Scandinavian Art Handicraft was started by Greta Peterson in 1956. Here, you can see her in the retail outlet, Scandinavian Art Handicraft, in the late summer of 1975. You may notice that there are a lot of balls of cord for macrame' and the famous wall of rya yarn against the wall. This picture is taken in one section of the store. The entire store was 1,800 square feet and sold looms, weaving materials and supplies, materials for rya rugs (if you would like to see simple instructions on how to tie a rya (Ghordes) knot, click here), needlepoint, embroidery, beads, macrame, Swedish folk art, knitting (including hand knitted sweaters from Sweden, Norway and Iceland) and much more. The store was latter expanded to two other stores, Fiber Naturel and Decorative Needlework, on the same street to allow for more room for each department.
Scandinavian Art Handicraft not only sold textile materials directly to the public but also imported and sold the materials to other shops in the United States. In the 1950's, it was the first to import Kosta Boda glass from Sweden along with Swedish wooden shoes, items from the Swedish Handcraft Guild and from many other sources. These items were sold over most of the United States. This was the first major Swedish experience for non-Swedish Americans.
Greta Peterson was instrumental in arranging exhibits of Swedish handicraft at the Smithsonian, in Washington and Union Carbide in New York. Many other exhibits were also staged in universities and other public places.
Greta Peterson also produced several concerts of Swedish music such as a Franz Berwald concert at Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio. For this concert Mrs. Peterson translated all of the lyrics into English. Other concerts, along with television appearances, included a Swedish Jazz great, piano recitals and more.
Greta Peterson served as the Royal Swedish Consul, for the Southern District of Ohio, from 1971 until 1983. This was one of the last Royal Consulates, under the King. Later the Consulates were under the Swedish equivalent of the US State Department.
For her work promoting Swedish culture in the United States, Greta Peterson has been twice decorated by the Swedish King. The most prestigious being the honor of being bestowed Dame Commander of the North Star, First Class.
Greta Peterson later owned Gallery 13 and Greta Peterson Galerie. Greta Peterson Galerie closed in 1998, when the building, that housed it was demolished, even though it was on the State of Ohio Inventory of Historical Buildings, to make way for a Walgreens store.
If you remember our business, you may also want visit the site of Daniel Peterson, a member of the Peterson family who owned Scandinavian Art Handicraft.
