VevangMPLS is a collaboration between Michele and Erik Vevang. Since 2013, they have been using traditional Scandinavian wood carving techniques to carve spoons and more recently bowls.
Drawing on Erik's Norwegian heritage and the couples background in art they have been exploring the intersection of craft and art by working with locally sourced wood to produce practical and beautiful items. All the spoons and bowls are made start to finish using traditional hand tools and are sealed with food grade oils for safe use. Michele and Erik also work together on custom furniture, lighting and reclaimed wood installations.
The village of Vevang, Norway is an old farming and fishing community located on the western coast of Norway where Erik's dad was born and continued to live while he operated the family's dairy farm. Erik and Michele have spent many summers staying with Erik's family-father, aunts, uncles and cousins and enjoy spending time living with them and soaking up the Norwegian way of living. Vevang, Mpls is the couples way of bringing the lifestyle of Norway back to share in Minneapolis, MN.
Both Erik and Michele have degrees in art, Erik's B.A. from St. Olaf with a major in sculpture, and Michele's B.F.A. from UW-STOUT with a major in printmaking. They've been self employed since 2001. Michele as a hair colorist/artist and Erik as a carpenter and woodworker. In addition to their art training, they have enjoyed taking classes at the North House Folk School in Grand Marais MN, Most recently a spoon carving class with the awe-inspiring teaching duo Fred Livesay and Jarrod Dahl and earlier in spring of 2016, a bowl carving class with Beth Moen, the best bowl carver in the world, from Sweden.
Drawing on Erik's Norwegian heritage and the couples background in art they have been exploring the intersection of craft and art by working with locally sourced wood to produce practical and beautiful items. All the spoons and bowls are made start to finish using traditional hand tools and are sealed with food grade oils for safe use. Michele and Erik also work together on custom furniture, lighting and reclaimed wood installations.
The village of Vevang, Norway is an old farming and fishing community located on the western coast of Norway where Erik's dad was born and continued to live while he operated the family's dairy farm. Erik and Michele have spent many summers staying with Erik's family-father, aunts, uncles and cousins and enjoy spending time living with them and soaking up the Norwegian way of living. Vevang, Mpls is the couples way of bringing the lifestyle of Norway back to share in Minneapolis, MN.
Both Erik and Michele have degrees in art, Erik's B.A. from St. Olaf with a major in sculpture, and Michele's B.F.A. from UW-STOUT with a major in printmaking. They've been self employed since 2001. Michele as a hair colorist/artist and Erik as a carpenter and woodworker. In addition to their art training, they have enjoyed taking classes at the North House Folk School in Grand Marais MN, Most recently a spoon carving class with the awe-inspiring teaching duo Fred Livesay and Jarrod Dahl and earlier in spring of 2016, a bowl carving class with Beth Moen, the best bowl carver in the world, from Sweden.
Images from Vevang, Norway
Michele and Erik