Behold the tine – a uniquely designed box with Viking origins. They are drab or boldly decorated. Carvers transform them from a chunk of wood to exquisite masterpieces. Families cherish them as a connection to ancestors who paved a path for them. Some lock with a snap and others can only by unlocked if you know the secret combination. Woodworkers enjoy shaping an oval with a wet-noodle slice of wood. Rosemalers ply their paint in floral and acanthus designs. Antique dealers know they will sell. We give honor to our mentors who showed us how to craft them. Our cherished folk art friends inspire us pursue new directions. This is the many faceted world of tiner (plural) which you will discover in this book. It has been hidden from you, but now the treasure is revealed to you.

About the author:

Jerome (Jerry) Rud was born in western Minnesota to Norwegian-American parents who lived on a farm in a largely Norwegian community where he attended a one-room school. He was always interested in living things (especially birds, insects, and fish) and, after graduation from Milan High School, he attended Luther College (Decorah, Iowa) and majored in biology. He then attended graduate school at DePauw University (Grencastle, Indiana) and earned a Masters Degree in Zoology. While there he met his wife whom he married and then worked at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management for 29 years. In his retirement he embraced his Norwegian heritage in earnest (especially folk art) which has given him lasting fulfillment.

The research journey for this book was so memorable, not only for the folk art he saw, but also for the many people that he met along the way in Indiana, Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Norway. 

He will be bringing tiner from his personal collection for the audience to see. We hope to see you there! 

Jerry Rud