Arts and Cultural Heritage Grant

In my artistic practice I engage with Nordic folk art as an homage to my ancestors who immigrated to Minnesota from Sweden (1869) and from arctic Norway (1900). Like many other Scandinavian-Americans I have found ways to preserve traditions, language, and culture. One of the groups I have a long standing connection to is the Swedish Cultural Society. This organization was founded in 1934 to support Swedish culture and language and I have been a member for over 25 years. I joined when my children were little. They grew up attending Santa Lucia and Midsommar celebrations. I have given many art presentations at meetings and have I regularly offered art workshops and inter-generational art making at Midsommar celebrations. My folk art paintings have been used on program fliers, children's cultural activity booklets and posters for art workshops, postcards, stationary, name tags, and even on an anniversary cake. For years, my artwork was printed on tiles, mugs, and cards as fundraisers. At the end of the project, I will reflect on the new work created, and review the measurable outcomes as stated above and reflect on community engagement with, and demonstrated interest in, Swedish folk art. I will reflect on this data, and discussions about my the work. I will measure the effectiveness of the project in social media data collection and analysis by the counting numbers. I will know that the project has been successful if I have contributed to community engagement, curiosity, and joy, through art. In doing this, I have successfully preserved an evolving cultural art form in Minnesota that celebrates Swedish heritage. This heritage is one of the many wonderful cultural traditions and legacies alive in Minnesota today. From this experience, I will to continue to deepen my commitment to creating and celebrating the intersection of art, craft, and heritage.