North House Folk School

Jock has been a professional wood carver for over 40 years. He began his career at Baker Furniture in Michigan, and started his company, Norwegian Termite, in 1979 in Chicago. He won his first wood carving award at the National Exhibition of Folk Art, Decorah, IA, to be followed by several other awards, including achieving his Gold Medal status in 2010. He has received training and tutoring from various American and Norwegian master carvers, including Hans Sandom, Phillip Odden, Bjarte Aarseth, and others.

Specializing in design and hand carving in the Scandinavian traditions, Jock teaches classes in flat-plane figure carving, Norwegian acanthus, timber carving, lettering, and other wood carving techniques at North House Folk School, Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum Folk School (Decorah, IA), Milan Village Arts School (Milan, MN), Colonial Williamsburg’s Cabinet Shop (Williamsburg, VA), and in his home studio. He co-teaches Introduction to Woodcarving as part of ISD 191 Community Education. Jock demonstrates woodcarving, drawing, and tool sharpening at various festivals, events, and retail outlets in the area.

Some of his recent significant projects include:

• Design and carve exterior post, Ingebretsen’s Scandinavian Gifts, Minneapolis

• 12 exterior door headers, Poplar Creek Condominiums, Lutsen, MN

• Corbel restoration, Coffey Hall, University of Minnesota

• Designer and lead carver, Heritage Park entrance portals and stair post carvings, Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, Decorah, IA

• Restoration of Gavioli and other music machines and carousel, Sanfilippo Collection, Barrington, IL

Jock is the past president of the Viking Woodcarvers Club, Bloomington, MN; lifetime member of Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, charter member of Norway House, and co-leader of the Burnsville Senior Center Woodcarvers group.

Visit Jock Holmen's Website