At the Table

                    

 Gardsjord
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 Illustration from Johan Meyer's 1906 book, Fortids Kunst i Norges Bygder. 

I am a 2016 recipient of an Artist Initiative Grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. The grant will allow me to build a dinner setting that is inspired by my visit last year to my ancestors farm “Gardsjord”, in Rauland, Norway. The setting will consist of a table, seating for eight, and dinnerware for serving, plates, cups, bowls etc.... Along with the table setting I will make three large carved panels approximately two feet by seven feet. The panels are representative of the large carved panels that are on the outside of the house in Rauland.  During the installations in the galleries, the free standing panels will serve as a way to define the space as the dining area.

What Gardsjord looks like today.

 The public component to each installation will be a dinner that is pot-luck style. Each of the participants will be asked to bring a dish that is accompanied by a story and so each dish will act as a conversation piece for the individual. 

A view from Gardsjord of Lake Totak.

My hope with this blog is to show the process of making the exhibit through images and to share some stories along the way. If you are going to be in northern Minnesota this year I will be working from my studio in Grand Marais - stop by, I’d love to show you the progress. 

The view from Falkeriset.

To the left is the island of Kromviki where my relatives lived until the late 1800's. To the far right you can see a little sliver of water that is Lake Totak where some of my relatives live today.