Bolstad Woodworks Bill Bolstad received a B.S. degree in Industrial Arts from Montana State University and a M.S. degree from Iowa State University. He taught industrial arts in St. Paul, Minnesota for nine years. Since 1977, he has been a full-time craftsman, marketing his boxes and furniture throughout the United States. Nan Bolstad received a B.A. degree in English from Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She has worked as an editorial assistant, an administrative assistant, and gallery manager prior to devoting full time to Bolstad Woodworks. She also serves as the coordinator for Salem-Keiser School District's Odyssey of the Mind program and as a regional OM director. In the summer of 1969, Bill Bolstad made some wood carvings, wooden toys, and plastic sculptures. Encouraged by the appeal his designs had to the public, he continued to develop new items and sold them at fairs and galleries in the upper Midwest. In 1974, Bill and Nan bought a craft gallery in St. Paul, Minnesota where they could sell their handcrafted wooden items as well as the work of other craftspeople and artists. The home basement workshop was outgrown; space was rented in an old post office; and Wooden Nickel Workshop began selling jewelry boxes, file boxes, and wooden toys to accounts throughout the United States. In 1978, the Bolstads relocated to Willamina, Oregon. They have participated in many national craft shows. Jewelry chests and furniture designs created by Bill and Nan have been honored as NICHE Award finalists in 1990, 1992 and 1993.