Fred Livesay
St. Paul, MN
Fred made his first spoon at age seven and since then has focused his life and career on traditional handwork. He trained as a wheelwright and carriage-builder for seven summers and went on to study Scandinavian folk art, decorative arts, art history, and museum studies. Thirty-five years of teaching and study in the U.S. and in Sweden gives him a clear understanding of the joy that handmade objects bring to everyday living, the healing art of craft, and the meditative connection between hand and heart. Fred is a founding instructor of North House Folk School, as well as a founder of the Spoon Gathering in Milan, MN. He teaches internationally and locally.
Current Courses Offered by Fred Livesay
4 Days
Birch Bark Boxes: Scandinavian Bark Basketry
Instructors:
Fred Livesay
Scandinavians and Russians commonly kept small, flat birch bark boxes in their pockets in the 18th and 19th century for the then-popular taking of snuff. Larger finger and lap jointed boxes often held coffee, tea or salt. Today they continue to be made and hold keepsakes, buttons, spare change, jewelry,…
Thu, Jul 23rd, 2020 – Sun, Jul 26th, 2020
9am-5pm
9am-5pm
Instructor:
Fred Livesay
3 Days
Wooden Spoon Carving Traditions
Carving wooden spoons is a tradition in Scandinavia, where carvers crafted spoons for home use, for seasonal income, and to give as gifts. The techniques, designs, and embellishments commonly used today are deeply embedded in centuries of cultural history, but spoon carving is also a vibrant and growing craft tradition…
Thu, Aug 27th, 2020 – Sat, Aug 29th, 2020
9am-5pm
9am-5pm
Past Courses Offered by Fred Livesay
Carving Inuit-Style Snow Goggles
Make Your Own Kebiki: The Essential Japanese Woodworking Tool
Plane Talk: Restoring & Tuning Hand Planes
Swedish Classic: 18th Century Style Lyre-Base Trestle Table
