Alyssa Paulsen

Traveler’s Blessing
carved cow horn

Yggdrasil Drinking Horn
carved cow horn

In the studio at Harper College I was introduced to ceramic, and the unique properties of ceramic and horn have enhanced my understanding of both mediums. A deep connection with Viking art influences my style as I connect history with contemporary mythology and design.

Horn has been used for drinking cups before the Viking age and remains a viable functional material even to this day. My sculpture focuses on modern “artifacts;” items that are both decorative and functional with a distinctly ancient feel.

Using Norse motifs that the Vikings would recognize, drinking horns recapture that functional beauty in a ritual object now alien to our culture.

© Alyssa Paulsen