En hyllest til stølen. Fingerringer inspirert av stølskulturen

This master thesis is a homage to the summer farm. Summer farming has been proved to be very sustainable, where pasture resources in the wilderness are used in an optimal way. The open grassland is home to a unique and varied composition of species. In light of climate change, nature conservation and biodiversity, summer farming becomes a topic. As a living tradition it becomes an important part of our material and intangible heritage, an interaction between humans, animals and nature, that should be preserved. The creative part of this thesis is therefore about making jewellery that symbolises summer farming culture. As a fundament for the creative work, the summer farming culture was set in a larger context. The theoretical part moves from the general information about etymology, history and biology to the more specific information about the Sparstad summer farm in Vang i Valdres. In this context, the registration of traditional artefacts at the summer farm, as well as a film documentation of the work on the summer farm, are presented. The creative work is based on the empirical study and the sensory input from the summer farming season 2018. The aesthetics at Sparstad’s have led to a concrete concept: Symbolysing summer farming culture through visualizing five topic areas in rings. During the development of the rings a personal touch and a contemporary design was of importance. The five topics are: Livestock, mountain grassland, buildings, knowledge and traditional artefacts. The practical realization of the concept is described step by step and chronologically. The crafting of the rings went well, since only slight adjustments were necessary during the process. The thesis proceeds with an evaluation and an aesthetical study of the rings and concludes with an analysis of the master thesis in general