To preserve, teach and celebrate Swedish heritage . Director’s Message . 2 Prairie Wildflower Paintings Exhibit The delicate paintings of prairie wildflowers “expresses something about the prairie.” Around the Museum . 3 and grasses by Illinois artist George Olson, A man who practices what he preaches which have been admired worldwide at galleries through art, Olson has been involved in prairie and botanical institutions, will be restorations in two Illinois counties seen during the next three for more than 30 years. Volunteer Profile . 4 months at the Swedish He also produces American Museum publications, in Chicago. workshops and Field Viking Exhibit . .5 Olson will slide lectures, attend the and has held opening more than reception 80 solo Curator’s Corner . 6 for his exhi- Museum bitions. exhibit, A New Members . 7 “Homage graduate to the of Tallgrass Augustana Prairie,” College Donations . 8 - 9 at 6 p.m. who has a Thursday, master’s degree March 19. Sixty in fine art from Water Tower Update . 10 of his acclaimed the University of works in pencil and Iowa, Olson taught at watercolor were published in the College of Wooster in “The Elemental Prairie” (University Ohio from 1963 until his retirement Join the Museum! . 11 of Iowa Press, 2005). in 2000. During research leaves, he served as “The work is composed like a piece of music artist-in-residence at the Missouri Botanical or good writing,” Olson said of his showing at Garden and made drawings of specimens in the Winter/Spring 2015 the Horticultural Society of New York. Viewers Dixon Prairie Restoration at the Chicago Botanic “appreciate the delicate detail of the plants, Garden. the textures depending on the time of year, the Other events associated with the exhibit are 5211 North Clark Street gesture created by the plant.” Start with Art on Friday, April 10 from 9 a.m. Chicago, Illinois 60640-2101 From more familiar examples like milkweed to noon and Family Night on Friday, April 24 and morning glory, to less known specimens from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The exhibit is scheduled such as spotted horsemint and hoary vervain, to conclude May 31. n www.SwedishAmericanMuseum.org he finds that every prime prairie tallgrass plant MISSION STATEMENT Executive Director’s Letter Through its arts and educational programs and its permanent collection, the Swedish Dear Members and Friends, American Museum interprets the immigrant experience for children and adults and It has been a frigid winter again this year, but wonderful in that they immediately included promotes an appreciation of contemporary something that really warms all of our hearts me in their circle when I moved to the area as Swedish-American culture. and that we may take for granted, are our a 22 year-old. I was also quickly an honorary families. I’m personally very fortunate to have family member of a Swedish-American family FLAGGAN a wonderful immediate family with Dan and in St. Paul who taught me about American is published by the Kathryn and also my sisters, Ulla and Eva and traditions ranging from carving pumpkins Swedish American Museum 5211 North Clark Street their families who all live in Sweden. I also to eating sliders from White Castle. I taught Chicago, IL 60640 have many extended “family” members who them about Lucia and pepparkakor in Phone 773.728.8111 are part of who I am and my life from old exchange. Fax 773.728.8870 Editors: KARIN MOEN ABERCROMBIE friends to familiar faces in my neighborhood, When moving to Chicago I quickly joined K. STEPHEN ANDERSON something I very much appreciate and several more families, including my local LESLI PROFFITT NORDSTRÖM cherish. Swedish family that started with SVEA (now Dan, Kathryn and I went to Sweden to SWEA) and Svenska Skolan. One of my 2 Flaggan Winter/Spring 2015 celebrate Christmas with my sister Eva and first co-workers is now Kathryn’s honorary her family this year. It was a very special treat grandma and one of my very good friends Officers that we had not done for many years—not from church is my “American Sister.” Chair MADELAINE GERBAULET-VANASSE Vice Chair KATHY VOSS since Kathryn was young enough to beam Today the Museum family is a big part Secretary LINDA FLENTYE with excitement when Tomten came walking of my extended family and also Dan and Treasurer BOB GRAMEN across the frozen lake with all his packages. Kathryn’s. It stretches across many ages, Board of Directors Our older sister, Ulla, and her husband came backgrounds and interests. I hope that many CATHERINE HOLMQUIST to Gothenburg from Stockholm so we could of you are able to connect with friends and ANNIKA JASPERS TED JOHNSON all be together. others at the Museum and make it part of ERIK KINNHAMMAR My two sisters and I lost our dad in 1993 your extended family. JANET NELSON WAYNE NELSON and our mom in 1999. All of a sudden we There are many opportunities to CHRISTOPHER NICHOLSON were the oldest generation of the family and connect—we have Bullerbyn for our Swedish KEVIN PALMER responsible for things that our parents had families with young children, Hejsan for MARIE WIKSTROM done for so many years. We are lucky that we children of all ages and their parents, the DR. PHILIP ANDERSON, have each other, and that all of us are married Nordic Family Genealogy Center for the ones HISTORIC CONSULTANT with our own families and children, who as interested in family research, and other groups Board of Trustees cousins all have a great time together and stay that connect through our many programs and Co-chair DR. GUNNAR ANDERSSON connected despite the physical distance from special events. Co-chair BENGT B:SON SJÖGREN each other. In 2014 the Museum’s community or LARS BRUNK LARRY EKSTROM I have also been blessed with knowing “family” grew as a result of the Water Tower ALBERT GOODMAN and being a part of other families here in the situation. Andersonville’s residents and GORDON GORANSON RUSSELL HOLMQUIST United States but also back in Sweden while businesses connected and came together in KERSTIN LANE growing up. My first “external” family was the supporting the Museum’s efforts to recreate JON LIND Ydreborg family, who I started babysitting for the Water Tower landmark. There is still work NELS NELSON KEN NORGAN at age 13. I took care of their four children in to be done before we will see a new rendition PAUL RIMINGTON France for a summer and also traveled with of our Swedish Andersonville symbol on Life Trustees them to Africa for six months. One of their top of the Museum, but in the process our TOMAS AND BIRGITTA BERGMAN daughters-in-law was actually our first au-pair “family” has grown and become stronger. For GEORGE AND NANCY BODEEN HARRIET BOLLING for Kathryn so we have two connections to that I am especially grateful. ULLA AND BERTIL BRUNK that family. We got together again while we BO AND ANITA HEDFORS were in Sweden just recently. Our connection Museum Staff was such that it felt like barely any time had Executive Director KARIN MOEN ABERCROMBIE passed since we last were together. Membership & Volunteer Manager ELIZABETH CLINE Marketing Manager LESLI PROFFITT NORDSTRÖM Without my own American family the Education Manager STACEY NYMAN move to the United States would have been Karin Moen Abercrombie Curator VERONICA ROBINSON very hard. My relatives in Minnesota were Executive Director Store Manager MELISSA WEEMS Building Engineer DON WEST Accountant AFABLE CONSULTING Design MAIN ROYAL DESIGN Around the Museum Fun Times Ahead at the Brunk Children’s Museum of Immigration 2015 has been quite exciting thus far at the Brunk Children’s knowledge, we enjoy a special guest. This person is typically from Museum of Immigration. We have had many successful and the country we are visiting and takes time to teach us something energetic family events that have kept little ones busy using creative new about our destination. We learn lots of different things from thinking and imagination. I can only hope the next few months traditional music and dances to storytelling and art! will bring more of the same, and I look forward to watching little When our guest leaves, we move upstairs to our classroom minds grow as they constantly learn and experience new things. for an art project. Soon it’s time for lunch and a play break in Hejsan is our story and craft hour the Brunk Children’s Museum that takes place on the third Friday of of Immigration. During the the month at 11 a.m. This year we have afternoon traditional and been learning about animals and nature in contemporary games from the Sweden. We have studied many different highlighted country take center animals including bears, reindeer and stage. Sometimes theses games are wolves. Future topics include rabbits, mushrooms and more. Hejsan is always Winter/Spring 2015 Flaggan 3 filled with giggles and wonder as the children listen to a story related to the board games and other times they topic and then put their creativity to require a lot of physical movement. work as they do a craft. The program is A well-deserved snack follows and free with Museum admission and runs is representative of the country of through June. the day. Last year when we studied As we move closer to the warmth of Korea, we ate seaweed…which summer, the event I tend to look forward was then followed by traditional to most is our Pioneer the World Day Korean cookies to everyone’s Camp held in July and again in August.