Calendar of Events
The American Swedish Institute, founded in 1929, serves as a gathering place for people to share stories and experiences around universal themes of tradition, migration, craft and the arts, all informed by enduring ties to Sweden.
ASI Teen Winter Retreat
Friday, Feb. 10 ― 12
Teens are invited to spend a weekend at Sjölunden, the Swedish Language Village near Bemidji, Minn., practicing and improving your Swedish through language lessons, activities, and socializing. Enjoy your favorite Swedish foods, activities and music. The sauna will be hot, but the atmosphere will be chill. Open to all students between the ages of 13 and 18. Cost: $150 including transportation. Registration deadline is Friday, Jan. 20, 2012.
For more information or to register, please contact Ingrid Nyholm-Lange at 612-870-3374 or ingridnl@ASImn.org.
Click above to learn more!
Adult Slöjd (Handcraft) Workshop: Saami Bracelets (Sold Out)
Saturday, Feb. 4 ― 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
In this slöjd workshop for adults, students will create their own Saami bracelet. The Saami are the indigenous peoples of the far northern parts of Scandinavia, who are known for their reindeer herding. Participants will use traditional Saami techniques to incorporate pewter spun wire, organically dyed reindeer hide, and naturally shed reindeer antler buttons to create a unique bracelet. No prior experience is required. This workshop is taught by Liz Bucheit of Crown Trout Jewelers, who has a BFA and an MA in Metalworking and Jewelry. She has also studied in both Norway and Ireland.
The workshop costs $70 for ASI members, and $80 for nonmembers, and a $95 materials fee (which includes the wire, leather, and buttons from Sweden) will be collected in class. Advance registration is required, and space is limited. Please call 612-871-4907 to sign up.
Valentines Day Preschool Program
Sunday, Feb. 12 — 2–3:30 p.m.
Bring your favorite preschool sweetheart to celebrate Alla hjärtans dag, “All Hearts’ Day” or Valentine’s Day, through creative storytelling, music, art and more.
ASI preschool programs offer you the opportunity to explore Swedish (and Swedish-American) traditions with your preschool-aged child or grandchild. Together, we answer the questions of “What do Swedish families do throughout the year?” and “Why do they do it?” This program is specifically designed for children ages 3-5 and their important adults.
$10 per preschooler. Adults free. Maximum of two children per one adult. Registration is required; call 612-871-4907.
Wit in Wood Woodcarving Demonstrations
Saturdays, Feb. 18, March 31, & April 28 — 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
During the run of the Wit in Wood: Nordic Figure Carving exhibit, stop by on various Saturdays to see woodcarvers in action and learn what it’s like to work as a woodcarver. ASI woodcarving instructor Bill Jaeger will be on hand one Saturday per month February–April to demonstrate his artistic abilities and talk about his craft. He may even let you try your hand at it! Included with museum admission.
Youth Slöjd (Handcraft) Workshop: Playful Pockets
Sundays, February 19 and 26 – 1-3 p.m.
Design, sew and create your own pocket to wear every day. Great for carrying everything from cell phones to toys to secret notes. Pockets have traditionally been worn as part of folk costumes but are making their way into everyday use. Youth will learn the four hand stitches most commonly used, design and complete their pockets in this 2-session workshop.
Playful Pockets slöjd is for youth ages 8 and older and will be held on Sundays, Feb. 19 and 26. Cost is $50 per student including materials. Registration is required and space is limited. Call 612-871-4907 to register.
ASI Forum with Janis McKay Babcock: The Great Swedish Adventure
Wednesday, Feb. 22 ― 6:30 p.m.
Minnesota-born housewife and part-time genealogist Janis McKay Babcock shares her journey through present-day Sweden at this month’s ASI Forum, as she comically explains her exciting adventure on a Swedish reality TV show called Allt för Sverige, or The Great Swedish Adventure. Following an extensive casting process for approximately 3,000 applicants, McKay Babcock was one of 10 Americans selected to participate in the show, which ran this past fall in Sweden and had about 1.3 million viewers each week. She will walk us through her experiences while abroad, including shopping with a Swedish grocery list, living like a mid-1800s farmer from the novel “The Emigrants,” and even riding a runaway draft horse, all while highlighting her interesting journey through her own genealogy. Babcock will share photos and clips from the show as well – come and see a bit of Minnesota exploring a lot of Sweden in this both funny and deeply emotional presentation.
Janis McKay Babcock views herself as a dynamic and unique individual who has always chosen the path less traveled. A unique and comedic individual, Babcock has a dry wit and interesting stories to share. As a self-identified Domestic Goddess, she home schools her son Wolf, has two businesses and finds time to devote around 1,000 hours per year to her fascinating genealogical history.
Adult Slöjd (Handcraft) Workshop: Little Whittles Woodcarving (Sold Out)
Saturday, March 3 – 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Because this workshop is sold out, we are pleased to offer it again on Sunday, March 4.
Based on internationally known Scandinavian-style figure carver Harley Refsal's latest book, Whittling Little Folk, join Refsal for this day-long class and whittle your own small figure – either an animal or a human caricature – inspired by Swedish carver, the late Georg Brask. All skill levels are welcome. Please plan to bring a bag lunch.
Equipment: Bring a good carving knife. If you don’t have your own, fixed blade whittling knives and protective carving gloves will be available for sale, or you can borrow from the instructor.
Course fee: $80 for ASI members, $90 for nonmembers. Advance registration is required, and space is limited. Call 612-871-4907 to register.
Materials: A materials fee is not included in the course fee. Basswood cutouts will be available to purchase from instructor.
Adult Slöjd (Handcraft) Workshop: Dalapalooza Weekend
Friday, March 9 – 6-9 p.m.
Saturday, March 10 and Sunday, March 11 – 9 a.m.-5p.m.
Equipment: Bring a good carving knife. If you don’t have your own, fixed blade whittling knives and protective carving gloves will be available for sale, or you can borrow from the instructor.
Course fee: $190 for ASI members, $220 for nonmembers. Advance registration is required, and space is limited. Call 612-871-4907 to register.
Materials: Paints are included in the course fee, and basswood cutouts will be available to purchase from instructor.
Youth Slöjd (Handcraft) Workshop: Crazy Creatures Woodworking
Sundays, March 18 and 25 – 1-3 p.m.
Youth will use pine and birch branches to create a variety of crazy creatures while learning and refining woodcarving skills. Instructor Fred Livesay, who has over thirty years of experience, will guide your children in the safe and proper use of slöjd carving knives, hand saws and hand drills. Proud students will leave class with finished crazy creatures ready for play or decoration at home and for community use at ASI.
This 2-session workshop is for youth ages 8 and older and will be held on Sundays March 18 and 25. Cost is $50 per student including materials. Registration is required and space is limited. Call 612-871-4907 to register.
Young Fiddlers Class
Saturdays, Feb. 11, 18, 25 & March 3 — 10–11:30 a.m.
Join violin teacher and fiddler Mari Carlson as we play tunes from Låtboken, the classic Swedish folk melody collection. Using our voices, our ears, movement, and our instruments, we will learn to play fiddle tunes in Swedish style. Open to fiddlers ages 8–18 playing at intermediate level with at least one year of playing experience. Cost: $100. Registration is required and space is limited. Call 612-871-4907 to register.
Workshop with Master Textile Artist Helena Hernmarck
Friday, July 27–Sunday, July 29 — 9 a.m.–5 p.m. each day
Helena Hernmarck, our era’s legendary trompe-l’oeil weaver, offers the rare opportunity to get an insight into her weaving technique in a three-day workshop to take place at the American Swedish Institute June 27–29, 2012. Hernmarck will take students on a private tour of the ASI exhibition In Our Nature: The Tapestries of Helena Hernmarck. She will explain and demonstrate her weaving technique, assisted by two or three master students. Hernmarck will also illustrate her use of color when selecting yarns and will demonstrate how she uses color blended “butterflies,” or yarn bundles, to make her creations. Students will then work under the guidance of Hernmarck to create their own sample piece that goes from “shadow to light,” as they work on the illusion of a shadow on their own frame or table loom. Participants will also receive a take-home handout outlining Hernmarck’s technique. This workshop is co-sponsored by the Weavers Guild of Minnesota (WGM).
Those interested in participating in “Shadow to Light: Workshop with Master Textile Artist Helena Hernmarck” are required to complete the Workshop Application, due to ASI by April 1, 2012. Only intermediate to advanced weavers will be considered. Applicants will be notified of their application’s status by April 15, 2012. This workshop costs $495 for ASI and WGM members and $545 for nonmembers. Students can rent a frame loom for the workshop for $30, should they need one. More details will be provided to the students who are selected to participate in the workshop. You can download the printable flyer here.
Scandinavian Rag Rug Weaving Workshop
Monday, May 21 ― 1–4 p.m. (informational session)
Monday, June 4–Friday, June 8 ― 10 a.m.–4p.m. at the Weavers Guild of MN (WGM)
In this class, students will learn to wind a warp, warp a floor loom, and weave a rug. Creating a durable rug is important and students will be taught specific weaving techniques to accomplish this goal. Students will learn how to select fabric, prepare fabric for weaving, and finish ends. Rugs will be woven in plain weave with a set of five ends per inch using Finnish cotton seine twine as warp and cotton fabric strips as weft. Bring any fabrics you are thinking of using in your rug to the informational session. This class is taught by Wynne Mattila of the Weavers Guild of Minnesota (WGM), whose goal for each of her own rugs is to create a piece exhibiting technical perfection, delightful aesthetics, and everyday functionality. Students may need to spend time at the WGM in between classes in order to complete their rug.
This class in intended for all levels, including beginners, and costs $275 for ASI and WGM members, and $325 for nonmembers. A materials fee of $37 will be collected in class, payable to the instructor. Advance registration through ASI is required by Friday, May 11, and space is limited. Call 621-871-4907 to register.
This ASI class takes place at the Weavers Guild of Minnesota, located in the Textile Center at 3000 University Ave SE; Minneapolis, MN 55414.
Beginning Inkle Weaving Workshop
Saturday, June 23 and Sunday, June 24 ― 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
This class costs $105 for ASI and WGM members, and $125 for nonmembers. A handout fee of $2 will be collected in class, payable to the instructor. Yarns will also be available for purchase from WGM. Advance registration is required by Wednesday, June 13, and space is limited. Please call 612-871-4907.
Beginning Floor Loom Weaving Workshop
Friday, Aug. 24 ― 5–9 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 25 & Sunday, Aug. 26 ― 9 a.m.–5 p.m. at the Weavers Guild of MN (WGM)
This class costs $185 for ASI and WGM members and $220 for nonmembers. A handout fee of $10 will be collected in class, payable to the instructor. Yarns will be available for purchase from the WGM. Advance registration through ASI is required by Wednesday, Aug. 15, and space is limited. Please call 612-871-4907.
This ASI class takes place at the Weavers Guild of Minnesota, located in the Textile Center at 3000 University Ave SE; Minneapolis, MN 55414.
Learn the basics of the rigid heddle frame loom and create a cozy scarf. Students will learn the direct warping technique, a quick process that gets you weaving in a short time. This is a great introduction to weaving and the ideal class for students who want to find out if weaving is for them. Bring a rigid heddle frame loom in good working condition and an 8 or 10 dent reed, if you have them. If not, rigid heddle frame looms are available upon request to use during workshop. When registering, please indicate if you need to borrow a loom. This class is taught by Carol Johnson of the Weavers Guild of Minnesota (WGM), who has been weaving since the 1990s, using tablets, rigid heddle and floor looms, and is co-founder of Studio Tupla.
This workshop costs $105 for ASI and Weavers Guild of MN members, and $125 for nonmembers. A handout fee of $5 will be collected in class, payable to the instructor. Yarns will also be available for purchase from WGM. Advance registration is required by Wednesday, Sept. 12, and space is limited. Call 612-871-4907 to register.
Registration
For some programs and events, we require or recommend advance registration. To register, please call 612-871-4907. Cancellations are accepted up to three business days before the event.
Skål! A Toast to Uppsala
Minneapolis-Uppsala Friendship Event
Monday, March 12 — 4:30–7 p.m.
Join us for the 7th annual reception and benefit to support activities of the Minneapolis-Uppsala Friendship Committee. Learn about past and upcoming exchanges, bid on silent auction items, buy chances for lottring items, and enjoy complimentary refreshments and a cash bar.
The Minneapolis-Uppsala Friendship Committee was established twelve years ago when Minneapolis and Uppsala became “Sister Cities.” During the past decade, Minneapolis has welcomed many business people, music groups, educators, city representatives, and cultural officials from Uppsala – and sent our own counterparts to Uppsala as well. This spring, the seventh Educator Delegation from Minneapolis Public Schools will visit Uppsala schools.
Admission to the event is free. Reservations are requested; please call the ASI office at 612-871-4907 by Monday, March 5 to make your reservation. For more information about the event or the Friendship Committee, please call co-chairs Ewa Rydåker at 651-631-8250 or Katie Fournier at 612-331-5615.
Sunday, March 25 — 1–3 p.m.
Join our favorite preschool troll, Trulle, and learn about celebrating Easter in Sweden! Dress up as an Easter witch, hunt for Easter eggs, deliver Easter cards, and decorate an Easter tree with feathers.
ASI preschool programs let you explore Swedish (and Swedish-American) traditions with your preschool-aged child or grandchild. Each topic is explored through creative storytelling, music, art and more. Together, we answer the questions of “What do Swedish families do throughout the year?” and “Why do they do it?” This program is specifically designed for children ages 3–5 and their important adults.
Attend Easter Feathers & Fun on either Thursday, March 22 from 10:30–noon or Sunday, March 25 from 1–3 p.m. $10 per preschooler. Adults free. Maximum of two children per one adult. Registration is required; please call 612-871-4907.
ASI Forum with Todd Hansen and Christine Albertsson: “Inspired by Frank”
Wednesday, March 28 ― 6:30 p.m.
Todd Hansen AIA, CID, and Christine Albertsson AIA, CID, are co-owners of Albertsson Hansen Architecture, Ltd. in Minneapolis. The practice specializes in quality residential design of any scale, from large complexes to single rooms. Their work has won numerous awards, and has been widely published both locally and nationally. Learn more about them at www.aharchitecture.com
This month’s ASI Forum also serves as a reception for The Enduring Designs of Josef Frank exhibition, on display March 17 through May 6. Special reception refreshments will be provided following the talk. ASI Forum presentations are included with museum admission. Reservations for this event are strongly encouraged – please call 612-871-4907.
Påsk på slottet – Easter at the Castle
Saturday, March 31 — 9–10:30 a.m.
If you have ever dreamed of hunting for Easter eggs in a castle, this is your chance. Join us for Påsk på slottet — Easter at the Castle — on Saturday, March 31. In Sweden, children celebrate by going house to house dressed as påskkärringar and påskgubbar (little old hags and men). They also hold Easter egg hunts, and so will we! The whole family will have fun hunting high and low for eggs hidden throughout the Turnblad Mansion; it’s a big house with lots of nooks and crannies to explore. Make a craft to decorate your table on Easter morning, add a feather to the påskris (brightly decorated Easter tree), and make a traditional Swedish-style Easter greeting card to present to a friend. Reservations are required and space is limited. $10 per person, free for children under age 2. To register, call 612-871-4907.
Wit in Wood Woodcarving Demonstrations
Saturdays, March 31, & April 28 — 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
During the run of the Wit in Wood: Nordic Figure Carving exhibit, stop by on various Saturdays to see woodcarvers in action and learn what it’s like to work as a woodcarver. ASI woodcarving instructor Bill Jaeger will be on hand one Saturday per month February–April to demonstrate his artistic abilities and talk about his craft. He may even let you try your hand at it! Included with museum admission.
Swedish Genealogy Workshop
Friday, April 20 ― 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Your Swedish family tree awaits! Beginning and Intermediate genealogists are invited to a Swedish Genealogy Workshop with instructors Dee & Ray Kleinow. This class will cover the basics of genealogy through demonstrations of computer databases, Internet research and the Swedish databases such as Genline, Archives Digital, and SVAR, using attendee information as time allows. Attendees will complete the workshop knowing the steps needed for successful genealogical research, the records used, how to access them, how to analyze the data found and how to continue with research.
Please bring a bag lunch. Purchase the required textbook Your Swedish Roots through the ASI Museum Shop in person during museum hours, by phone (612-870-3364), or online at ShopSwedish.com. Class registration fee is $45 for members and $55 for nonmembers. Advance registration is required; please call 612-871-4907 to sign up.
Beginning Wheatweaving Workshop
Saturday, April 21 — 9 a.m.–noon
In this half-day workshop for beginning wheatweavers, participants will cover a short history of the folk art of straw work (called wheatweaving in the U.S.), techniques for preparing wheat for weaving, and learning 5-6 plaits. Students will walk away with 3 or 4 projects, as time permits. No prior experience required. This workshop is taught by Caryl Tamte, who has been teaching wheatweaving for 30 years. She has been a member of the National Association of Wheatweavers (NAWW) for 20 years.
The workshop costs $55 for ASI members, and $65 for nonmembers, and a $12 materials fee will be collected in class. Please bring a lightweight bath towel, scissors, and a 12” ruler. Advance registration is required, and space is limited; please call 612-871-4907 to sign up.
Intermediate Wheatweaving Workshop
Saturday, April 21 — 1–4 p.m.
In this half-day workshop for beginning wheatweavers, participants will cover a short history of the folk art of straw work (called wheatweaving in the U.S.), techniques for preparing wheat for weaving, and learning 5-6 plaits. Students will walk away with 3 or 4 projects, as time permits. No prior experience required. This workshop is taught by Caryl Tamte, who has been teaching wheatweaving for 30 years. She has been a member of the National Association of Wheatweavers (NAWW) for 20 years.
The workshop costs $55 for ASI members, and $65 for nonmembers, and a $12 materials fee will be collected in class. Please bring a lightweight bath towel, scissors, and a 12” ruler. Advance registration is required, and space is limited; please call 612-871-4907 to sign up.
Pretty Much 100% Scandinavian: Saga III Film Premiere
Saturday, April 21 — 2–4 p.m.
“Give me enough Swedes, snuff, and whiskey, and I’ll build a railroad to hell!,” great Northern Railway tycoon James J. Hill is said to have boasted admiringly. Danes, Finns, Icelanders, Norwegians, and Swedes all earned reputations for good, hard work while settling into the United States. Award-winning Swedish filmmaker Stefan Quinth (www.CameraQ.com) and former ASI staff member Dr. William Beyer bring you close to Scandinavian Americans’ work in the Upper Midwest with the third film in their light-hearted yet authoritative “Pretty Much 100% Scandinavian” series. Join Quinth and Beyer for the premiere screening of Pretty Much 100% Scandinavian: Saga 3 —Working Hard from the Start. Cost for the showing is $8 for ASI members and $10 for nonmembers, and ages 12 and under are free. Space is limited and reservations are strongly encouraged; please call 612-871-4907.
With interviews and footage of folk at work, Quinth and Beyer explore Scandinavian Americans farming, logging, milling, commercial fishing, doing domestic work, and following religious vocations. As with previous films in the series, the duo will tour the film around the Midwest and Scandinavia following the premiere at ASI.
Quinth has been making films since 1976 in some forty countries. Beyer served five years as Director of Museum Education, Collections, and Programs at ASI and currently serves on the Swedish American Historical Society board.
ASI Forum with Carla Carlson: “UMore Park: A Sustainable Community”
Wednesday, April 25 ― 6:30 p.m.
ASI Forum presenter Carla Carlson will describe planning efforts for this unique-in-the-nation, University-founded community, and how University research, education and outreach can make the community distinct from all others. She will also highlight ways that the UMore Park team is applying lessons learned from planners, architects and landscape architects in Europe to incorporate sustainability goals into planning and development. Her team visited the Bo01 development in Malmö, Sweden, among other sustainable communities in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands for insights.
Carla Carlson is Executive Director of the Office for UMore Park Academic Initiatives at the University of Minnesota and also serves as Vice President for Operations for the UMore Development LLC. Carlson manages activities related to the planning and development of UMore Park and, in particular, is responsible for ensuring that University research, education and public engagement are integrated into the planning and development of this unique, sustainable community.
ASI Forum presentations are included with museum admission. Refreshments will be provided following the talk. Reservations are encouraged but not mandatory; please call 612-871-4907.
Wit in Wood Woodcarving Demonstrations
Saturday, April 28 — 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
During the run of the Wit in Wood: Nordic Figure Carving exhibit, stop by on various Saturdays to see woodcarvers in action and learn what it’s like to work as a woodcarver. ASI woodcarving instructor Bill Jaeger will be on hand one Saturday per month February–April to demonstrate his artistic abilities and talk about his craft. He may even let you try your hand at it! Included with museum admission.
Youth Slöjd (Handcraft) Workshop: Knitting and Knotting
Sundays, April 29 and May 6 — 1–3 p.m.
Knit and knot rings, bracelets, lanyards and more using spool knitters, macramé frames, and braiding disks. Add buttons or beads to create a unique look that is all your own.
This two-session Knitting and Knotting slöjd workshop is for youth ages 8 and older. Cost is $50 per student including materials. Registration is required and space is limited. Call 612-871-4907 to register.
Adult Slöjd (Handcraft) Workshop: Little Whittles Woodcarving
Sunday, March 4 – 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Because the workshop on Saturday is sold out, we are pleased to offer it again on Sunday, March 4.
Based on internationally known Scandinavian-style figure carver Harley Refsal's latest book, Whittling Little Folk, join Refsal for this day-long class and whittle your own small figure – either an animal or a human caricature – inspired by Swedish carver, the late Georg Brask. All skill levels are welcome. Please plan to bring a bag lunch.
Equipment: Bring a good carving knife. If you don’t have your own, fixed blade whittling knives and protective carving gloves will be available for sale, or you can borrow from the instructor.
Course fee: $80 for ASI members, $90 for nonmembers. Advance registration is required, and space is limited. Call 612-871-4907 to register.
Materials: A materials fee is not included in the course fee. Basswood cutouts will be available to purchase from instructor.
Frida Lindberg Talk
Date and Time To Be Determined
Frida Lindberg is tentatively scheduled to give a talk in conjunction with the In Our Nature: The Tapestries of Helena Hernmarck exhibition opening weekend. Lindberg is currently manager and part owner of Alice Lund Textilier in Sweden, the studio that produces Helena Hernmarck’s works. Details for this event are still to be determined.
ASI Sponsors Nordic Lights Film Festival
Friday, Feb. 3–Thursday, Feb. 9
Saint Anthony Main Theater, Minneapolis
ASI is proud to be a sponsor of the third annual Nordic Lights Film Festival – Twin Cities! Films will be shown at the Saint Anthony Main Theatre in Minneapolis between Friday, Feb. 3 and Thursday, Feb. 9. The Nordic Lights Film Festival attracts film goers of all ages captivated by the longstanding film making traditions of the North. It also provides an opportunity to share the richness and diversity of the Nordic cultures through the lens of film. The festival includes a variety of feature-length and short films, and will also provide opportunities to mingle and interact, helping to connect our local Nordic community with fellow film enthusiasts. Complete details and a schedule of films that will be shown can be found at nordiclightsfilmfestival.org.
