36 | Issue 115 | August 2018Wool from Norwegian wild sheep used to be thrown away and looked upon as
waste. But now this wool has a new lease of life thanks to Karin Flatøy Svarstad,
who has worked hard for 40 years to raise awareness about this unique and
important resource.By Ingrid Opstad | Photos: Karin Flatøy SvarstadLocated in western Norway, with a
base in Bergen but frequently travelling
around, Karin Flatøy Svarstad’s work fo-
cuses on wool from wild sheep and oth-
er Norwegian sheep breeds in many dif-
ferent mediums. Known for her elegant
woollen bird sculptures, her important
work to highlight the use of this historic
material began in 1995, when she was
one of only a few to make use of it. “The
wool from wild sheep has an airy and
special quality, and its use goes back
to the Viking Era. It is therefore great
for yarn, which is how I mostly use it,”
Svarstad explains. “Some of the wool is
naturally coloured and some I colour by
hand, and it results in beautiful knitting
and weaving yarn.”As well as teaching farmers about differ-
ent uses for this wool, Svarstad also rais-
es awareness on an international scale
through her initiative the North Atlantic
Native Sheep and Wool Conference. Ad-
ditionally, she runs Gallery Frøya and her
own culture centre in Kalvåg and, if thatwere not enough, the thrifty and creative
artisan is also in charge of Sommer-
akademiet, an association aimed at cre-
ating arts and cultural activities in the
western parts of Norway, building net-
works, and facilitating cooperation and
exchanges in arts, culture and crafts.
“The academy is open every summer
from spring until October, but we ar-
range trips throughout the year,” says
Svarstad. “It takes place in the west-
ern parts of Norway, in connection with
Shetland, Orkney Islands, Faroe Islands,
Iceland and the Hebrides. I wanted to
create a meeting place for like-minded
people,” she explains.“Wool is a common thread in everything
I do, but I also have a close relationship
with birds and nature, which are all great
sources of inspiration for me,” Svarstad
adds. “My next focus will be on seabirds
and making people aware of using wool
instead of plastic to help protect the en-
vironment.” In one recent art project, an
art trail made with different internationalFocusing on Norwegian wool
artists, Svarstad brought wool into na-
ture to create a colourful experience for
the public.Svarstad’s passion for wool has also re-
sulted in a yearly event called Ulluken, a
festive week taking place in Hordaland
and Rogaland, now in its fifth year. “Visit
us in October to experience a great se-
lection of exhibitions, courses and fun
activities, all relating to wool and felting,”
smiles Svarstad.Web: http://www.karinflatoysvarstad.com
Contact: [email protected]
Summer academy:
http://www.sommerakademiet.com
Ulluken: http://www.ulluken.no
19-28 October 2018Karin Flatøy Svarstad.NORWEGIAN
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