North House Folk School

Meet Johan Säfström, lead instructor at Sätergläntan Institute for Craft in Dalarna, Sweden and 2023 guest instructor with North House Folk School and the American Swedish Institute. As Sweden’s leading school for traditional craft, Sätergläntan has taught the next generation of handcraft artisans for a century.

Johan, a lead blacksmithing instructor, will discuss Sätergläntan’s blacksmithing program. Hear how he ended up at Sätergläntan, his approach to teaching traditional craft to black smithing students, and how he sees Sätergläntan’s students contributing to Sweden’s craft scene today and into the future.  

This year, North House Folk School and the American Swedish Institute join Sätergläntan in celebrating its 100th year through webinars and in hosting visiting instructors in June 2023. Johan is teaching three classes in Minnesota in June 2023 as a part of an exchange funded by the American Scandinavian Foundation. A special thanks goes to the Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center, who will co-present Johan’s Minneapolis classes.

Johan's class at North House – Brazing Cowbells: Traditional Metalwork – takes place June 12 - 15 2023.