Howard Sherpe,
Norwegian Folk Art Wood Carver

Howard Sherpe, left and Wayne Barton, right.
Howard's t-shirt says, "Made in America with NORWEGIAN PARTS!"

What Wayne Barton said about Howard Skjerpe
in his January/February 2002 column in Chip Chats,
the magazine of the National Wood Carver's Association:

"Many Norwegians I've met harbor the notion that they are endowed with
a gene enabling them to draw upon the artistic skills of their Viking ancestry.
An interesting idea with which I'm not sure I would disagree considering
some of the work I've seen them produce.

In Madison, Wisc., lives one individual with a strong Viking heritage who
personifies this "suspected" Norwegian gene theory. I met Howard Sherpe
three years ago in one of my weekend beginning classes. Howard took to
chip carving like a Norske dragonship to water. Since then, he has honed his
skills with a lively flair, boldly adapting designs from all things Norwegian
and elsewhere. This includes, rosemaling patterns, designs found in and of
stave churches, Celtic knot and woven motifs, even cartoon concepts of
what Vikings looked like. Howard also enjoys carving a variety of objects:
plaques, plates, boxes, ale bowls and more.

With an active, creative mind and an adventurous spirit, Howard Sherpe
continues the artistic journey begun by his ancestors centuries ago.
I'm sure they'd be proud of him. Maybe there is something to that
Norwegian artistic gene theory."