Queen Sonja visits Mysen furniture-making school for 100th anniversary, Digi Mart USA News (Mysen, Indre Østfold, Norway): The furniture-making school in Mysen celebrated its 100th anniversary with a visit from Queen Sonja on Thursday. The queen came to show her interest in fine craftsmanship, a visit that created excitement in the workshops.
Among the 27 students at the school, anticipation ran high ahead of her arrival. Student Alexander Klæbo was deeply focused on his woodwork as the visit approached.
He said the class was currently working on a box, having cut the pieces and dimensioned the sides.
Klæbo said it was a great honor to host the queen. “It’s also really special to be part of class number 100 at this school,” he added.
Several residents of Indre Østfold watched the visit from outside and from their own balconies.
Fellow student Elise Baltzersen also looked forward to sharing her passion for the craft with the distinguished guest. She said she had heard the queen was interested in their trade.
Baltzersen stressed that the work demands a special kind of precision that takes time to master, measured in millimeters and even fractions of a millimeter.
One of the most memorable moments of the celebration involved 94-year-old Knut Frøyset, who graduated from the school back in 1950. He sat in a sofa he had made himself while waiting for the queen.
The sofa is a central part of an exhibition showing furniture that has lasted up to 100 years.
School principal Edwin Aastorp Haga said the recipe for durability is fairly simple. “It’s simply good raw materials, preferably local if you can.
And then good handwork and sound craft techniques, high precision, and then a lot is accomplished,” Haga said.
When Queen Sonja reached the 94-year-old’s piece of furniture, she praised it. “It was really lovely.
A lot of work,” she said as she inspected the masterpiece. Frøyset, visibly proud and humble, replied, “Yes.
Thank you very much.”
