A selection of interviews, features and articles about Ragnar Nysæther and his work. Read short introductions here and the full articles on the publishers’ websites.
The Norwegian Forest Museum presents Sørlistøa Log Driving Museum by Lake Osensjøen. It highlights Ragnar’s woodcarvings depicting the lives of log drivers and forest workers as part of the exhibition on the area’s logging and log-driving history.
Read the museum presentationIssue 2/2004 · pages 48–49
Yngve Kvebæk’s feature from Galleri ORO in Elverum presents a Scandinavian art exhibition devoted to large predators. A wooden bear sculpture by Birger Ragnar Nysæther is pictured and credited. The exhibition opened on 28 February 2004.
Read the feature in Våre Rovdyr (PDF)Awarded in 2002
Åmot Municipality’s official cultural award record lists Ragnar Nysæther as the recipient in 2002. The award honours individuals or associations that have made an especially significant contribution to cultural life in the municipality.
View the municipality’s award record1 May 2026 · programme updated 25 April 2026
LO’s programme for 1 May in Osen Folkepark includes the unveiling of Tømmerfløteren and a conversation with Ragnar Nysæther about the process and work behind the statue. The programme also places log driving in its historical context.
Read the programme on LO’s websiteIssue 5 · 2020
The parish magazine Tett på shows a detail of Ragnar’s nativity scene, surrounded by elk and snow-covered spruce trees. The text credits Ragnar Nysæther as the woodcarver and describes the image as part of a larger installation.
Read the feature in Tett på (PDF)Annual report for 2016 · page 14
The annual report describes two landscape models of Langsua, installed at Kittilbu Museum and Segalstad bru. Ragnar Nysæther carved the models in limewood. Interactive animations projected onto the landscape present the area’s nature, culture and outdoor activities.
Read about the landscape models (PDF, page 14)4 June 2021
Anno museum’s press release about Ingrid Bjørnov’s award notes that the Sandbeck Prize includes a woodcarving by Ragnar Nysæther. It also mentions that Ragnar received the award himself in 2019.
Read the press release from Anno museum9 June 2022
Anno museum presents the log-driving world championship in Elverum. The press release mentions ‘Fløtarguten’, the wooden sculpture Ragnar made as a prize for the winning team.
Read about the championship and trophyThe fundraiser’s presentation describes Ragnar’s work on the Log Driver and roughly 2,500 hours of work. The initiative was launched to improve his compensation for the effort behind the monument.
View the presentation on SpleisThis is a fundraiser. Amounts and status may have changed, or the fundraiser may have ended.
Sandbeck Prize 2019
The Sandbeck Foundation’s presentation and jury statement highlight Ragnar’s woodcarving and nativity scene. It complements his interview by explaining why he was selected for the award.
Read the jury’s statementPhotograph from 3 May 2019
A photograph of Ragnar’s hands, taken in his workshop in Nordre Osen. It offers a closer look at the craft and complements the portrait in the museum collection.
View the photograph on DigitaltMuseumYearbook 2016 · printed page 85
The yearbook’s account of Sørlistøa Log-Driving Museum highlights Ragnar’s wooden figures depicting log drivers and their working lives, as part of the museum’s presentation of log-driving history.
Open the yearbook at the account (PDF)Portrait of woodcarver Ragnar Nysæther from Nordre Osen in Åmot.
View the portrait on DigitaltMuseum (opens in a new tab)Before the unveiling on 1 May 2026
Østlendingen’s news feed introduces Ragnar’s Log Driver before its unveiling in Nordre Osen. It describes the monument, the work in heartwood pine and Birger Rønningen, who modelled for the figure.
The article appeared in Østlendingen’s rolling news feed. A stable direct link is unavailable; the link below leads to our own presentation.
Read our presentation of the Log DriverPrint edition: 5 May 2026 · Rune Hagen
A feature on Ragnar’s largest project: the Log Driver in Osen. Ragnar describes how the work grew from an estimate of 600 hours to around 2,500, the technical challenges and the joy of completing the monument.
Read the online article in Østlendingen (opens in a new tab)This summary is based on the print feature. The online article may require a subscription.
5 May 2026 · Rune Hagen
From the unveiling on 1 May, when almost 600 people gathered in Osen. The feature describes the tribute to Ragnar and the meeting with Oddveig and Eldar Rønningen, the wife and son of the man who modelled for the Log Driver.
Read about the monument and unveilingBased on the newspaper clipping. The link leads to our project page; an online link to the original feature has not been confirmed.
On the occasion of the 2019 Sandbeck Prize
A visit to Ragnar’s workshop at home in Nordre Osen. He talks about starting at nine, becoming a full-time woodcarver and his surprise at receiving the prize for which he had made wooden diplomas since 2008.
Read the interview at the Sandbeck Foundation (opens in a new tab)1 April 2019
Anno introduces Ragnar as the 2019 recipient of Regnbågåbrua. The article describes his background and the jury’s recognition of woodcarving as a strong craft tradition.
Read the press release at Anno Museum (opens in a new tab)10 June 2024
Harald Vingelsgaard’s feature covers the award ceremony and concert with Åge Aleksandersen. Ragnar’s carved Sandbeck relief is pictured and described as part of the prize.
Read the feature at Ballade (opens in a new tab)No. 4, 2020 · pages 4–5
The parish magazine describes the figures and local history in the nativity scene. On the following page, residents share their impressions of the artwork and woodcarving.
Open the parish magazine (PDF) at Åmot kirkeblad (opens in a new tab)Article from April 2017
The Church in Våler describes the old altarpiece and notes that Ragnar made a new figure of Matthew the Evangelist in 2016–2017 to replace the lost original. The figure was painted by Gun B. Løken.
Read about the altarpiece at the Church in Våler (opens in a new tab)15 September 2016
A photo essay from Rena, including a visit to Åmot Church. Among the subjects is a small exhibition of Ragnar’s figures, with the photographer highlighting the details of the woodcarving.
View the photo essay at See Norway – Se Norge (opens in a new tab)View the photograph at See Norway – Se Norge (opens in a new tab) – Black format
External links open in a new tab. Where a stable link to the original is unconfirmed, this is noted beside the entry and the link leads to our own project page. The introductions are brief summaries; the original texts and images belong to their publishers.