I am teaching a three-day workshop on Norwegian billedvev (tapestry, or literally, “picture weaving”) at the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum on September 14-17. Details here. One piece of my year-long preparation is reading two large books on the topic that are owned by only a few libraries in the nation. I’m reading them at MIA, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts library. It’s inspirational to see the color plates; many of the pieces I have not seen in other books or online.
I have seen other images of the tapestry on the cover of one of the volumes, and I love the striped red hair of this man.
Then, the same day as I was studying the book, we went to the Dakota Jazz Club to hear Davell Crawford give a fabulous Hammond B3 organ concert, like a crazy combination of soul, gospel, New Orleans, John Lennon (Let it Be), and the Bygland Lutheran Church. Check out his jacket! Just like the medieval guy’s hair.
