North House Folk School

Mike is a woodworker based in Grand Marais and finds much of his inspiration in the forested landscapes that he loves. He had the opportunity to explore craft through an internship at North House in 2011 and later participated in the Artisan Development Program (2018-2019) deepening his knowledge of craft and education. Mike continues to explore fågelskålar (bird-shaped ale bowls), figure carving, small furniture design, and traditional building techniques. Working as a carpenter Mike began to connect his passion for craft with the larger built environment through timber framing. Inspired by the vernacular timbered outbuildings of Scandinavia, Mike studied grindbygg timber framing with the generous help of mentors and programming at North House. This very specific interest grew into a wider appreciation of the many timber framing traditions around the world. Mike has now worked for many students and clients helping to create special hand made structures. He gets great enjoyment from “lighting the spark” and encouraging people to connect to themselves and a larger craft community through handwork.

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