During the summer of 2017, graduate students Mirva Johnson and Sallie Anna Steiner Pisera traveled to northern Wisconsin and northern Minnesota, respectively, to identify and document Nordic-American folk artists. Over the course of six weeks, they conducted interviews with more than 20 folk artists, filming, photographing, and recording the dynamic Nordic traditions in several different communities. You can see some of their work featured in this short film about the Oulu Cultural and Heritage Center by Mirva Johnson, and this informational handout about the kantele by Sallie Anna Steiner Pisera for the Minnesota State Arts Board.
For more Nordic American folk artists, see the 2018 fieldwork and 2019 fieldwork!
Finn Power
Rod Maki and June Johnson
Merrill, WI
Finnish folk music
Irene Raimo
Solon Springs, WI
Norwegian knitting, Hardanger embroidery
Sonny Heikkila
Superior, WI
Finnish woodworking, carving
Gloria Johnson
Iron River, WI
Finnish-American and Swedish-American baking
Phil Odden and Else Bigton
Barronett, WI
Norwegian woodcarving
Oulu Hotshots
William Kangas, LeRoy Lahti, Mike Sauvola
Iron River, WI
Finnish folk music
Betty Reijo
Iron River, WI
Finnish fiber arts
Rodney Johnson
Brule, WI
Finnish woodworking, carving
Barbara Anderson
Lake Nebagamon, WI
Finnish fiber arts
Brad Nelson
Two Harbors, MN
Swedish metalwork, silversmithing, stone carving, bone carving, wood carving
Gary Hill
McGregor, MN
Finnish log building, carpentry, blacksmithing, woodworking
Mary Erickson
Mt. Iron, MN
Finnish himmeli, Scandinavian weaving, fiber arts
Debra Wiitanen
Embarrass, MN
Finnish fiber arts, homestead crafts
Pam Capin
Eveleth, MN
Sámi drum making
The Third Generation
Jeanne Doty, Johanna Lorbach
Moose Lake, MN
Finnish folk music
Alana Maijala
Virginia, MN
Finnish fiber arts, Finnish himmeli
Laurel Sanders
Duluth, MN
Sámi/Ojibwe fiber arts
Gerry Henkel
Duluth, MN
Finnish kantele making