BUSINESS OF THE WEEK: Wood worshippers

0 Comments | La Crosse Tribune, Jul 16, 2001 | by Cahalan, Steve

COON VALLEY, Wis. - In the shop next to their home, Mike Lusk creates trunks, cabinets, tables , shelves, boxes and other woodwork. And his wife, Becky, creates Norwegian folk art such as figure carvings, ale bowls, kolrosing and acanthus carvings and Christmas ornaments.

Besides Mike's woodworking and Becky's carvings, their Lusk Scandia Woodworks also sells items that feature the rosemaling of Becky's mother, Jean Giese of De Soto.

Becky is a Vesterheim gold medalist wood-carver, and her mother is a Vesterheim gold medalist rosemaler. Both received the gold medals in competitions at past Nordic Fests at the Vesterheim NorwegianAmerican Museum in Decorah, Iowa.

Lusk Scandia Woodworks also sells jewelry, creative wire picture hangers and other items made by the Lusks' children - Melissa, 14; Matthew, 12; and Jessica, 10.

Most of Becky's carvings, and some of Mike's products, have a Scandinavian theme or design, usually Norwegian.

The Lusks and Giese are teaming up to create three covered beds for the Lusk children. Melissa's bed, which is finished, was built by Mike, features marble-like painting by Becky and rosemaling by Giese. Melissa's name and birthday are painted at the top of the bed. Painted at the bottom, in Norwegian, is the saying, "Those who sleep late miss the morning sun." Matthew and Jessica's beds aren't yet finished.

"We've had a couple inquiries" from people interested in having similar beds made for their homes, Mike said.

"A lot of what I make is for rosemalers and painters to work on," and resell, he said.

Rosemaling is a form of decorative flower painting that began in Norway in the 1700s. Kolrosing - or incised decoration - involves using the tip of a sharp tool to form a fine single line rather than a carved groove and became a popular form of decoration for small wooden objects by the 1600s. Acanthus carving uses an acanthus plant motif that can include an ornate pattern of flowers, leaves and flowing tendrils.

Becky, 36, grew up on a beef cat-, tle farm near De Soto, and Mike, 38, was raised on a dairy farm near Coon Valley. Soon after they married in 1985, they bought the farm where Mike had grown up. In 1995, they sold the dairy farm to a neighbor and bought the six acres where they have built their current home. Becky designed the home, which Mike and some relatives built.

The Lusks operated their woodwork and folk art business on the side, as Ridgetop Woodworks, before renaming it Lusk Scandia Woodworks four years ago to reflect their name and Scandinavian theme. In September, Mike quit his job at SkipperLiner Industries in La Crosse after five years so he could devote all of his time to Lusk Scandia Woodworks.

Mike has been doing woodworking ever since he married Becky in 1985. And she has been carving for 22 years. "My grandfather was a woodcarver, and my mother is a rosemaler, so I've grown up around it," Becky said. Her grandfather, the late Hans Simonson, emigrated to the United States from Norway.

Becky and her mother give demonstrations and show and sell their works at Nordic Fest in Decorah and at the Midsummer Fest at Norskedalen. Becky also teaches figure carving at Norskedalen, the. Vesterheim museum and at the Woodcraft store in Bloomington, Minn.

Becky and Mike participate in about eight area arts and crafts shows each year, which generates many. of their orders.

Nickles Flooring and Furniture in Galesville sells some of Mike's woodwork, such as pedestals, bookcases shelves and entertainment centers.

Mike is working on his largest order so far 27 bedside tables and 27 dressers for an apartment complex in La Crosse.

The Lusks were among the founders of the Winding Roads tourism brochure, which is in its third year and lists 17 rural businesses in La Crosse, Vernon and Monroe counties. "We've had people from quite a few states stop by" the Lusk Scandia Woodworks shop, Mike said, mostly because of the brochure.

The Lusks also will have a Web site for their business within a few weeks. it will show photos of some of their creations.

Mike said the business allows him and his wife to be creative. "And you're your own boss," he added.

Their work doesn't seem like work, Becky said. "When I go out and carve, the time goes by fast,'' she said. "It's enjoyable."