Artist Lydia Sohlberg Deere
(Lydia's Photography, 1900-1925)
(Lydia's Photography, 1900-1925)
"LYDIA'S WORLD"
Smoky Valley descendant friends caring for her work
~ Honoring them and remembering them
~ 2005-2011
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Smoky Valley descendant friends caring for her work
~ Honoring them and remembering them
~ 2005-2011
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Studio 113 North Main
- site of Lydia's World last exhibition -
2011
- site of Lydia's World last exhibition -
2011
SPECIAL THANKS TO
- an incredible community embracing the arts -
and
for the LYDIA'S WORLD exhibition
PARTICULAR THANKS TO
Jim Pugh, owner of Studio 113
Brian Freeman who saw that everything ran smoothly at Studio 113
Larry and Liz Peters for their warm hospitality
Kathryn Frantz for her ongoing assistance during the exhibition and for helping me scrub the floor
Larry and Marla Elmquist for their ongoing kind hospitality, storing the Gallery several years before the show and more
Raymer Society Director Marsha Howe for offering to me the artist-in-residence studio to use
R. D. Rasmusson who supported this project from its beginnings, curating, at times, the Sundstrom windows displays
* * *
2012
Dividing
Lydia's World Gallery
- Recognizing with great appreciation those who accepted Lydia's World Galleries -
Bethany Lutheran Church, Pastor Loren Mai
City of Lindsborg, City Administrator Greg DuMars
Evangelical Covenant Church, Pastor Jeff Waugh
Smoky Valley Public Schools USD400, Superintendent Glen Supps
Vision-Tek, Director Marla Elmquist
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In late 2005, the free offer of the Gallery to Bethany College for the 125th Anniversary had been accepted as a real possibility and there was great excitement in the air as these emails of that time express:
From Bethany College Vice President for Institutional of Advancement Karen Humphrey, "This past week I’ve had a better opportunity to review the photos from the Sohlberg-Deere collection [at the Sandzén Gallery]. They are just wonderful, Fran. What a window they give us on life at Bethany College in another generation. Denise Carson, who, in her position as Librarian, is also head of the Archives. She will be communicating with you directly regarding her comments and the possibilities for the collection to find a permanent home at Bethany College." **
From Bethany College Director of Library Services Wallerstedt Library Denise Carson, "I had the opportunity to view the photos at the Sandzén Gallery. They are wonderful! It [Bethany College] truly must have been a very unique place during the time of these photos. The past two months I have been creating and putting up the 125th Anniversary Archives exhibit and have been fascinated by the buildings, people, and objects that made Bethany such a great place. So, the Sohlberg-Deere collection brings it even more to life for me. I understand there are possibilities of the collection coming to Bethany on a permanent bases – what a treasure that would be. The students today have no idea what Bethany used to look like. For them to be able to see and appreciate the history of Bethany through the photo collection would help make that connection for them. This is exciting! Let me know what I need to do to help make this a reality."***
In early 2006, the selection had been made of [58] pieces from the Gallery for the College by Mrs. Carson as expressed in this email: "I do have a list of the photographs that Bethany would like to have in the frames for display on the campus that I will be sending soon..."****
However, the entire process came to a halt during some unexpected top level administration changes, especially with the departure of Ms. Humphrey. A committee was formed and would not accept the chosen pieces due to an art policy of only accepting original art. Since the photographs had to be enlarged to create a gallery, the committee would not accept them. I was informed coldly that this policy had been waived in other cases, but it would not be for Lydia's Gallery pieces.
This decision was made by persons of authority, not having a true connection or understanding of the College and its early history. Not having the 58 pieces hung on the walls of Bethany's buildings was a true cultural heritage loss for the College, especially for students, faculty, administration leaders, and board members having no knowledge of this history.
Ms. Humphrey had made all the right decisions concerning this matter. She was a scholar of early Swedish and Norwegian immigrant history in Minnesota and very knowledgeable of Lindsborg and Bethany College early history. She would go on to become president of the Minnesota Historical Society and then president of the Norwegian-American Historical Association. She had a true connection and understanding of the College and its early history and could easily make the right cultural heritage decisions for the College's best interests.
During the five year period which followed, the offer was made two more times for the College to have their chosen 58 pieces. This was to ensure that the College Administration was really set on their decision not to share Bethany College's early visual history with anyone; and, more importantly, this was to clear the way for the other 5 entities to accept pieces from the Gallery, creating their own Lydia's World mini galleries, which they did in May of 2012.
From Bethany College Vice President for Institutional of Advancement Karen Humphrey, "This past week I’ve had a better opportunity to review the photos from the Sohlberg-Deere collection [at the Sandzén Gallery]. They are just wonderful, Fran. What a window they give us on life at Bethany College in another generation. Denise Carson, who, in her position as Librarian, is also head of the Archives. She will be communicating with you directly regarding her comments and the possibilities for the collection to find a permanent home at Bethany College." **
From Bethany College Director of Library Services Wallerstedt Library Denise Carson, "I had the opportunity to view the photos at the Sandzén Gallery. They are wonderful! It [Bethany College] truly must have been a very unique place during the time of these photos. The past two months I have been creating and putting up the 125th Anniversary Archives exhibit and have been fascinated by the buildings, people, and objects that made Bethany such a great place. So, the Sohlberg-Deere collection brings it even more to life for me. I understand there are possibilities of the collection coming to Bethany on a permanent bases – what a treasure that would be. The students today have no idea what Bethany used to look like. For them to be able to see and appreciate the history of Bethany through the photo collection would help make that connection for them. This is exciting! Let me know what I need to do to help make this a reality."***
In early 2006, the selection had been made of [58] pieces from the Gallery for the College by Mrs. Carson as expressed in this email: "I do have a list of the photographs that Bethany would like to have in the frames for display on the campus that I will be sending soon..."****
However, the entire process came to a halt during some unexpected top level administration changes, especially with the departure of Ms. Humphrey. A committee was formed and would not accept the chosen pieces due to an art policy of only accepting original art. Since the photographs had to be enlarged to create a gallery, the committee would not accept them. I was informed coldly that this policy had been waived in other cases, but it would not be for Lydia's Gallery pieces.
This decision was made by persons of authority, not having a true connection or understanding of the College and its early history. Not having the 58 pieces hung on the walls of Bethany's buildings was a true cultural heritage loss for the College, especially for students, faculty, administration leaders, and board members having no knowledge of this history.
Ms. Humphrey had made all the right decisions concerning this matter. She was a scholar of early Swedish and Norwegian immigrant history in Minnesota and very knowledgeable of Lindsborg and Bethany College early history. She would go on to become president of the Minnesota Historical Society and then president of the Norwegian-American Historical Association. She had a true connection and understanding of the College and its early history and could easily make the right cultural heritage decisions for the College's best interests.
During the five year period which followed, the offer was made two more times for the College to have their chosen 58 pieces. This was to ensure that the College Administration was really set on their decision not to share Bethany College's early visual history with anyone; and, more importantly, this was to clear the way for the other 5 entities to accept pieces from the Gallery, creating their own Lydia's World mini galleries, which they did in May of 2012.
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* * *
- F R I E N D S O F L Y D I A ' S W O R L D -
2005 - 2012
- recognizing and thanking those who stored Lydia's gallery pieces until the transfer of ownership -
- an incredible community embracing the arts -
- F R I E N D S O F L Y D I A ' S W O R L D -
2005 - 2012
- recognizing and thanking those who stored Lydia's gallery pieces until the transfer of ownership -
- an incredible community embracing the arts -
These persons were artists, writers, farmers, teachers, businessmen, town officials, a former mayor, an attorney, a librarian, college graduates, past and present college professors -- heads of their departments, the academic dean.
Their names appear in alphabet order: Eugene Bales, Pat and Glenn Bellah, Margarete Dorsch, Larry and Marla Elmquist, Gretchen Esping, Kathryn Frantz, Bill Gusenius, Darlene Handlin, Ryan Holmquist, Marlysue Holmquist, Jill Hubele, Greg and Angie Howe, Linda Lewis, Linda Lundstrom, John and Darlene Magnuson, Phyllis Liljegren Newson, Gretchen Norland, Karen Olson, Kathi Patterson, Erik Peterson, R.D. Rasmusson, Jeanette Rooth-Martin, Mary Swenson, Kathryn Toll, and Cody Whetstone.
Their names appear in alphabet order: Eugene Bales, Pat and Glenn Bellah, Margarete Dorsch, Larry and Marla Elmquist, Gretchen Esping, Kathryn Frantz, Bill Gusenius, Darlene Handlin, Ryan Holmquist, Marlysue Holmquist, Jill Hubele, Greg and Angie Howe, Linda Lewis, Linda Lundstrom, John and Darlene Magnuson, Phyllis Liljegren Newson, Gretchen Norland, Karen Olson, Kathi Patterson, Erik Peterson, R.D. Rasmusson, Jeanette Rooth-Martin, Mary Swenson, Kathryn Toll, and Cody Whetstone.
Where "Lydia's World" started in 2007 in the Sundstrom building windows, the
"Sundstrom Sidewalk Gallery"
my unofficial title of that day
thanks to the
City of Lindsborg
&
City Manager Greg DeMars
Lydia's photos are in the left storefront windows of the Sundstrom building
Source: The McPherson Sentinel Article: "Lindsborg moves forward with renovation of Sundstrom building" 11/9/2010
Go HERE to"Lindsborg News-Record" headlines for Lydia's World's Sundstrom sidewalk gallery exhibits
2021 NEW -- working on this
Go HERE to Lydia's Lindsborg Photography, 1900 - 1925
Go HERE to Deere & Lydia's Bethany -- Lydia's Photography, 1906 - 1925
Go HERE to Deere & Lydia's Bethany -- Lydia's Photography, 1906 - 1925
* * *
** Email November 7, 2005 from Karen A. Humphrey, C.F.R.E., Vice President for Institutional Advancement
*** Email December 14, 2005 from Denise Carson, Director of Library Services Wallerstedt Library
**** Email February 23, 2006 from Denise Carson, Director of Library Services Wallerstedt Library
(Today: Assistant Professor Director of Wallerstedt Learning Center, Archivist, Denise Carson, M.L.S.)
*** Email December 14, 2005 from Denise Carson, Director of Library Services Wallerstedt Library
**** Email February 23, 2006 from Denise Carson, Director of Library Services Wallerstedt Library
(Today: Assistant Professor Director of Wallerstedt Learning Center, Archivist, Denise Carson, M.L.S.)
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* * *
Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
* * *
Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
