Summer Newsletter 2019

EXHIBIT & EVENT NEWS
From Sweden to
Oregon Exhibit
FROM SWEDEN TO OREGON: THE
IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE 1850 – 1950
Between 1850 and 1949, only Canada and Germany
surpassed Sweden in Oregon’s foreign born population:
by 1930, one in ten immigrants in Oregon was a Swede.
Who were these immigrants and why did they choose
to leave Sweden? What did they do when they got
here? And why was Oregon the place to go? This is an
exhibition which follows the Swedish immigrants to
Oregon and reveals what became of their lives, hopes,
and dreams. This exhibit is funded in part by grants
from the Swedish Council of America and the Cultural
Coalition of Washington County, as well as generous
donations from Swedish Society Linnea, Harmoni Lodge
#472, and the New Sweden Cultural Heritage Society.
This exhibit has been created and curated over the past
year by Swedish Roots in Oregon, an immigration focused
nonprofit. A special thank you to Exhibit Curator
Rhonda Erlandson and Artifact Curator Ross Fogelquist.
(April 12 - July 8, 2019)
Joel Henriques:
Design Play
This summer (July 12 – October 31, 2019) Nordia House will feature
the whimsical art of Joel Henriques, focusing on his oeuvre of toys,
craft, and fine art. His work explores the connection between visual
and emotional responses to playful, positive, functional design and
how it helps us live more joyfully artful lives.
​
Joel Henriques is the artist and writer behind the blog, Made by Joel,
and book, Made to Play! As a child, Joel learned how to create crafts
and toys from his Norwegian grandmother by using simple materials
such as walnut shells for bathtub boats, wooden spools for tractors,
and yarn cuttings for latch-hooking. Documenting the crafts he began
to make for his own kids on his Made by Joel blog, Joel found a sweet
spot in the DIY (Do It Yourself) movement by making it excitingly
easy for parents to fashion toys with and for their own kids. Thanks to
the popularity of Joel's blog, Martha Stewart invited him to her show
in celebration of his Made to Play! book release. Side by side, Joel and
Martha made his Scandinavian-inspired dollhouse, catapulting his
reach to design blogs all over the world. Joel currently spends his time
creating illustrations and art projects for kids by working with a wide
array of collaborators including his local public schools, Disney, and
the Portland Art Museum. Joel lives with his wife and three children
in Portland, Oregon.
Lisa Oliver
Nordic Northwest is a nonprofit
organization focused on the five Nordic
nations: Denmark, Finland, Iceland,
Norway and Sweden.
8800 SW Oleson Rd.
Portland OR 97223
503.977.0275
nordicnorthwest.org
info@nordicnorthwest.org
The mission of Nordic Northwest is to
preserve, communicate and celebrate
Nordic culture, heritage and innovation.
FOLLOW US
@nordicnorthwest / #nordicnorthwest / #nordiahouse