(woman) Welcome to... a patchwork of stories about the arts, culture, and history in our region.

Hi, I'm Barb Gravel.

And I'm Matt Olien.

On this edition of Prairie Mosaic, we'll watch an artist who sculpts with stone and clay, follow an oxcart trail, and listen to a duo who sing about their connection to nature.

Stephanie Anderson of Fosston, Minnesota is one of the few people in the world who make historically accurate textiles, outfits, hats, and pockets from the Viking era.

Her research of these artifacts has become a full-time passion that she shares with museums, schools, and even TV shows and movies about that era.

[fiddle plays in folk-dance rhythm] (Stephanie) I really like the research as much as I like creating at the end.

That's why I call myself an historian artist.

My name is Stephanie Anderson, we're going to talk about historical textiles mostly from the Nordic countries.

I've really done a lot of research.

Everything I do is very historically accurate.

I study the original notes, and they are in different languages of course, sometimes they're handwritten, so it's a lot of work, but it's really worth it.

I'm known kind of all over the Scandinavian world and all over Europe and the United States.

I'm a knitter, I learned how to knit from my grandma, and for me it's a connection with history.

I really love creating something that's exact, historically accurate and then sharing what I learned.

I teach classes, my pieces go to museums or TV shows or for educational purposes.

I really enjoy sharing what I've learned along the way.

The textiles that were going to talk about are mainly from the late 700s to about the mid 800s.

The Viking age went from the late 700s to about the 10 hundreds.

You have just little fragments you have to go from, actually pieces of art that they had back then.

Their art back then were like little bronze statues that had a depiction of a woman and how her dress was and if it fell to her ankles or if it was longer.

So you can look at pieces of art and come up with a whole interpretation of an outfit.

I really like to look at things under a microscope and then try and re-create it.

One of my first pieces I really really enjoyed was a hat that I saw on Facebook of a study group.

Somebody did a hat, and they had their interpretation.

I thought the hat was pretty cool so I went back and read the original notes, and the original notes said that the pieces of yarn were very short, so I did my own interpretation.

I think my interpretation is much more accurate.

So it's looking at grave finds, looking at, behind brooches which are part of the pieces of art and seeing how things were attached and how they pulled on the body to give an interpretation of how they could've worn it.

I took a class, it was advertised on Facebook, I took a Facebook class, went by myself.

They asked me if I wanted to apply for a scholarship to go learn Viking age textiles, and I did.

I got the scholarship, and I went to Norway and I studied Viking clothing, basically men's and women's clothing, and that's what got me into it, and then I just went down a rabbit hole-- I just could not stop after that.

A Viking is somebody that traveled, it was actually a profession, not a person.

That era of people were in my history.

I've been to Norway, and that's where my family is from, and I got to see the farm that we came from, and there were actually 2 Viking graves on the farm, which I didn't know that till I got there.

The Viking graves were big mounds.

They had never been excavated, they're still there, still intact.

A few of us, about 20 of us were asked to do a challenge, and we are going to re-create a grave from Sweden.

We re-create the whole thing, everything found in the grave, but it has to be as historically accurate as possible.

The lead archaeologist sent me an e-mail back and said I think you should book a trip over here to come look at some of this stuff.

So I did, I went in June, and I met with lead archaeologist and the textile expert from the Historic Museum in Sweden, and we studied the Birka Grave, things that haven't been documented and still aren't documented.

The biggest surprise to me, we turned over a broach and there were textiles on the inside, or we took out a piece of a bucket, and there was a big piece of wool wrapped in linen, and there's so much stuff out there and it hasn't been recorded.

The Vesterheim Museum put out a call for people to submit something they'd like to study from their archives.

So I put in a submission to study women's pockets.

Pockets have really evolved from something you tie on.

Pockets were illegal for women for a long time.

So my studies at the Vesterheim Museum will be pockets.

I do not sell anything.

I have a backlog of people who ask me to produce stuff for them, so I don't sell any of my work; it's all for educational purposes.

I just did a talk over in Bemidji at the Sons of Norway, and people are surprised that somebody here in northern Minnesota does what I do.

I guess that's some of my biggest complements, also people just wanting my work for museums or asking me to be a part of challenges because they know I do it right.

I think it's really important to understand how life was.

We have an unbelievably cushy life, but we struggle to produce the quality of artwork that they had in the Viking era.

The quality that they had we cannot reproduce because we keep trying to do it with our modern era things; we can't do it.

To really understand that-- you think our modern times are so much better, but they had skills and knowledge that is unbelievable.

Mary Williams makes cement, stone, and clay sculptures in her home studio in Clitherall, Minnesota.

She favors sculpting the female body in various forms.

Her energy and commitment are a testament to doing what she loves in order to live a long and healthy life.

[piano plays softly] (Mary) Oh, you just lose yourself.

My husband has to yell at me and say it's time for coffee now, or come on for lunch!

I live in this little area, and I'm so happy here.

I'm happy!

It makes you happy-- that's what it's all about.

My name is Mary Williams, and I live in Clitherall, Minnesota on Stuart Lake.

And I'm a sculptor, I work in clay and stone and cement.

Well, I probably have been doing this my whole life.

I went to the University of Kansas for 2 years.

I was going to be an interior designer because my father said you had to make money, so I went up to the Art Institute in Chicago.

When you take classes up there you take a little bit of everything, and I took a sculpture class, and I was gone.

I work every day, practically every day in my studio from about 9 in the morning till about 3 in the afternoon, and then I-- fun I just have fun!

[laughs] Stone sculpture came very easy; I just went for it.

I did a little studying, but I think you just have to love a stone-- it just blossoms.

Clay I work hard on.

I've taken many classes in clay, I enjoyed it and I learned a lot, just anatomy classes and all that.

Then I got a grant from the Lake Region Arts Council.

A few people were asking me to do outdoor work, and I did the Ladies in the Garden.

I worked hard on that-- it's not as easy as it looks.

When people drive over the little hill there and see the ladies in the hosta garden, I'm always surprised that they're so, Oh!-- like that, and it's still to me to this day it's really nice to see that.

My stone, I use pneumatic tools, so I have an air compressor, and a carve with that.

I taught so long, and I've done this so long that I've got every tool that you can have.

So I just pick and choose as I do that It's a little abstract, it's a little figurative-- whatever the stone dictates.

Right now I'm working on a flower which I've never done before.

So a little bit of everything-- whatever the stone kind of tells me.

I think the female form is one of the most perfect forms.

It's got beautiful lines and curves, it's graceful, it's soft.

I think you need to have that in art rather than harsh and cruel lines.

So I just have always gone to the female figure because it's a representative of all the grace that I can think of.

One of my favorites is called "The Hug."

And it's a stone.

My son gives me great hugs, and that's where that came from.

I just love the stone, it's just rewarding to work on it.

Two years ago I was contacted by the Historical Society in Fergus Falls to do Ojibwe women, and I did 3 mockups.

One was a tall lady holding a baby on the back, then I did a very modern one, then I did the woman holding the basket full of fruit, that's the one they picked Took me about 6 weeks, I worked every day.

It was cold and rainy and awful, but it was fun to do.

I sold one piece out of the yard, and my family got so upset with me that they won't let me [laughs] sell anymore out of the yard.

So the pieces are in the yard now to stay.

I'm just blessed, it's kept my sanity.

[laughs] Moving around as much as we have, just the daily living, I think I would have been really a depressed person, but this has kept me joyful.

I'll never stop.

It's ingrained.

I'm like other ladies that I know are 90 years old and they're still doing it.

I hope to do it till 102!

laughs] In this Artifact Spotlight Patty Benson of the Grant County Historical Museum tells the story of the earliest oxcarts used by fur traders and the arduous journey they embarked upon.

Hi, my name is Patty Benson and I'm the director of the Grant County Historical Society in Elbow Lake, Minnesota.

and this is our Artifact Spotlight.

I'm standing here next to our oxcart that would've been used to carry furs from the northwest portion of Minnesota, Northeast North Dakota down to St. Anthony in St. Paul.

They were used by fur traders who collected furs during the winter season, and in the spring they would load the carts full for the trip down to St. Anthony in St. Paul.

There were 3 major oxcart trails that were followed by the fur traders on this trek.

One of them cut through Grant County northwest to southeast.

It was called the Middle Trail.

In the spring of the year the fur traders would pile these carts full of the furs that they gathered over the winter.

A cart like this would carry about 800 to 900 pounds and could be pulled by one oxen.

In oxcart like this could cover approximately 25 miles a day.

This is the oldest and crudest oxcart known to exist in the state of Minnesota.

We don't know that it was ever used on the trails through Grant County, but it would've been similar to the earliest carts that were used.

These carts were used probably 1820s to 1830s.

Later carts would've had spoked wheels much like a wagon.

One thing you'll notice about this cart is the wooden wheel and a wooden axle.

This one is unusual in that it was cut basically from a solid piece of tree stump As these carts moved along being the wood on wood they made a very loud shrieking noise.

There were trains of them usually going at the same time, and you could hear these carts coming from about 6 miles away.

In order to lessen that squeaking, screeching noise that they made, they would take things like snakes or frogs, fish guts and stuff like that along their treks, and they would put that in the hub of the wheel to grease it so they didn't make quite as loud a shrieking noise.

We are pleased to have this oxcart among our collection.

We feel it's important to save and collect these kind of artifacts to remember the past and to reflect back on what the life was like back in the early days.

It gives us a reminder of how easy we have it in comparison to the way things were.

Beyond the Trees is an acoustic duo from St. Paul who travel the region performing bluegrass-folk music.

Their musical inspiration is to blend an urban-feeling beat with a walk in the woods.

[playing in bright folk rhythm] ♪ ♪ Just another gloomy Monday ♪ ♪ You know I don't want to clock in ♪ ♪ I'd rather be making my way up to the shore ♪ ♪ I always do my best and make them checks ♪ ♪ While working for the man ♪ ♪ But it doesn't make me happy like the north ♪ ♪ With this tree so tall ♪ ♪ At the base of it I lie ♪ ♪ You know it's hard to remember what you forget ♪ ♪ Calming waves come crashing on the shoreline ♪ ♪ Can't help but wonder why ♪ ♪ I ever left the place where I'm the happiest ♪ ♪ Oh I could spend all of my days up there ♪ ♪ And I could live a life so simple and fair ♪ ♪ And I could be so free ♪ ♪ Yes I could ♪ ♪ Whoa oh oh oh oh-oh ♪ ♪ Why do we wish for wish for happiness ♪ ♪ Whoa oh oh oh oh-oh ♪ ♪ Instead of diving in ♪ ♪ Diving in the bliss ♪ ♪ Whoa oh oh oh oh-oh ♪ ♪ I don't want no struggles no more ♪ ♪ I don't want no struggles no more ♪ ♪ ♪ Oo oo oo oo-oo oo-oo ♪ ♪ Oo oo oo oo-oo oo-oo ♪ ♪ Throw away all of my worries ♪ ♪ With every rock I skip ♪ ♪ Across the lake that looks just like the sea ♪ ♪ And like the Edmund Fitzgerald ♪ ♪ Oh that brave little ship ♪ ♪ All my worries could be but a memory ♪ ♪ Lessons learned as I go ♪ ♪ Through this life of mine ♪ ♪ You know I just tell it exactly like I see ♪ ♪ Like an age old story just give me my time ♪ ♪ I'll earn my worth and then I'll be set free ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh I could spend all of my days up there ♪ ♪ I could live a life so simple and fair ♪ ♪ And I could be so free ♪ ♪ Yes I could ♪ ♪ Whoa oh oh oh oh-oh ♪ ♪ Why do we wish for wish for happiness ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh oh oh-oh ♪ ♪ Instead of diving in diving in your bliss ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh oh oh-oh oh ♪ ♪ I don't want no struggles no more ♪ ♪ I don't want no struggles no more ♪ ♪ Oo oo oo oo-oo oo-oo ♪ ♪ ♪ Oo oo oo oo-oo oo-oo oo ♪ ♪ ♪ Oo oo oo oo-oo oo-oo oh ♪ ♪ ♪ Oo oo oo oo-oo oo ♪ ♪ Oo oo oo oo-oo oo ♪ ♪ [playing in bright country rhythm] ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh every time I look at you ♪ ♪ I lose myself inside your eyes ♪ ♪ And I'm as happy as can be ♪ ♪ Your eyes are like the ocean blue ♪ ♪ With you I want to spend my life ♪ ♪ And I'm so glad that you agree ♪ ♪ Oh darling darling come with me ♪ ♪ There's a whole big world for us to see ♪ ♪ Just take my hand and soon we can be ♪ ♪ A rolling stone family ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ It's you and I along the road ♪ ♪ Flowing like the ocean tide ♪ ♪ And we're living young wild and free ♪ ♪ There ain't no telling where we'll go ♪ ♪ The valley or the mountain high ♪ ♪ Oh let's indulge in our new journey ♪ ♪ Oh darling darling come with me ♪ ♪ There's a whole big world for us to see ♪ ♪ Just take my hand and soon we can be ♪ ♪ A rolling stone family ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Oh darling darling come with me ♪ ♪ There's a whole big world for us to see ♪ ♪ Just take my hand and soon we can be ♪ ♪ A rolling stone family ♪ ♪ Oh darling darling come with me ♪ ♪ There's a whole big world for us to see ♪ ♪ Just take my hand and soon we can be ♪ ♪ ♪ A rolling stone family ♪ ♪ A rolling stone family ♪ ♪ [playing in folk-rock rhythm] ♪ ♪ ♪ There may be times ♪ ♪ I hold on just a little longer ♪ ♪ Than I should sometimes ♪ ♪ Sentimental mood on overdrive ♪ ♪ And I don't know what it is about it ♪ ♪ ♪ I'm trying to find my peace of mind yeah ♪ ♪ ♪ I like to ride ♪ ♪ Cruising down the street things on my mind ♪ ♪ Late at night ♪ ♪ Through the neighborhood just passing time ♪ ♪ And I don't know what it is about it ♪ ♪ I'm trying to find ♪ ♪ My peace of mind ♪ ♪ Can you recall back in the day ♪ ♪ We used to talk along the way ♪ ♪ Nothing to do nowhere to go ♪ ♪ I find myself revisiting ♪ ♪ Like a ghost in a distant memory ♪ ♪ Walking the trails that we call home ♪ ♪ Life carries on ♪ ♪ We live the lyrics to our own song ♪ ♪ Sing out your melody ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Sometimes I find ♪ ♪ The biggest smiles come from all those ♪ ♪ Small moments in life ♪ ♪ There is always a good time just open your eyes ♪ ♪ And now I know what it is about it ♪ ♪ It's there I find ♪ ♪ My peace of mind ♪ ♪ Can you recall back in the day ♪ ♪ We used to talk along the way ♪ ♪ Nothing to do nowhere to go ♪ ♪ I find myself revisiting ♪ ♪ Like a ghost in a distant memory ♪ ♪ Walking the trails that we call home ♪ ♪ Life carries on ♪ ♪ We live the lyrics to our own song ♪ ♪ Sing out your melody ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Can you recall back in the day ♪ ♪ We used to talk along the way ♪ ♪ Nothing to do nowhere to go ♪ ♪ I find myself revisiting ♪ ♪ Like a ghost in a distant memory ♪ ♪ Walking the trails that we call home ♪ ♪ Life carries on ♪ ♪ We live the lyrics to our own song ♪ ♪ Sing out your melody ♪ ♪ Life carries on ♪ ♪ We live the lyrics to our own song ♪ ♪ Sing out your melody ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ If you know of an artist, topic, or organization in our region that you think might make for an interesting segment, please contact us at... (Barb) You can watch this and other episodes of "Prairie Mosaic" on Prairie Public's YouTube channel, and please, follow Prairie Public on social media as well.

I'm Barb Gravel.

And I'm Matt Olien.

Thank you for joining us for another edition of "Prairie Mosaic."

[guitar, bass, and drums play in bright country rhythm] (Barb) "Prairie Mosaic" is funded by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4th, 2008, the North Dakota Council on the Arts and by the members of Prairie Public.