North House Folk School

When I walked into my first class as a 2010 North House Intern, I was met with Mark Hansen’s joyful greeting: “So, what’s your story then?” Mark’s excitement for engaging with his students on a meaningful level was obvious and contagious. He talked to us about wooden skis—not just about how to make them, but also how they were connected to his story, the story of the North, and how we wanted them to be connected to our story. 

Since that ski-making class, life has been full! During my internship I began my mild obsession with wooden bowls (Cooper’s wife/copy editor says: “Mild…lol. Lolololol.”). Since then, I have made thousands of them. Using wooden bowls has been part of nearly every meal we have had at home for the last 15 years. Shortly after my internship, I met my wife, and we have two daughters who are our favorite part of every day. I’ve made Grand Marais my home, and I am so privileged to have become connected to the broader Cook County community! I have loved raising a family and experiencing the seasons here. I have made a career out of helping people in many contexts. Whether it was as a social worker or as a craftsperson, I have found myself asking the same question as Mark: “So, what’s your story, then?” Where are you now and where do you want to be going? How can we get there? 

Why wooden bowls? Many of the Scandinavian immigrants who were my great-great grandparents decided to bring special wooden bowls that for them were full of memories. These old bowls had been used in many celebrations and were important touchstones for remembering the places they came from. I’m fascinated by the way food—and the objects we use to create and share it—sustains us, connects us to our past and our future, and creates space for community to happen. I think what we choose to use and surround ourselves with in our daily lives should be made with care and should connect us to where we have been and where we hope to be going. The bowls I make and use connect me to a place I love and to friends and family who I hold dearly. I love to hear from customers who tell me how their bowls have become integrated into their stories. I want to make beautiful things that are part of people’s everyday lives, not just objects on a mantle. I want my customers to use their bowls daily, to bring them to parties, and to fill them with good food and great stories. 

This last summer, I decided to make my living by making wooden bowls, and I am learning more about how to do that as a Resident Artisan. I am building a website and will share more about that in a future blog post. In the meantime, if you want to connect to me and my story, please follow me on Instagram at @Cooper_Ternes. If you live near Minneapolis, I will be selling bowls at the Julmarknad Handcraft Market & Festival Dec 6-8 at the American Swedish Institute.