Fiber artist Elizabeth Hunter returns to our Nordic hall with her show: rya rugs… coming of age.
Her pieces reach beyond that of a woven rug and tackle topics such as deforestation and aging.
On display through May 15th | Contact us for viewing times
ELIZABETH HUNTER
I first learned to weave on an inkle belt loom at a girl scout meeting when I was ten. In high school, I drove from my home in Stamford, CT. to nearby Greenwich to learn floor loom weaving from fabric designer Klara Cherepov.
Simplicity, color and shape are key elements of Scandinavian design. They consume me from time spent in Oslo, Norway; Reykjavik, Iceland; Torshavn, Faroe Islands and Landskrona, Sweden. Sculptural knitter Katherine Cobey taught me that fibers can speak and be political.
I hold a BA in English from the University of Connecticut; a MA in journalism from American University; a certificate in weaving and design from Fri Untervisngens Tegne og Vevstue, Oslo. I am a former Maine Crafts Association board member; the secretary of the Pastel Society of Maine; and a volunteer at the Brick Store Museum. My work has been shown all over New England. I live in Kennebunk.
ON RYA TECHNIQUE
Rya is an ancient pile weaving technique dating from the 9th century when Vikings introduced Scandinavia to textiles traded from Russia and the Byzantine Empire. The pile is created by using the Turkish Ghiordes knot across a row on the loom. After each row of knots, the shuttle is thrown several times to form the back of the rug.
The woven rugs, which imitated sheep- skins, were worn by mariners against the frigid cold at sea. They were also used in carriages and as bedding.
Rya rugs are probably most associated with the Scandinavian mid-century modern era, with their bold color and graphic design.
Make and take your own Nordic Easter crafts! Swedish Easter trees, decorated eggs, Danish gækkebrev (Easter greetings) and even growing your own Easter grass, the the Finnish tradition.
Johan, a small-town loner with a flair for horses and explosives, finds himself in constant conflict with the community. He struggles to find his place in society while coping with unrequited love for his neighbor.
In Norwegian with English subtitles | Comedy | 93 minutes
Saturday, March 9th | 1pm | $10; $5 for SCC&L Members | tickets
Come by the Kaffestugan for Finnish day from 10am-2pm. We will have a ton of Finnish goodies including Karelian Pastie (Piirikka), organic dark rye crust filled with savory rice porridge and topped with Egg butter.. A true Finnish staple. A great pick me up snack on the go or divine breakfast fuel.
During our weekly Kaffestugan we will be celebrating the Swedish tradition of Våffeldagen. Swedes have enjoyed waffles in some form since the 1600’s and they remain popular today. So much so they celebrate them every March! Often covered with cream and jam instead of syrup, these are sure to delight. Come on out for lunch and a waffle or just a waffle on it’s own! We won’t judge. The standard Kaffestugan menu will still be available.
Norwegian jazz guitarist, Tim Johnson, returns to perform a set of jazz standards and originals with award winning Swedish-pianist Ebba Dankel, a Swedish jazz pianist and singer who is currently based in Boston, and is a presidential scholar at Berklee College of Music.”
Saturday, April 6th | 2pm | $20; $10 for members | tickets
Timothy Johnson is a Norwegian guitarist, composer, and educator, based in NYC. He has performed at world-renowned jazz clubs like Dizzy’s Club (NYC), The 55 Bar (NYC) Scullers Jazz (Boston), Smalls (NYC), and at festivals like the Buenos Aires Jazz Festival (Argentina), as well as clubs in Japan and Norway. Additionally he has appeared alongside jazz luminaries Damien Sneed, Melissa Aldana, and Neal Smith, and most recently has also performed in the award winning musical, Once on this Island.
He completed his Bachelors degree at the Berklee College of Music on scholarship, and recently completed his Masters degree at the Manhattan School of Music on scholarship, studying with guitarist Mike Moreno. He has received many prestigious awards along the way, such as the Berklee Jimi Hendrix Award, the NAMM Innovation Award, the Juvenarte composition award, placed runner up in Lee Ritenour’s Dreamcatcher Competition, and most recently was a scholarship/fellowship recipient of the Norway-Amerika Association. He appears on recordings by the award winning composer Eri Chichibu, as well as singer April Varner’s upcoming release, and is currently set to record his debut album later this year.
Ebba Dankel is a Swedish Boston-based jazz pianist, vocalist and composer, currently pursuing a BM in Jazz Composition and Piano Performance on a presidential scholarship at Berklee College of Music. She began her studies in piano at age 6 and trumpet at age 11 and played in several big bands, both on trumpet and piano. She graduated from the music program at Malmö Latinskola in 2019 and got accepted into the prestigious jazz program at Skurups Folkhögskola where she studied for 2 years. Ebba studies with NEA Jazz masters Joanne Brackeen, Terri Lyne Carrington and grammy winning Matthew Stevens at Berklee. Ebba performs weekly at the legendary Wally’s Jazz Club in Boston with different groups she puts together. She’s playing and recording with various groups in Boston as well as in Scandinavia during the summers. She is currently working on her debut album as a leader.
The year is 1933, and society has very specific expectations of how young women should behave. Seventeen-year-old Maren is wild and unruly, so she is sent to the women’s institution on Sprogø to adapt. The stay has the opposite effect.
Presented as the Library’s April film choice.
In Danish and Swedish with English subtitles; 130 minutes
Saturday, April 13th | 1pm | $10, $5 for members | tickets
Zosha Warpeha is a Brooklyn-based composer-performer working in a meditative space at the intersection of contemporary improvisation and folk traditions. Using bowed strings in tandem with her own voice, her performances explore transformations of time and tonality. She performs primarily on Hardanger d’amore, a resonant-stringed instrument relative of the Norwegian Hardanger fiddle that houses five bowed strings as well as five sympathetic strings. Her current work is informed by the cyclical forms, rhythmic elasticity, and the physical momentum of Nordic folk music, developed during her time living abroad in Oslo. Born in Minnesota, her artistic work has been supported by the US-Norway Fulbright Foundation, the Jerome Foundation, and the MN State Arts Board. Warpeha’s performance at the Scandinavian Cultural Center & Library will be part of a spring tour celebrating the release of silver dawn, her debut solo album on Relative Pitch Records (April 2024).
Saturday, April 20th, 2024 | 1pm | $20; $10 for SCC Members | tickets
Fettisdagen – “Fat Tuesday” is on February 13th– come celebrate with us in the Kaffestugan on Saturday, February 17th from 10am – 2pm (while supplies last)
To celebrate we will have semla, kremla, and a special roast beef sandwich– along with our regular menu.
HISTORY FROM Swedentips.se:
Swedes have cherished these sweet buns since the 16th century, initially served on Shrove Tuesday, known as “Fat Tuesday” (Fettisdagen in Swedish). This indulgence marked the last treat before the beginning of Lent, a 40-day religious fasting period. Interestingly, the term “Lent” (German “Lenz”) translates to “spring.”
Available until Easter
Nowadays, you’ll spot semla at Swedish bakeries and cafés starting from late December, persisting beyond Shrove Tuesday. Why? Well, modern times have seen a departure from strict adherence to religious fasting, making semla available until Easter.
Abundance Sauna will be at the Scandinavian Cultural Center in Newton, celebrating National Sauna Week Friday thru Sunday February 23-25, 2024.
There are many sessions available each day, starting as early as 10:00am.
Friday has a variety of one hour and one 1/2 hour sessions, Saturday and Sunday sessions are all one hour. One-hour sessions are $65, one and a half hour are $90, regardless of the number of people in your party.
The sauna comfortably accommodates 3 people at once. Sessions are respectively 50 minutes and 80 minutes of heat.
You are welcome to book available consecutive sessions for a longer sauna experience.
Daring souls are invited to experience the thrill of thermal extremes with a dip in the cold plunge tank or if mother nature supports us… some snow angels.
Afterwards relax around the fire pit to share stories of sauna adventure while enjoying tasty snacks.
Each participant must provide their own towels, swimsuits and hydration.
Preregistration is required. An welcome/orientation packet will be sent and a liability waiver must be signed by each participant.
**Be sure to check out the screening of Smoke Sauna Sisterhood as part of the National Sauna Week events**
If you have Sauna specific questions Mark@gotsauna.com For more information about Finlandia Foundation Boston www.Finlandiafoundationboston.com This event is supported by Finlandia Foundation National www.Finlandiafoundation.org
Timothy Johnson is a Norwegian guitarist, composer, and educator, based in NYC. He has performed at world-renowned jazz clubs like Dizzy’s Club (NYC), The 55 Bar (NYC) Scullers Jazz (Boston), Smalls (NYC), and at festivals like the Buenos Aires Jazz Festival (Argentina), as well as clubs in Japan and Norway. Additionally he has appeared alongside jazz luminaries Damien Sneed, Melissa Aldana, and Neal Smith, and most recently has also performed in the award winning musical, Once on this Island.
Ebba Dankel is a Swedish Boston-based jazz pianist, vocalist and composer, currently pursuing a BM in Jazz Composition and Piano Performance on a presidential scholarship at Berklee College of Music. She began her studies in piano at age 6 and trumpet at age 11 and played in several big bands, both on trumpet and piano. She graduated from the music program at Malmö Latinskola in 2019 and got accepted into the prestigious jazz program at Skurups Folkhögskola where she studied for 2 years. Ebba studies with NEA Jazz masters Joanne Brackeen, Terri Lyne Carrington and grammy winning Matthew Stevens at Berklee. Ebba performs weekly at the legendary Wally’s Jazz Club in Boston with different groups she puts together. She’s playing and recording with various groups in Boston as well as in Scandinavia during the summers. She is currently working on her debut album as a leader.