Karen Keenan
Karen Keenan Hairwork Jewelry
ARTIST INFO:
As a child, Karen was interested in her mother’s hair brooch from Våmhus, Sweden. Years later, with many handwork projects under her belt, Karen read about the tradition of Swedish women entrepreneurs in the 1800’s who traveled from their country homes in Sweden to major European urban areas to make hair jewelry for others. At the time, Karen was unaware of where this growing curiosity in hairwork would lead. In 2018, supported by a Reviving Folk Arts in the Midwest Fellowship through the American Scandinavian Foundation, Karen traveled to her grandfather's childhood home, Våmhus, Sweden. There she learned how to make table-made hair jewelry from Master Hariworker Joanna Svensson. Notably, the villagers of Våmhus are keeping hairwork alive and have done so for over 200+ years, despite the fact that this art form became dormant in the early 1900's. In October 2019, the Nordic Center in Duluth, MN featured a hair jewelry exhibition curated by Karen called "Woven: Traditional Swedish Hair Jewelry." As an accompaniment to this exhibition, Karen offered a course on how to make a table-made hair bracelet. Following this event Karen was invited to teach hairwork at the North House Folk School in Grand Marais, MN. She also teaches this folk art at the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, MN. Additionally, Karen demonstrates hairwork at invited locations such as the Gamelgården Museum, Scandia, MN and the Museum of International Folk Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico and for FinnFest in Duluth, MN. During the Covid pandemic Karen participated in a video presentation for Vesterheim Museum in Decorah, Iowa and for North House Folk School. Karen is fascinated with the history, meaning, and creative possibilities brought to life when individuals engage with either learning about or how to construct jewelry or other decorative items using human hair. She is eager to share and teach what she knows with others. When not doing hairwork, she enjoys working with her husband who makes and sells handmade wood hair tables and weighted bobbins inspired by traditional Swedish designs for the growing network of hairworkers. When not doing hairwork, Karen enjoys playing flute or recorder music, researching, making and teaching pottery, and hiking with friends and family.
