Karen Kviltu Lidal

Turning point at folk high school
Despite the fact that she had always found great joy in creating and shaping the environment around her, a creative life path was never the plan.
– I was very good at school, and felt the pressure to become something “proper.” But at folk high school I dared to think about it.

After high school, Karen took a year at the art department at Stavern Folk High School – a year that would set the course for the future.
– It was incredibly developing. An opportunity to catch your breath, do what you want and get to know lots of nice people. Then I thought that the ideal thing would be to be both a folk high school teacher and an artist. That's how it has become.

After her year in Stavern, she first trained as an art and craft teacher, before taking a bachelor's degree in textiles and a master's degree in visual arts at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts. Since then, she has worked as a performing artist with a focus on material-based art, and has had exhibitions at, among others, the National Museum, the Norwegian Artists' Association and the Norwegian Artists' Association. She has taught as an art and craft teacher at a lower secondary school, as a drawing teacher at the Oslo School of Architecture – and for the last twelve years as a subject teacher in art and architecture at Oslo Folk High School Rønningen. 

Learning to think again
Karen says that art at folk high schools is something different from what many students have encountered before. Those who have studied art, design and architecture in high school often have to learn to think anew.
– Many people are used to thinking about what the teacher wants from them, so we spend a lot of time finding out what the students themselves want, and how they can use art to express it.

Students receive ongoing feedback throughout their projects, and response from both fellow students and teachers when the work is completed.
– You learn an incredible amount from that form of assessment. You don't need grades to be motivated.

A year at a folk high school is worth it for those who want to study something creative further, says Karen. She and her colleagues help students build a good portfolio and set aside time to work on entrance exams.

– The entrance exams for the schools are often very artistic. The combination they get here – learning techniques, gaining experience with materials and tools, and at the same time being creative all the way – is therefore very valuable.

A year to breathe
Regardless of whether students continue with art or not, Karen believes that a year at folk high school is an experience everyone should have.
– I actually think it should be mandatory – but then it kind of defeats the point, which is that you choose it yourself. That year to take a breath and figure out who you want to be, it's incredibly important for the rest of your life.