Viking Magazine - May 2010 - 32

MEMBER MA TTERS
Member Spotlight
2010 FOLK ART COMPETITION
At the International Convention, members showcase skills in traditional and contemporary Norwegian arts
BY FRAN HOWARD
W
hen Bev Starbuck, a member
of Harald Haarfager
2-011, learned that her
lodge mate, Ginny Brown, had studied
under renowned Californian rosemaling
instructor, Sonja Jansen, Starbuck
contacted Brown about teaching a
class. Since then, their collaborations
have grown and they are now cochairs
of this year's Folk Art Competition
& Exhibition, which will be held
at the Sons of Norway International
Convention in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho,
Aug. 29-Sept. 1, 2010.
As co-chairs, Starbuck and Brown,
a past participant and second-place
winner in an adult class, are in charge
of running the competition. One of
their main duties will be finding three
judges who will assess the entries to
determine which will be awarded
first-, second- and third-place prizes
in the three classes: Adult Professional,
Adult Amateur and Youth (ages
16-20). Awards are also given for Best
of Show and People's Choice. Children
age 15 and under can enter their
folk art for exhibition only.
Those interested in participating
in the 2010 competition can enter
their work in a variety of categories,
including rosemaling, Norwegian
weaving, Hardanger embroidery,
Norwegian-themed traditional needlework
such as klostersøm and dia32
V I K I N G M a y 2 010
matsøm, crocheting and tatting, hand
knitting, wood turning, figure carving,
relief carving and chip carving.
Other forms of artwork with a
Norwegian theme, including photography,
painting, stained glass and
kolrosing (wood engraving), are also
encouraged. Artwork may be traditional
or contemporary in style.
The biennial Folk Art Competition
& Exhibition has been held since 1984
and was the brainchild of Elsa Ring,
Leif Erickson Lodge 7-093, in Kamloops,
British Columbia. " I wanted
people to learn Norwegian cultural
skills from each other and we needed
a place to present our work, " says
Ring. " I thought we should compete.
You will never learn more if you don't
compete. People don't know what I'm
doing here in Kamloops if I don't show
my work. And if others don't show
their work, no one will learn from it. "
The competition is open to Sons
of Norway members, even if they did
not participate in the folk art competitions
at their district conventions.
Those wanting to participate can
bring their work to the convention
or send it with a delegate. Entries will
not be accepted by mail. Registration
forms can be obtained from www.
sonsofnorway2010.com/folk_art/Default.aspx/,
or by calling international
headquarters in Minneapolis. V
" Rosemaling is a beautiful
form of artwork. If you
don't keep an interest in it,
it will disappear. "
- Ginny Brown, co-chair,
2010 Folk Art Competition
PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMBER PROCACCINI

http://www.sonsofnorway2010.com/folk_art/De

Viking Magazine - May 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Viking Magazine - May 2010