, November 10, through Sunday, November 19, in San Pedro. You will experience a Christmas atmosphere like no other with Christmas gifts for young and old, a bakery with Norwegian Christmas baked goods, a cafe with delicious food, and in addition, there will be raffles with great prizes. On the weekends, sandwiches and Norwegian hot food will be served.
What’s on your calendar for October?
Vesterheim Museum’s Benefit Auction (Oct. 7-15)
Vesterheim’s Benefit Auction is open for bidding. Proceeds from the auction benefit the Vesterheim Annual Fund in support of Vesterheim’s Folk Art School. This year, the auction includes 78 items of one-of-a-kind folk-art by artists working in the Norwegian tradition. There are also incredible getaways offered – an 8-day European River Cruise for two in 2024 from Viking and a stunning stay in Colorado.
Concert by Gangspil (Oct. 11, 7:00 p.m. CT, Free)
Join Vesterheim for the first live streamed event in the Vesterheim Commons. Danish folk duo Gangspil will take you on an entertaining and varied journey through the traditions of Danish folk music. These lively musicians perform old dance tunes and songs from every corner of their Scandinavian home country. Performing live from the newly completed Vesterheim Commons, this performance will be live-streamed and allow you to join the music-making happening in Decorah!
Cooking Class with Sunny Gandara: Spud-tacular Potatoes (Saturday, Oct. 14, 1:00 p.m. ET)
Potatoes are the lifeline of Norwegian cuisine, and many Norwegians can’t imagine what a meal would be like without them. In this class with Sunny of Arctic Grub, you’ll learn four Norwegian classic potato dishes employing four different cooking methods: Hasselback poteter (a crispy baked potato sliced into fan-shape like slices, drizzled with garlic butter and fresh herbs), purre-og potetsuppe (a creamy leek and potato soup, a classic in Norwegian cuisine and completely dairy-free), fløtegratinerte poteter (sliced potatoes baked in cream and cheese a la potatoes au gratin), and potetpannekaker (fluffy potato pancakes served with cardamom-scented sour cream and a blueberry coulis). From appetizers to dessert – this class has it all!
Handcraft at Home: Carving a Snowman (Enrollment deadline Oct. 15)
Beginning November 1 and available all month, this beginner wood carving class will allow you to create your own snowman character inspired by Olaf from Disney’s Frozen, right down to the carrot nose and stick arms. Folk Artist and Youth Educator Steph Hughes will guide and show you how to carve a wooden snowman through a warm video demonstration. The best thing about this class is that you can watch the video and open your kit materials to explore carving whenever it is most convenient for you. Enrollment Deadline: October 15, 2023
Cooking Class: Flygande Jakob and Apple Dessert (Monday, Oct. 16, 4:00 p.m. CT)
Join the Swedish American Museum for a cooking class where you will learn how to make Flygande Jakob, a Swedish chicken casserole, and an apple dessert. You will receive the recipes in advance. You can then either cook alongside or watch and try later. It is an interactive Zoom so you will be able to ask questions.
Nordic Appetizers for Autumn and Winter (Thursday, Oct. 19, 5:00 p.m. CT)
Join Vesterheim and Patrice Johnson as they celebrate the flavors of the season with an evening of Nordic appetizers. Create fun Nordic bites like salt-brined cucumbers topped with creme fraiche and honey, lingonberry-brie bites, salmon spring rolls, and other delicious appetizers. Recipes for a signature cocktail and non-alcoholic beverage will also be included. Enrollment Deadline: October 05, 2023 (still available as of publishing date)
Introduction to Joik (Saturday, Oct. 21, OR Sunday, Oct. 22, 3:00 p.m. CT)
What is a joik? What does it feel like to joik? The joik is the traditional form of Sámi song, and has its own musical rules and a very special connection to nature and all living beings. In this class with instructor Ailloš and facilitator Elisabeth Berg, you will learn about this traditional way of singing and learn a couple of joik-melodies yourself. Offered two days. Enrollment Deadline: October 12, 2023 (still available as of publishing date)
Genealogy Session with Swedish American Museum (Saturday, Oct. 28, 10:00 a.m. CT)
Dr. Joy Lintelman is a U.S. social historian specializing in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, with special interests in Swedish American immigration, food history, local history and public history. She serves as a full professor at Concordia. In addition to a number of journal articles and book chapters published over the past three decades, her book, I Go to America: Swedish American Women and the Life of Mina Anderson was released in 2009 by the Minnesota Historical Society Press. Her current research examines the urban experiences of Swedish Americans, focusing on a historic neighborhood in Minneapolis, Minnesota called East Side Flats.
Telemark-Style Rosemaling Welcome Sign (Oct. 28 & Oct. 29)
Welcome! (Or should we say Velkommen?) Come try your hand at the Telemark style of rosemaling and make a welcome sign to greet visitors to your home! The class, instructed by Lise Lorentzen, includes demonstration and plenty of hands-on practice. You will have the opportunity to choose between making a sign reading “Welcome” in English or the Norwegian “Velkommen.” This class is designed for beginning painters with previous experience, as well as more advanced painters and will be taught using acrylic paints. A complete kit of materials shipped to your home (a $60 value) containing paints, brushes, woodenware, and more is included in the cost of registration. Enrollment Deadline: October 14, 2023
Scandinavian Figure Carving: Tomte (Wednesdays, Nov. 1, 8, & 15)
Interested in carving a “Scandi Classic” to help spruce up your home for the holidays? Join carver Charles Banks as together you carve a tomte, the Swedish cousin to Norway’s beloved nisse that is often associated with the winter solstice and Christmas! Students will experience the history, traditions, and steps involved in the creation of this folk art classic. Emphasis will be placed on the introduction and skillful use of traditional cuts, stylized shapes, and painting techniques to bring your tomte to life. The face design will allow for explorations of your own skill for other faces in the future. Your registration fee includes a complete kit of materials shipped to your home. Enrollment Deadline: October 18, 2023 (Currently sold out but you can be added to the waitlist.)
Which events or experiences look interesting to you?
Also happening this month is the Norwegian Church’s fundraiser 
Are you curious about the Swedish language, but not ready yet to commit to a multi-date class? Are you looking for a quick and low-pressure way to get excited and prepare for an upcoming visit to Sweden? This two-hour introductory workshop taught by Jean Hanslin is the perfect way to get a feel for Swedish, pick up a bit of grammar, and learn how to pronounce some words as part of basic conversation.
Are you curious about the Finnish language, but not ready yet to commit to a multi-date class? Are you looking for a quick and low-pressure way to get excited and prepare for an upcoming visit to Finland? This two-hour introductory workshop taught by Joona Sundström is the perfect way to get a feel for Finnish, pick up a bit of grammar, and learn how to pronounce some words as part of basic conversation.
From Merit Emstad who designed the first Selbu mitten to emigrants from the Nordic countries, knitters made an economic impact. These women helped give a sense of national pride, they hired women who at the time could not work out of the home, they set standards for the way we read knitting patterns, and they helped restore their economies. This talk with Steph Anderson will bring light to these heroes, some of whom are famous and some who had to fight to get credit for their work. Registration required for this free event.
Try out needle felting to create a unique wool “painting” in the style of Scandinavian folk art! Students will explore the magic of needle felting to recreate a motif inspired by rosemaled designs on a flat felt base. To begin, students will learn how to stretch a felt backing onto an embroidery hoop, then use needle felting techniques to transform a beautiful array of hand-dyed roving from the instructor Laura Berlage’s own sheep. Kits ($33 value) are included in the class fee. Each kit includes felt backing, wool, and needles.
Dr. Jenni Haukio and Eliza Reid, the First Ladies of Finland and Iceland, engage in a talk with bestselling author Neil Gaiman exploring the globally captivating traditions and themes of Nordic literature, rooted in a rich cultural heritage. Notable authors in their own right, Dr. Jenni Haukio and Ms. Eliza Reid have published a number of titles in the past years on a variety of themes, including their multifaceted roles as First Ladies of their respective countries. In this conversation with fellow author and master storyteller Neil Gaiman, Dr. Haukio and Ms. Reid reflect on how literary storytelling has historically shaped the national identities of the two Nordic countries and continues to work as an essential tool in amplifying equality and democracy in contemporary societies. A livestream of the event will be available on 
Get ready for the new school year with a favorite Norwegian baked good, the skolebolle, or Norwegian School Bun! Of course, this vanilla custard flavored bun is a treat for all ages. Kristi Bissell will walk students through the cardamom flavored yeasted dough, the vanilla custard, and the rising and baking process. This lovely bake is sure to be a fall favorite for young and old alike, and students will be ready to tackle the recipe at home after this demo! This class is designed as a demonstration, so students can watch the entire process and ask questions before tackling the recipe at home at a later date.
Are you curious about the Sámi language and culture? Are you looking for a quick and low-pressure way to get excited and prepare for an upcoming visit to the north of Finland, Sweden, or Norway? This two-hour introductory workshop taught by Áila O’Loughlin is the perfect way to learn some history of the nine living dialects of Sápmi, get a feel for North Sámi, pick up a bit of grammar and learn how to pronounce some words as part of basic greetings. Families welcome!
The Lofoten Islands are a surreal seascape of soaring, snow-speckled peaks rising steeply from deep fjords, white sand beaches, and aquamarine bays. Amidst this natural splendor are historic fishing villages, small cities, and picturesque farms – all bathed in 24-hour daylight during summer months and forever changing in the moody weather of the islands’ arctic location. It’s a kayaker’s dream destination. Dan York, a lifetime paddler and traveler, will share images and stories from two kayaking expeditions he has led to these magical islands, the first in 2017 and the second in 2023. Registration required for this free event.
In this 4-day class, students will be painting a modern version of Os boxes, which can be used for all sorts of treasures. The Os style of rosemaling developed in the west coast of Norway about 1875. Annanias Tweit perfected this style and created a workshop at his farm where he and his apprentices painted tiner, sending baskets, trays, chairs, ale bowls, and delightful small boxes in the bright Os Style. They were sold in the Husflidens of Bergen and even now you can find small antique boxes from that period. A complete kit of supplies shipped to your home (a $105 value) containing paints, brushes, the wooden box, and sandpaper is included in the cost of enrollment. Enrollment Deadline: September 14, 2023
Explore the beauty and fun of beading on a loom in the Scandinavian tradition! Inspired by designs from Nordic bandweaving, this class will take you from start to finish for making your own sparkly beaded bookmark. Learn about the historic use of loom beading and how a remarkably simple process can transform seed beads into delightful designs. The class kit includes a handmade loom designed by the instructor and enough beads, silk thread, needles, and patterns to make two projects, if you wish. Enrollment Deadline: September 22, 2023
Are you ready for a new twist on tradition? Using pewter wire thread and a macramé style weave, you will create a beautiful pendant with a silver drop. Kit materials will provide you the option to create either a round or V-shaped pendant suspended from enough leather cord to accommodate your preferred necklace length, or you can use a chain of your own! No previous experience is necessary, but a willingness to use hand tools is required. Enrollment Deadline: September 27, 2023
Join Malina Bickford, National Brand Director for Sweden’s Åhus Akvavit, for a delightful fall cocktail class to celebrate the rich bounty of autumnal fruits and flavors! From juicy apples to luscious figs, you’ll discover how to transform these seasonal treasures into captivating creations. Bring your favorite aquavit! Malina Bickford will discuss Nordic folklore associated with the autumnal ingredients and guide you through creating two fruit-forward, crowd pleasing cocktails plus a spirit-free “mocktail.” Enrollment Deadline: September 29, 2023
Join Vesterheim and folk artist and culture-bearer Hege Nilsen in this webinar for a conversation exploring the traditional handcraft of the Coastal Sámi. From leatherwork, to pewter thread braiding and embroidery, to mica embellishments, you will learn about the folk art still made by this segment of Scandinavia’s indigenous people. Registration required for this free event.
Gather some tips and tricks for building a smörgåstårta, or Swedish sandwich cake, at home. This savory centerpiece uses sandwich fillings of all varieties to feed a large group with style. Kristi Bissell of 
Join Vesterheim in July for this introduction to rosemaling for the family. This program has been designed for families to experience on their own schedules. On the first of July, you will receive an email with the links and information about how to access the program. Rosemaling (or rose painting) is a decorative painting technique characterized by scrolls, leaves, and flowers and has been traditionally applied to woodenware. Several distinctive styles developed throughout Norway. You’ll learn how to try different brushstrokes, resulting in beautiful decorative painting. Your registration provides you with a kit that includes everything you need to do this family handcraft at home. Enrollment Deadline: June 16.
Explore the magic of needle felting with a delightful Dala horse image and take your colorwork skills to a new level. Dala horses have been a Swedish icon for centuries and this class will take a new spin on the traditional wooden painted form by recreating the image in wool. In this class, students will learn how to stretch a felt backing onto an embroidery hoop and keep it tight for ease of use and how to transform the beautiful array of hand dyed roving from the sheep at Laura’s farm’s into their own interpretation of the project. At the end, the instructor will offer suggestions for using or mounting the finished piece.
Join Vesterheim and writer and weaver Robbie LaFleur for a lecture on the life and work of the innovative Norwegian tapestry artist Frida Hansen (1855-1931). LaFleur spent the month of May 2019, in Stavanger, Norway, on a master artist fellowship from the American Scandinavian Foundation. Frida Hansen was famous for her monumental tapestries, but she also designed transparencies—curtains and hangings with wool warp and weft. In her signature technique, she left open unwoven areas in the weaving, making the textiles flowing and flexible. Her striking designs were enhanced by the play of light and dark with the open warps. Registration required for this free event.
Thin and soft Swedish tunnbröd (literally, thin bread) is often used for serving hot dogs in Sweden, but they are also a great base for summery wraps. Kristi Bissell of 
Join Vesterheim and tapestry weaving instructor Laura Berlage of Erindale Tapestry Studio on a deep dive into the beloved Norwegian billedvev tapestry 
Are you ready to upgrade your hot dog situation from ho-hum ketchup and mustard to something with some serious Nordic flair? Join Kristi Bissell of 
Join Vesterheim and 
From August 1-31, let the National Nordic Museum inspire you to keep moving and remain active, while having fun with your friends and family! Participants can choose between a 5K, 10K, or half-marathon challenge race. International participation is encouraged! Because this race is virtual, you can walk with your family, run with your friends, or pound the pavement solo anywhere in the world. All entrants will receive a custom Run Like A Viking T-shirt (while supplies last), racing bib, two general admission tickets (expire August 2024) to the National Nordic Museum, and a free pretzel at local favorite Skål Beer Hall.
Pancakes – one of Sweden’s most classic recipes and not just for breakfast! In fact, many Swedes eat pannkakor for dessert or fika. In this demo, Kristi Bissell of 
Whether you seek adventures in the great outdoors or prefer quiet afternoons on your deck, Vesterheim’s Nordic Camp Food class with 
Fire up the grill for a fabulous New Nordic late summer supper your guests won’t soon forget! Join Vesterheim and Kristi Bissell of 
Scandinavians have been using small grains like rye and barley since the Viking age, but how did these grains end up as part of the Norwegian Immigrant story? Join Vesterheim and expert Benji Nichols for a look back at Scandic bread culture and how a resurgence in “artisan” grains is fueling a whole new generation of bakers, brewers, and craft millers, from the Midwest to Scandinavia. Registration required for this free event.
“Kim Leine’s great epic, ‘Profeterne i Evighedsfjorden’, is the story of the Danish priest Morten Falck who travels to Greenland at the end of the 1700s. Through this unfolds the tale of Danish colonisation as a completely crazy and meaningless project. The Danish officials try to keep hold of power and customs but are plagued by homesickness and resignation. Grief and anger smoulders amongst the Greenlanders, and some of them seize Christianity and the European ideas of freedom as an inspiration for rebellion against colonial power. But as well as being a critical, historical novel that reminds us of Denmark’s problematic past as a colonial power, the book is also a depiction of dirt as mankind’s basic element.”
“Her [Sofi Oksanen’s] third novel, Purge, is about the Soviet occupation of Estonia and its consequences. Unfortunately, it is also very much of current interest with its stories about human trafficking around the Baltic. The book’s two time levels are 1992 – one year after Estonia won its independence – and the 1940s – when tens of thousands of Estonians were deported to Siberia and agriculture was collectivised. On a summer morning in 1992, old Aliide Truu finds an exhausted and confused young woman in her vegetable garden. This Zara has been tricked away from her home in Vladivostok to work as a sex worker in Berlin. On the way to Tallinn where she was supposed to start selling her body to Finnish sex tourists, she manages to escape.”
“The Blue Fox is a novel about an Icelandic pastor and a fox hunt. Sjón makes use of the Icelandic folktale to tell his story. One of the principal characters is the pastor Baldur Skuggason. He has an evil, dark side to his character. Another key figure is the strange offspring of a cat and a fox following the story – Sjón’s style has elements of a very unique Icelandic sense of humour. The Blue Fox is a short novel with a few sections. Some pages only consist of a single written line, surrounded by large white surfaces calling to mind the Icelandic expanse. This concreteness can be said to balance on the line between prose and poetry. ‘Skugga-Baldur’ is also a contemporary novel which brings up some of today’s ethical questions. Are the weak, deformed babies with developmental disorders welcome in a world where they could have been discarded already prior to birth?”
“The Ice Palace is a novel with two 11-year-old girls as the protagonists: extrovert Siss and quiet, introvert Unn. The day after a meeting of the girls at which Unn revealed that she is carrying a dark secret, Unn travels to the ice palace. This is a huge ice formation which builds up at a waterfall in winter-time. As it turns out to be made up of several ice rooms, she walks into the palace. Unn is enthralled by the beauty of the rooms, but in the seventh room she loses her way and cannot find her way out. She freezes to death with Siss’s name on her lips. The novel concludes with the story of Siss’s life and her reaction to Unn’s death. Siss now becomes the quiet and lonely one. She goes into an inner ice palace until she is finally redeemed and can move on into adulthood with a profound insight.”
“Blackwater is a detective novel set in the town of Svartvattnet in Norrland. It depicts a woman from Stockholm, who moves in with her boyfriend in the town to work as a teacher in a commune. However, events revolve around a double homicide that remains unsolved and the consequences of this trauma for the people in the town. Kerstin Ekman’s story invites many reading styles; it can be read as a Bildungsroman, as a critical analysis of gender roles, as a mythical story with symbolic elements, but, of course, also simply as a thrilling detective novel.”