A Matter of Time: A Revival of the Primstav with Rebecca Hanna (In-Person)

Join this class and learn all about primstavs. The primstav served as a farmer’s almanac marking religious days, changes in the seasons, and other everyday preparations. 

Recreate one of the primstavs in Vesterheim’s collection; one is dated from 1566, or an oval primstav from 1700.

A third choice is a historical primstav from the Norsk Folkemuseum in Oslo Norway, dated 1707.

Once you have transferred the design to the surface, the carving techniques of kroting and chip carving will bring your painted or stained board to life!

Later, at home, maybe you’ll be inspired to create your own calendar stick, marking all the important and memorable events in your life – your achievements, birthdays, weddings, etc.

No carving experience necessary.

Rebecca Hanna of Decorah, Iowa, is passionate about many Norwegian folk arts, especially woodworking. A graduate of Luther College in elementary education and museum studies, she is a retired elementary school teacher. Rebecca is a Vesterheim Gold Medalist and was instrumental in the creation of Vesterheim Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 2, dedicated to woodworking.

Vesterheim offers a 60% discount for in-person class tuition on a space-available standby basis to any resident living within 50 miles of Vesterheim. Students will be notified about the availability of an opening in the class 21 days before the starting date of the class period. Discounts do not include materials fees. If local area residents want a guaranteed place in a class, they must pay regular class tuition.