Kristi Potocnik Williams Special to the Leader
Photo by Nicole Shattuck The Little Mermaid, hero of Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 tale, is the most recognized work in a series of four cultural heritage paintings at Nazareth Lutheran Church in rural Withee. The late artist Katherine Hansen’s folk art painting was one of four she donated to the church in the 1950s.
“She was always busy and everything was special.” That is Shawano resident Ellen Hansen Swedberg’s recollection as she described her late grandmother, Katherine Hansen.
“When we arrived at her home and opened the door there was always an aroma greeting you — coffee, Danish Kringle or roast chicken in the oven, or paint from her studio. She was always busy creating something,” Swedberg said.
Katherine Hansen was a prolific and generous folk art painter. She created four large paintings in the 1950s that illustrate the coastal landscape and culture of Denmark and donated them to her church. Her church, Nazareth Lutheran in Withee, was founded in 1893 by Danish immigrants.
The small central Wisconsin community church will celebrate its cultural heritage illustrated in paintings by Hansen. Nazareth Lutheran pastor Bonnie Cain announced the church and Friends of the Old School will host a Celebration of Danish Folk Art at 1 p.m. Saturday. All community members and friends of Danish Art are invited to enjoy all of Kathrine Hansen’s paintings.
W. Clayton Nielsen, 92, a retired ELCA pastor, served the congregation from 1950 to 1959. He recalls Hansen painting and donating the work during that time.
“She was a talented painter, producing landscapes and traditional Danish rosemaling (Bondekinst) on wooden plates,” he said. “A conservationist and avid gardener, Katherine was also a generous church volunteer; her garden flowers frequently graced worship services.”
The four paintings, each four-by-four feet square, were custom-framed in dark pine wood before they were donated and hung in the then newly remodeled church hall. When the original Danish hall was demolished and a new attached church hall built, the paintings were installed in the new building.
Katherine and V.A. “Viggo” Hansen had one son, Roger, and two grandchildren, Guy and Ellen.
Ellen Swedberg remembers her grandmother as a “talented cook, gardener and painter. She painted frogs and lily pads on bathroom walls, rosemaling on all of the kitchen cabinets in my home growing up. Our bedroom chests had storybook characters painted on all of the drawers.”
“I lived with her two summers and worked at the hardware store she owned. When I wasn’t at the store I weeded her garden,” Swedberg said. “Every Sunday we ate baked chicken (raised on my great-uncle’s farm) stuffed with dried prunes and apples. That is how I make stuffing today.”