By, Yvonne L. Roman
Curator of the Exhibition
The Annual Scandinavian Folk Festival will take place this Saturday, July 19 from 10am-6:30pm and Sunday, July 20 from 10am-4pm at the Northwest Ice Arena in Jamestown, NY. New this year will be an exhibit curated by Yvonne Roman on the special arts that come to our area from Scandinavian origin.
The Scandinavian Folk Festival, in its 21st edition, wanted to pay special tribute this year to the artists and artisans of Scandinavian origin—from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland—who arrived in these lands between 1860 and 1920, filled with hope to build a better future for themselves and for this great nation. They arrived with their customs, language, traditions, knowledge, and talents, as well as a deep nostalgia for the land they were leaving behind, along with their families and friends. Despite the challenges, they planted the roots of a new life here, leaving an invaluable cultural legacy. Today, their descendants, born in Jamestown, NY, join together with pride and commitment to preserve and revitalize this legacy, celebrating Scandinavian heritage through this festival and this art exhibition.
1908-1996 “Nearly Extinct
Birds” Gouache,
watercolor, colored pencil.
World of Birds, 1964.
Among the featured artists, we wanted to pay special tribute to several figures whose legacy has left a profound mark on both the artistic and scientific fields. Roger Tory Peterson, recognized worldwide for his invaluable contributions as an ornithologist, educator, and artist, revolutionized the way we understand and appreciate nature through his illustrated bird guides. His work not only brought science to the general public but also celebrated the beauty of the natural world with a deeply artistic eye.
We also pay tribute to painter Albert Johnson, whose paintings sensitively and masterfully captured the essence of our community, including Chautauqua Lake in New York State, the landscapes of Sweden, and our shared cultural heritage. He also created representations of the city of Stockholm through murals, which decorated the Norden Women’s Club until the 1950s. His work continues to inspire and remind us of the value of our roots. We also highlight artists Irene Anderson Thompson with her local landscapes and her brother, Brad Anderson, the great creator of the cartoon “Marmaduke,” which brought so much joy to our elders and remains very relevant today. Another outstanding artist is Elmer Holmberg, known for his wood carvings and paintings.
This exhibition also brings together local artists who have come to show that the legacy of talent continues through their works in various techniques, such as photography, painting, the famous Scandinavian knitting, needlepoint, weaving, and textiles, wood and relief carvings, hand painting furniture, ornaments, crystal and utensils, all crafted by prodigious hands. A tribute to the world-renowned Swedish painter, illustrator, and writer Carl Larsson, with some of his reproductions, was also a must.
This exhibition is the result of the efforts of many; we would especially like to highlight Don Sandi for his tireless work in continuing this great cultural legacy; John Everett Jones for his investigative support of this artistic exhibition; to all the members, volunteers and instructors of the Festival; and the local institutions that provided us with the artworks, such as the Jamestown Community Center, the Roger Tory Peterson Institute, the Chautauqua County Historical Society, and the National Comedy Center, and of course, all of our local citizens and artists. The Jamestown community will enjoy this grand exhibition of paintings and objects for a few days, all original and unique pieces of this great Scandinavian legacy.