Birch bark has a long history of being used for containers—in this class, it’s been updated for the 21st century as a mason jar cozy.

Students will make a small double-diagonal plaited-weave basket sized to fit a pint-sized mason jar in this one-day class, all while learning about birch’s history and ecology.

Suitable for ages 16+. Appropriate for all experience levels. Birch bark weaving requires good hand strength and dexterity.

$115 ($100 ASI member) + $40 materials fee payable to instructor.

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In Shadow Piece(s): Chance-Based Responses in Clay, seven ceramic artists—Maggie Adams, Alexis C. Brunkow, E.C. Comstock, Tomo Ingalls, Vanessa Romo, Jennifer Schumacher Waller, and Kurt Tomerlin—respond to a single set of written instructions: Shadow Piece (1963) by Japanese Fluxus artist Meiko Shiomi. Originally conceived as a poetic performance score, Shadow Piece invites a meditation on the presence and movement of shadow in space and time.

Curated by E.C. Comstock and Olive Comstock.

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Join us in celebrating the achievements of our 2024 – 25 Early Career Artist Grant Recipients.

Northern Clay Center administers several grant programs designed to support artists in the early stages of their careers through residencies, grants, and education.

This exhibition features the work of Jessica Hernandez, Hannah Kautto, and Anastasia Speer.

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Northern Clay Center’s mission is to advance the ceramic arts for artists, learners, and the community, through education, exhibitions, and artist services. Its goals are to create and promote high-quality, relevant, and participatory ceramic arts educational experiences; cultivate and challenge ceramic arts audiences through extraordinary exhibitions and programming; support ceramic artists in the expansion of their artistic and professional skills; embrace makers from diverse cultures, experiences, and traditions in order to create a more inclusive clay community; and excel as a non-profit arts organization.

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Mark the shortest day and longest night of the year with ASI’s signature Winter Solstice Celebration from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.

This fan favorite features arts & crafts, music, and reindeer! FIKA Café will serve a special festival menu with small plates and warm glögg (Swedish mulled wine).

The ASI Museum Store and Jul Shop will also be open late for all your last-minute gift needs.

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Learn all about cross stitch with a folk-art twist.

After a short introduction to Nordic folk art and history, students will receive step-by-step instructions to complete their own 3″ floral cross-stitch piece. Students will head home with the skills to read a cross-stitch chart to continue this craft on their own after class.

Suitable for ages 16+. $65 ($55 ASI member) + $15 materials fee.

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Spin the night away as you transform fibers into hand-spun yarn.

This hands-on class welcomes beginning spinners to the essentials of yarn making using a simple and portable tool, the hand spindle. Whatever your yarn dreams may be, this class will get you started!

Note, spinning requires motor skills in two hands. Suitable for ages 16+. $55 ($50 ASI member) + $15-30 materials fee.

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Learn the history of Norwegian embellished sheepskins, or skinnfell, while block printing a tanned sheepskin hat.

Students will use traditional Norwegian wooden print blocks to create meaningful designs and finish with a stitched hem. Leave with a warm and woolly hat, plus the skills for future wearable and decorative skinnfell projects.

Suitable for ages 18+; some hand strength is required. $95 ($85 ASI member) + $60 materials fee.

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Step beyond sock puppets in this intergenerational class.

Using wool as the base material, students will create 3-D characters of their own design, including ears, arms, feet, and a mouth with any expression they can imagine. After sculpting and shaping the puppet, students can either create a stuffed animal or keep it as a puppet.

Suitable for ages 5-12 alongside an adult. $90 adult/child pair ($80 ASI member adult/child pair) + $50 material fee.

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Starting with Slöjd is a monthly program for early elementary children. Participants explore new tools, materials, and skills that prepare them for a lifelong love of handcraft. These drop-off programs are suitable for students in grades K–2.

For this class, students will join instructor Anna Ruhland to learn all about the art of block printing. Students will learn basic techniques to create rubber stamps for printing on paper or fabric.

Advanced registration required. $20 ($15 ASI member).

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Slöjd Studio is a monthly program for children in grades 3–5.

Participants will practice slöjd skills and explore new tools as they continue to nurture their lifelong love of handcraft. In this class, instructor Anna Ruhland will teach students how to create the iconic cone-shaped hat of Tomte.

Young makers will cut out a pattern in felt, then needle felt their own designs on the fabric and handstitch a seam to complete their Swedish Tomte hat to wear all year round. $25 ($20 ASI member).

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Try out spoon carving in this afternoon-long intro class.

Learn how instructor Jess selects a tree and prepares wooden blanks, practice basic carving techniques to carve a cooking spoon, and end with a discussion of finishing options and spoon care.

Suitable for ages 16+.  $75 ($65 ASI member) + $20 materials fee.

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Learn basic carving holds while crafting an iconic Swedish Dala horse.

Pick up a Swedish carving knife and pre-cut basswood blank to bring your unique Dala horse to life. Learn some finishing options in a class discussion.

Suitable for ages 16+. $75 ($65 ASI member) + $20 materials fee.

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Norwegian-style acanthus carvings are familiar to many appreciators of traditional buildings, wooden bowls, and other folk art, with painterly forms that build together into endless patterns.

In this four-week workshop, students learn the basic “alphabet” of Norwegian acanthus by drawing and then beginning to carve with gouges and chisels. Students provide some of their own materials for this class; see web link for more info.

Suitable for ages 18+. $180 ($160 ASI members) + $25 materials fee.

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Experience the vibrant sensory textile works in a new exhibition at the American Swedish Institute. Emelie Röndahl creates large-scale figurative textiles that challenge and expand the possibilities of rya, a traditional Scandinavian weaving technique.

As a textile artist, Emelie challenges tradition by showcasing new aspects of rya, creating depth and duality in her works, which can be viewed from both sides. Her works ask viewers to slow down and look closely.

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