A brief history of interesting people, places and things
Swedish woodcarver Bengt Brask is known for his masterful hand-carved troll figures. Bengt Göran Brask was born on 7 June 1908 in Vårvik, Sweden. He followed in his father's footsteps and became a woodcarver. Brask specialised in carving troll souvenirs early on in his career and developed his own unique style of trolls. Distinctive Features... Continue Reading →
Ottar Andreas Grubbli was born on 18 April 1931 in Grubblia, Varntresk outside Hattfjelldal in Norway. He inherited his talent for woodcarving from his mother. She was a great natural talent and taught herself the craft. Over time, she became a well-known wood artist. At the age of eight, Ottar also developed an interest in... Continue Reading →
Øien trolls have been around for many decades, but it wasn't until 2021 when troll collectors learned the name of the woodcarver who made them… Continue Reading →
Aston Alnæs was a skilled Norwegian woodcarver from Verma. He made his living as a woodcarver and painter throughout his life. He worked in his hometown, and most of his production was sold locally or to tourists, particularly those interested in trolls and animal figures… Continue Reading →
Over the past few decades, there has been a mystery among troll collectors surrounding the identity of the Norwegian woodcarver that made a unique design of hand carved trolls… Continue Reading →
Trollhättefallen (the troll's hat waterfall), one of Sweden's most dramatic waterfalls, has long been a significant site for harnessing hydroelectric power. The dam and the industrial development around it have transformed the area, yet Carl Eldh's sculpture and the myth of Strömkarlen remains as a caution about the complexity of nature’s exploitation… Continue Reading →
Amid the icy expanse of Greenland is where the story of the Tupilak begins. Peer into the hidden depths of Greenland’s Inuit culture, where every carving tells a tale of spirits and survival… Continue Reading →
Harald Wiberg was a renowned Swedish artist, illustrator and writer. He is known internationally for his illustrations of the Tomten from Scandinavian folklore, though the vast majority of his work primarily features animals, particularly those native to Scandinavia. He had a special talent for capturing the essence and behavior of animals in their natural habitats… Continue Reading →
Sigrid Bølling was an influential Norwegian artist that skillfully bridged the realms of rural realism and French impressionism. As a half-sister to the famous Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen, Bølling carved her own path in the art world, beginning with formal training in Copenhagen before immersing herself in Paris's vibrant art scene. Her works depict everyday life with honesty and truthfulness, capturing the daily activities of people in remote areas as they truly were… Continue Reading →
In the small village of Bamble in Norway lived an artist who made wonderful woodcarvings and books based on Norwegian culture… Continue Reading →
Ole Martin Skaug is a Norwegian artist who creates fantastic, "beautifully ugly" ceramic animals and people. One can find beauty in the grotesque and the bizarre, and humour is the key here… Continue Reading →
Erik Wengelin was a Norwegian artist, communist, and Nazi concentration camp survivor. Those that knew him described him as a wandering soul and friend to people and animals. His drawings from Sachenhausen provide first hand insight into what prisoners went through in order to survive… Continue Reading →
Finn Wigforss was a propaganda illustrator during WW2. He volunteered for the SS Norwegen and became a war correspondent on the Eastern front where he captured scenes directly from the front line… Continue Reading →
Henrik Bertram Møller was a Norwegian Goldsmith who specialised in making fine objects in dragestil (dragon style) and tendril ornamentation, often with elements of old Norse motifs from Nidaros Cathedral. He targeted the tourist market and quickly became internationally known. Magnificent pieces were ordered from rich customers and royalty around the world… Continue Reading →
The medieval Baldishol tapestry, from 1180, is a national treasure familiar to most Norwegians. It was discovered by chance and is on display at the Norwegian Museum of Decorative Arts and Design in Oslo… Continue Reading →
The Bathurst district is known for its pineapple farms, and the Big Pineapple attraction on Summerhill Farm. This area has an interesting history which dates back to the 1820 settlers and how one special fruit managed to turn things around for the struggling local farmers… Continue Reading →
Asbjørn Raanaa (Rånå) was born on 01 September 1914 in Bjorli, Norway. Not much is known of this Norwegian woodcarver or his hand carved trolls which rarely come up for sale… Continue Reading →
The life and tragic death of Thora Skolmen, a Norwegian teacher, author and women's rights activist… Continue Reading →
Arne Tjomsland was one of Norway's foremost souvenir designers in the 1950s and 60s. His designs were based on the theme of Nordic fauna; including animals, Eskimos and Vikings carved from whale tooth or wood… Continue Reading →
Violet Parkhurst is most well-known for her life-like seascape paintings of the bubbling foam-flinging seas of the world, which thunder off the shores in their wild rush for the beach. Her range of work, from the mysterious moonlit seas, to the shimmering Summer surf, was inspired by her undying thirst for life and the beauty that surrounds us everyday… Continue Reading →
Dayne's Discoveries 