Alf and Maud Brorson are back, their visit again concurrent with Hyllningsfest, a treasure for these Swedes, and for Alf his 25th trip to the United States and 22nd stay in Lindsborg. This time, Maud is the artist-in-residence at the Red Barn Studio; two years ago, Alf, the journalist and author, was resident artist. The roles are switched again, with Maud and her designed leather handbags (appliqué), weaving and ornamental needlework, vegetable dyeing fibers, lace making, crochet, hand and machine knitting, macramé, and Flemish weaving and dressmaking. In other words, she is accomplished with many creative skills, and is widely known in Sweden for her work. This is Maud’s second residency as an artist at Red Barn.
Alf has been writing a monthly Sweden Letter for the News-Record since 2008 from Torsby, Värmland Province; it’s a column about life and culture in Big Sweden and how it relates to the pattern of things here in Little Sweden. He is a retired teacher, a practicing journalist, magazine editor and author of many books. Over the years, Alf has covered royal weddings, the Swedish economy and government, Swedish baseball and its American-style football, the varied and magnetic aspects of Swedish culture and the arts, the history and compelling heritage of its religion, the impact of emigration and immigration – among many other topics, all of them for our community newspaper.
The Brorsons are considered “bridge ambassadors” for Lindsborg and Sweden, says A. John Pearson, the writer and historian. For their long involvement with the community, the Brorsons and their (adult) sons, Jerker and Petter, have been named “honorary citizens” by the City. Alf and Maud, who plan to be here for a couple of weeks, will be honored October 17 at a special dinner of the American-Scandinavian Association at the Swedish Crown restaurant.
