Cranberry Picking
Written by Lucy Soderstrom It seems to have been a personal, informal mission of sorts in the last couple years to become more intimately acquainted with the abundant wild edibles the Northwoods has to offer us. It makes sense, in some ways. I have always sought understanding and connection with land in order to feel […]
Kids Makers Morning 2023
Written by Alexia Springer, Program Coordinator Program Mission: To forge community and connection to place through craft and to offer opportunities to foster creative spirit through exploring new hands-on skills, materials, and hobbies. Program Goals The second year of Kids Makers Morning (KMM) wrapped up a few weeks ago and the Ely Folk School is […]
Eco-Friendly Arts Practices
Have you ever thought about the environmental impact of your arts practice? Often, not many of us do. In this video, instructors Nancy O’Brien and Joan Schopp Hunn discuss accessible ways to think about sustainability in painting and offer both free and paid options to upgrade your acrylics practice. Topics discussed include how to choose […]
The Piano of Josephine Shepel Luthanen is teaching Ely’s Youth Once Again
If you were out and about Ely on Thursday, April 27, you may have seen a piano making its way across Harvey Street. What’s the story on this piano you ask? It’s a significant piece of Ely’s musical heritage and continues to inspire musicians and vocalists to this day. Why is this piano important? Where did […]
2022-23 Community Dances
Between September 2022 and March 2023, we hosted four Community Dances at the Ely Senior Center, bringing Ely together in dance and reminding ourselves that fine arts don’t have to be intimidating. We had so much fun dancing with you all that we want to commemorate it here. The Dances: What does an Ely Folk […]
Join our team!
The Ely Folk School is hiring Do you feel strongly about handcraft? Do you want to learnskills that enhance your life and well-being? Do you want toconnect with Ely’s community about folk schooling? Join our team! Ely Folk School Mercantile Manager Job Description Job Summary: The Ely Folk School Mercantile Manager works in the Ely […]
A Year in Review
Written by Alexia Springer How has the year 2022 already come and gone? Upon reflection, this year somehow feels like the longest year that so quickly flew by. Much has happened, both in our collective world and in my personal circle. The Ely Folk School has been a major part of my year and it […]
Bois Forte Native Names Map
The Legacy Edition Maps are sold out, thank you to everyone who donated! Standard maps will be available for purchase in 2023 at the Ely Folk School and Bois Forte Heritage Center. TOWER—Mesaba, Biwabik, Kawishiwi, Saganaga—these northern Minnesota place names are among many easily recognized as having native origins associated with the region’s indigenous Ojibwe […]
Make Mittens for Ukraine
The Ely Folk School is making mittens for kids in Ukraine! Why? Because hearty Elyites know that there is no bad weather, just improper preparation and access to good clothing. We are putting that belief to good use and drawing on Ely’s resourcefulness and neighborliness to sew рукавиці (mittens) for children in Ukraine. A project […]
The Teaching Tree
By Seth Huntington Our new birchbark canoe was nearly complete with its first launch a few weeks away. Six new canoe paddles are needed, so the novice paddle maker took the rough sawn tree boards and roughed out six blanks. In time, five of the blanks were carved into usable, but not yet finished paddles. […]