To preserve, teach and celebrate Swedish heritage. Winter 2019 IN THIS ISSUE Patterns, colors and Nordic design Patterns, Colors and in exhibit Nordic Design 1 by Anna Wramner Swedish Heritage The Sami 6 The new exhibit features decorative patterns and vibrant colors in textile and mixed media paintings. Elektra 6 The artists behind it are sisters, Alison Aune and Around the Museum Kirsten Aune, whose Swedish heritage has inspired Dala Horses 3 them both in their artwork. They grew up in Svenska Skolan 4 Amherst, Mass., but regularly visited Minnesota to Swedish Fika 4 spend time with their relatives, taking a sauna by Volunteers 5 the lake or enjoying their grandmother’s Christmas Saint Lucia smörgåsbord. They gained an appreciation for their Celebrations 7 parents cultural heritage and their collection of Museum Store 8 Scandinavian art and design. New Curator 13 Today Alison and Kirsten live in Duluth, Minn. As Don Ahlm’s artists they share an interest in patterns and vibrant Presentation 14 color selections. Alison draws inspiration from New Members 16 traditional folk art and symbolic decorative designs Donations 17 that she Reservations and integrates Museum Membership into her Forms 18 mixed media paintings. Kirsten creates hand-painted and silk screen Programs & Events 9 printed contemporary geometric and floral textiles. Both sister’s artwork are exhibited nationally and internationally and pieces from their collections are being showcased in the main gallery of the Museum through March 15. MISSION STATEMENT Dear members and friends, Through its arts and educational programs and We wish you all “God Fortsattning pa 2019.” Translated it means Good Continuation on its permanent collection, 2019. It is something that many Swedes say to each other during January. It’s a nice way of acknowledging the new year and hoping that the year is good. That is what we are hoping for the Swedish American all of you, our members, supporters, and friends. Museum interprets the 2018 was a year full of activities and a holiday season that was funfilled with events for all immigrant experience for ages and a Museum store that held treasures for everyone. Now it’s a new year and we hope children and adults and that you can find something that you would like to do on our list of programs and events. In promotes an appreciation addition to what you see on the calendar we have our own “Museum To Do List.” During of contemporary Swedish- the first week of January we closed the Museum for four days in order to inventory the items American culture. left in the store, clean and dust the exhibits and start planning for the year. This Flaggan will outline what we have planned for the first quarter when it comes to programs, exhibits, FLAGGAN and events. We have also included information about a trip to Bishop Hill that we are doing is published quarterly by the Swedish American Museum together with American Daughters of Sweden, we hope you can join us on May 4 for a day of 5211 N. Clark St. Chicago, IL 60640 Swedish history. Phone 773.728.8111 Fax 773.728.8870 Looking ahead we are hoping to make progress on our buildings and a new retail space and Editors: KARIN MOEN ABERCROMBIE a café. It will take some time since we have more “behind the scenes” work to do to get the K. STEPHEN ANDERSON ANGELICA FARZANEH-FAR buildings ready for the move. In the meantime we are planning to have pop-up cafés in the Board of Directors Officers gallery space to serve Swedish delicacies. The Swedish food calendar and the dates for special Chair – JANET NELSON food days during the first part of 2019 are listed in Flaggan. We will serve Morotskaka (Carrot Vice Chair – ELIZABETH PETERSON Treasurer – TERRY UDDENBERG cake) on Feb. 3, Semlor (Fat Tuesday Buns) on March 5, and Våfflor (Waffles) on March 25. Secretary – KATE M. SHEEHY If our talents work well we might event try to have some Mazariner (almond tarts) for March Board of Directors JULIE BENSON 13. We will make it known via social media and emails if it will happen or not. CATHERINE HOLMQUIST ANNIKA JASPERS Many of us are having fun making Swedish treats and we are happy that the Museum TED JOHNSON community seems to enjoy them. The sandwiches served during Julmarknad were quickly VEREEN NORDSTROM STEVE SATEK gone and we enjoyed working with SWEA for the Julkafé. Thanks to Paulina Meat Market FRANK J. SCHNEIDER and Marie Wikstrom we were able to sell special refrigerated holiday food as well. Many of JIM THYBONY KEVIN WILLIAMS the staples will be available throughout the year and for the holidays we will stock up on Historic Consultant specialties. DR. PHILIP ANDERSON Museum Staff In addition to the Museum there are two other businesses that serve Swedish and Scandinavian Executive Director food in Andersonville. We hope that you go to SVEA for their pancakes, meatballs and Viking KARIN MOEN ABERCROMBIE Curator Breakfast. Also great is Lost Larson for coffee and a baked treat, and everything from hearty EMILY ENGLAND breads to cardamom rolls and almond pastries. Later this spring we will welcome Swedish Communications Manager ANGELICA FARZANEH-FAR Covenant Hospital to Andersonville when their health clinic “The Clark” opens in the old Member & Community Engagement Manager CAROLINE GERBAULET-VANASSE Swedish Bakery building. Education Manager STACEY NYMAN Store Manager JITKA TERHAERDT We would love to hear what your favorite Swedish treat or food is so that we can add it to our Marketing Associate ANNA WRAMNER list of potential future Cooking Events or Baking Days. Accountant AFABLE CONSULTING Board of Trustees During the grey and cold winter months we need something to put a smile on our face. The Chair – BENGT SJÖGREN new exhibit “Colors from the North” will most likely do that. It’s a mix of textile and painted DR. GUNNAR ANDERSSON LARS BRUNK artwork and full of color and is here in our gallery until March 15. We hope you get a chance LARRY EKSTROM to enjoy it! ALBERT GOODMAN GORDON GORANSON Best wishes for a great 2019 and hope to see you at the Museum. ROBERT GRAMEN RUSSELL HOLMQUIST Med vänliga hälsningar KERSTIN LANE J. ROBERT LIND NELS NELSON WAYNE E. NELSON KEN NORGAN PAUL RIMINGTON CLAES WARNANDER Life Trustees Karin TOMAS AND BIRGITTA BERGMAN NANCY BODEEN ULLA BRUNK BO AND ANITA HEDFORS JON & JANE LIND Dala Horses Bring the Past to the Present by Stacey Nyman When most people for farm work, travel think of a horse, they and much more, it was a picture a mighty creature common figure that would roaming green pastures be created. The earliest or galloping through a reference of wooden horses western town. When for sale dates to 1623. you are at the Swedish Most early horses were not American Museum, your painted. Early in the 19th thoughts go to a horse of a century painting them different variety. One that one solid color became is colorful, elegant and the common. As they gained definition of tradition - popularity and people the Dala Horse. The Dala started purchasing them, Horse (or Dalahäst, in villagers began painting Painting Dala Horses at the Museum Swedish) is an abbreviation them using the kurbits horses began being mass we invited families for the for dalecarlian, which style, which was also used produced and they became first time to participate refers to the dialect spoken on furniture and walls. known as a symbol of in the creation of a very in the province of Dalarna The Dala Horse became Sweden. special Dala Horse – in Sweden. well known world-wide Authentic horses are still their own! Everybody The origin of the Dala in the 1930s during the hand-carved and hand- was provided with an Horse is not certain, but World’s Expo in Paris in painted today. At least nine unpainted horse, some the most popular theory 1937 and at the World’s people play a part in the paint, and a morning is that wood cutters from Fair in New York in 1939. AROUND THE MUSEUM creation of each authentic filled with stories, laughter the province of Dalarna Outside the Swedish Dala Horse and from start would use scraps to carve Pavilion at the World’s and creativity! Our hope small toys for children. Fair stood a giant Dala to finish, the process takes was that families would Because the horse was a Horse which grabbed the approximately two weeks gather together, create very important animal attention of the public. to complete. memories and a piece of at the time, being used It was at that time the Recently at the Museum, art that could be passed down from generation to generation. While most Dala Horses are painted in a traditional pattern the Museum has its own version celebrating Swedish-American history. These are life-size horses. One stands at the corner of Clark and Farragut and the other inside the Museum. If you are looking for something to bring home with you, the Museum Store has a large selection of traditional Dala Horses in all colors and sizes for sale. Completed Dala Horses FLAGGAN Winter 2019 3 Exciting addition to the Museum By Angelica Farzaneh-Far Svenska skolan is classes under the management of taught in Swedish for the Museum. This was a children aged 6-20. It is an natural step since it falls initiative by the Swedish in line with the mission government to supplement and work of the Museum. the education of Swedish On a regular basis this children and young adults makes little difference to living abroad, teaching the teachers or children, them geography, culture but it simplifies the and history in Swedish.