Join us for conversations with Nordic American folk artists, Alan Anderson, Mary Erickson, Taylor Johnson, and Karen Keenan to discuss folk arts and practice, culture, and heritage in the Upper Midwest. Folklorists from the University of Wisconsin—Madison will facilitate.

Folk Artists

Taylor Johnson of Cashton, WI traces his lineage back to the Scandinavian heartlands, where woodworking is woven into the cultural fabric. He learned from gold medal award winners, honing his craft for over three decades. His repertoire includes kubbestols, trunks, benches, boxes, shelves, mirrors, and delicately carved bowls—all infused with the spirit of Nordic heritage. Now retired, Taylor devotes his days to acanthus carving—a timeless expression of cultural pride. As the festival celebrates Nordic roots and the art of learning, Taylor’s legacy stands tall—a testament to craftsmanship, tradition, and the enduring allure of acanthus motifs.
Alan Anderson of Baraboo, WI comes from a family of artists and craftspeople. Since his retirement, he has developed his skills and artistic practice in woodworking and furniture making. Anderson grew up surrounded by makers who drew from their Swedish heritage. Today, Anderson turns bowls from green wood, carves ale bowls, makes steam-bent svep boxes and trays, plays with shrink box design and continues to develop his own approach to the dynamic tradition of Scandinavian woodworking. Drawing his inspiration from traditional styles and techniques, Anderson creates beautiful pieces of contemporary art.
Mary Erickson of Mount Iron, MN is a native of the Iron Range and has Finnish and Danish ancestry. Long interested in how landscape and culture influence our lives, she learned himmeli from Elna Hietala in Minnesota and later with Eija Koski in Finland. She is an experienced himmeli maker who has taught at North House Folk School and demonstrated at University of Wisconsin—Madison. She hopes that sharing what she has learned with others that the himmeli tradition will continue.
Karen Keenan of Duluth, MN teaches hairwork at North House Folk School and the American Swedish Institute. She apprenticed with master hairworkers in Våmhus, Sweden, a community known for its professional hair workers and the home village of her ancestors. She has presented on the topic of Traditional Swedish Hair Jewelry for the Nordic Center, Duluth, MN, Vesterheim Museum, Decorah, Iowa, the Museum of International Folk Art, Sante Fe, NM, and University of Wisconsin—Madison.

Curators/Interviewers

Marcus Cederström, Community Curator of Nordic American Folklore, Nordic Folklife: Sustaining Scandinavian Folk Arts in the Upper Midwest project at University of Wisconsin—Madison. Dr. Cederström is a public folklorist whose research focuses on Scandinavian-American folklife. He researches the intersections of immigration, labor, and creative expression.
Jason M. Schroeder, Community Curator of Upper Midwestern Folklore, Nordic Folklife: Sustaining Scandinavian Folk Arts in the Upper Midwest project at University of Wisconsin—Madison. Dr. Schroeder is a public folklorist whose work focuses on Scandinavian-American folk artists and practitioners in the Upper Midwest.