This summer I was lucky to participate in a program from the Iowa Arts Council and Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum: Folk Art Education Re-Envisioned:Teaching Traditional Handcrafting in a Technological World. The grant included a new IPad, and more importantly, two workshop sessions on best practices in teaching online and creating video. In return, the students needed to create a short video that could be used in Iowa schools–something about your craft or something historical. I created a video about historical Norwegian tapestry, “Woven Wise and Foolish Virgins.”
Oh my gosh it was so hard–creating my video–but fun hard, challenging hard. I created a two-minute teaser video for the July meeting and wrote about it here. I thought that my final video might be 10 minutes. I could find content for that length with no problem, but production was so time-consuming that I am relieved to be turning my six-minute video one day before the deadline.
Andrew Ellingson, whose title at Vesterheim Folk School is “Folk Art Education Program Coordinator: Digital Learning and Outreach,” was so helpful with suggestions for improvement after I turned in my test video. He suggested that a cameo of me should be included, so you’ll see one at the end of the video. One thing I mention is that viewers of my video now know much more about the Wise and Foolish Virgins image that I did when I wove my virgin in weaving school in Norway.
This is the description I posted. “This iconic Norwegian tapestry design has endured for centuries and still pops up in contemporary art. Do you know its original religious story? Perhaps this video will inspire you to create your own virgin work, filled with pattern, color, and your own meaning.”
The new issue of the Norwegian Textile Letter is scheduled for publication tomorrow. I’ve had a very busy summer with lots of writing, publishing, and unforgettable family activities.
This fall? I will be chained to the empty loom above.
