Join Doug as you embark on a three-day creative journey by immersing yourself in studio art offered to folk artists, beginners who work in all mediums, and beginners interested in developing visual skills to enhance and improve their creativity. At the end of this workshop, you will be on your way to composing and drawing inspiration from what you see in and around your world. No drawing experience necessary.

Level of instruction: All levels.

Doug Eckheart has taught numerous creative workshops in drawing and painting over a 40-year teaching career in the visual arts at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. He earned his BA from Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota, and MFA from Bowling Green University, Ohio. Doug is a productive, active artist who has held dozens of one-person exhibits and group shows in New York City, Chicago, Des Moines, Malta, and Norway. He has judged at various art festivals, exhibitions, and juried shows, and has been a judge five times for Vesterheim’s National Exhibition of Folk Art in the Norwegian Tradition. Doug now owns his own gallery and antique shop in Decorah, where he shares his passion, unlimited inspiration, and vast knowledge for the arts through his work and teaching.

Rogaland rosemaling is a symmetrical and precise style that often includes tulips and other stylized flowers in opaque colors on dark backgrounds. The flowers are usually more important than the scrolls and leaves and the designs often include cross-hatching, dots, and teardrops. The projects for this class will be a corner cupboard and a bowl. You may choose to work on one or both projects. The shallow bowl is approximately 13 inches in diameter. The corner cupboard is approximately 23 inches high, and 13 inches across the front. The door design area is approximately 10 x 18 inches. The project in the photo is not the class project, but depicts the style of painting that will be taught. There will be a materials fee.

Level of instruction: All levels.

Ruth Green is an established Rogaland painter and has numerous publications that are available in Vesterheim’s Museum Store. She is a Certified Decorative Artist with the Society of Decorative Painters and is known for her workshops at their conferences.

Students will learn how to create their own designs. They may bring their own design project, or purchase a project from the Museum Store. Any size for the project is acceptable, from small plate to large trunk or cupboard. The instructor will cover the elements of design and what judges are looking for when judging a show. There will be a materials fee.

Level of instruction: For students who have had a beginner rosemaling class and know the basics of stroke work and how to handle brushes.

Ken Magnuson was born and raised on a farm near Blooming Prairie, Minnesota. He graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Veterinary Medicine. Ken started taking rosemaling classes in 1975 and has studied with many Norwegian and American teachers. He was awarded Best of Show in 2001 at Vesterheim’s National Exhibition of Folk Art in the Norwegian Tradition and awarded his Gold Medal in 2003. All of his Gold Medal points were in the Hallingdal style. Ken has studied with Turid Helle Fatland from Norway and enjoys painting on natural or bark-edged bowls in the Telemark style.

Looking for an inexpensive, unique finish for an old chair or dresser, or a way to enhance the decoration in an area of your home? Are you looking for a way to enhance your rosemaling? A faux finish may be just the thing.

Faux finishing is decorative painting that has been used for millennia, from cave walls to the tombs of ancient Egypt to your neighbor’s dining room table.
The painting methods are simple enough for beginners. It’s original, easy, and fun. Even finger painters are welcome! 

This class will explore different techniques and materials to achieve a variety of effects. Most of the class time will be spent making tagboard samples, but you may bring or buy woodenware to work on. The class will be taught in oils, but acrylic painters can easily adapt the lessons to that medium. This class will only be concerned with backgrounds and you may finish the pieces according to your own preference. Come with old clothes, an open mind, and a playful attitude! There will be a materials fee.

Level of instruction: For students who have had a beginner rosemaling class and know the basics of stroke work and how to handle brushes.

Sara Tollefson has studied rosemaling for over 25 years with many Norwegian and American painters and was awarded the Vesterheim Gold Medal in 2009. She has also studied in Norway in conjunction with Vesterheim-sponsored folk-art tours. Sara has taught rosemaling in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin for over 15 years and she was the editor of Vesterheim’s Rosemaling Letter for 17 years.

Learn to execute the lovely three-dimensional look of acanthus leaves and scrolls, which are reminiscent of the acanthus carving best known in the Gudbrandsdal area. Class instruction will begin with the basic elements used in a Gudbrandsdal design and then will move on to a complete design, either on painted tagboard or a project, depending upon your wishes. The class will be taught in oils, but acrylic painters are very welcome and Judy has expertise in both mediums. There will be a materials fee.

Level of instruction: Intermediate to advanced.

Judy Ritger of River Falls, Wisconsin, has been rosemaling for about 34 years. She has taken part in three of the Vesterheim study tours to Norway. Telemark was her initial area of interest, but the Gudbrandsdal style is now her favorite. She learned how to paint in the Gudbrandsdal style by studying the pieces at the Maihaugen Museum in Lillehammer. She also received expert instruction from Ragnvald Frøysadal. Judy earned her Gold Medal in rosemaling in 1989 and, after taking a strong interest in carving, earned her Gold Medal in woodcarving also. She teaches many classes around the country in both rosemaling and carving.

This will be a project class, pulling design influences from old pieces. You are encouraged to bring photos of old Os and/or Rogaland pieces to class for inspiration. You can paint on woodenware and backgrounded tagboard. The class will be taught in oils, but acrylic painters are welcome to come and work on your own. The class will use walnut alkyd medium, walnut oil, and no thinner in class; however, you may bring a jar of clean odorless thinner to use outside the classroom to remove errors. Projects will be listed with class materials list. There will be a materials fee.

Level of instruction: Intermediate to advanced.

Trudy Peach is a Vesterheim Gold Medal winner and is a Certified Decorative Artist with the Society of Decorative Painters. She studies old pieces of rosemaling to influence her designs in Rogaland and Os styles. Trudy shares these ideas with students to help them develop an awareness of how to interpret designs. She has taught rosemaling throughout the United States.

Explore the decorative arts of Northern Sweden! The class will focus on the era from about 1700 to 1900 with a fresh and fun approach. Northern Sweden is known for its beautiful and colorful decoration of furniture, walls, and wooden pieces, such as cupboards, trunks, and bowls. We will study Dalarna painting, Dala horses, kurbits (large cucumber-type leaves), wreaths, and colorful florals. The striking designs of the Rättvik and Hälsingland areas are well known by Swedish collectors everywhere. We will also study the flowers and designs of artists Winter Carl Hanson, Jufwas Anders Ersson, and others. We will explore the unusual glazing and lazuring techniques of that era. Some of the most interesting antique Swedish furniture are the Mora clocks and intricately carved and painted cupboards. Diane will demonstrate these designs, covering a different style each day, using all of the mediums used to create the look of Swedish pieces, including Jo Sonja acrylic gouache, whose opacity makes it very well suited to the Swedish methods of painting. Paint and mediums for the class will be provided by Chroma, Inc, manufacturer of Jo Sonja acrylics. Woodenware will be available from the Museum Store, or you may bring your own woodenware or panels. There will be a materials fee.

Level of instruction: All levels.

Diane Edwards has studied Swedish folk art for 30 years and has written two best-selling books on the subject. She has collected over 30 Swedish folk-art books, most of which are out of print. She will share many of these rare books and hundreds of photos with the class. Diane has an M.A. in Art Education and has taught art on many levels for the last 40 years, including 12 National Decorative Painting conventions. She is a signature member of the Pastel Society of Colorado and an award winning oil painter. She loves research and sharing information with students.

In this class you will learn not only the “how to” of painting transparently, but also a foundation of “how to” design the Telemark style. The two do go together! Both oil and acrylic painters are welcome because materials and techniques for each of the mediums will be taught. Come and learn in a relaxed atmosphere, where the ultimate goal is to enjoy the process of learning and where laughter is frequently heard. Rosemaling ought to be fun, not hard work! There will be a materials fee.

Level of instruction: All levels.

Patti Goke of Saint Cloud, Minnesota, has been rosemaling for 24 years and has taken many classes with American and Norwegian artists. One of her rosemaling experiences was painting in the Raftevold Hotell in Hornindal, Nordfjord, Norway. Patti is a Vesterheim Gold Medalist, Vesterheim Rosemaling Letter editor, and contributor of rosemaling articles and projects for Art Apprentice Online e-zine.

Valdres rosemaling was one of the first styles to develop. Originating in eastern Norway, it is known for its distinctive leaves and a wide variety of rose-like flowers. Our class will include three projects, although you should not feel pressured to complete all three. One of the projects will include chinoiserie, the simplified blue on blue landscape scenes. Instruction is done in oils, however acrylic painters are welcome. There will be a materials fee.

Level of instruction: Intermediate and advanced, although beginners are encouraged to come and learn this style. Some experience in back grounding and simple stroke work is helpful.

Sara Tollefson has studied rosemaling for over 25 years with many Norwegian and American painters and was awarded the Vesterheim Gold Medal in 2009. She has also studied in Norway in conjunction with Vesterheim-sponsored folk-art tours. Sara has taught rosemaling in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin for over 15 years and she was the editor of Vesterheim’s Rosemaling Letter for 17 years.

Have you seen someone walking down the street with a rosemaled vest, denim jumper, or handbag, and wondered where you could get one just like that? Well, here is your chance to custom paint your own. Experienced rosemaler Betty Dowe will begin her class with rosemaling stroke work using Jo Sonja Acrylics. Class will start with a simple project then move on to painting on fabric. Step-by-step instructions, including how and where to place a design on clothing, will be covered. Patterns will be available for all levels of painters to create your own unique one-of-a-kind piece of clothing, bag, napkins, placemats, or even quilt squares. Fabric painting is one of Betty’s favorite art forms and may be one of yours too. Paints will be furnished. There will be a minimal materials fee.

Level of instruction: All levels. Youth ages 16 and 17 signed up with a participating adult receive a 25% discount.

Betty Dowe lived in Decorah for 20 years. She began rosemaling at Vesterheim in 1978 with Ruth Green. She has taught in Florida, Iowa, and Minnesota. Betty started fabric painting in 1993 with Jo Sonja Acrylics. She has published many articles about rosemaling and was one of the featured artists in Norwegian Rosemaling in America by Pamela Publication in 1986. She was editor of the Vesterheim cookbook Rosemalers’ Recipes, and for eight years she was the editor of the Vesterheim Rosemaling Letter until moving to Florida. Betty is a member of the Society of Decorative Painters and, while in Florida, served as president of FSDA for two years.

Investigate the connection between “old world” Scandinavian interest in “land” scape and new world, Iowa landscape. You can expect a variety of introductory lessons on how to use tools, techniques, color mixing, and composition to provide basic building blocks and foundations for successful watercolor painting. Weather permitting, some “plein air” landscape painting on location will take place. Pieces in the Vesterheim collection representing fine art and folk art will be studied. Doug encourages you to take his class Beginning Drawing/Design Composition offered in May as preparation for this class, but it is not necessary. There will be a materials fee.

Level of instruction: All levels.

Doug Eckheart has taught numerous creative workshops in drawing and painting over a 40-year teaching career in the visual arts at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. He earned his BA from Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota, and MFA from Bowling Green University, Ohio. Doug is a productive, active artist who has held dozens of one-person exhibits and group shows in New York City, Chicago, Des Moines, Malta, and Norway. He has judged at various art festivals, exhibitions, and juried shows, and has been a judge five times for Vesterheim’s National Exhibition of Folk Art in the Norwegian Tradition. Doug now owns his own gallery and antique shop in Decorah, where he shares his passion, unlimited inspiration, and vast knowledge for the arts through his work and teaching.

Come “fiddle around,” painting a violin in the transparent Telemark style. If you don’t have a violin, Lois has suggestions for sources for one, or you could paint the design on a breadboard or a panel that could be framed. The design has been dubbed “The Christmas Bird” and is sure to be something to “tweet” about. Being an acrylics-only class, it will be taught using Jo Sonja’s acrylic gouache. Basic strokes and linework will be taught as needed, as well as how to “background” the violin. A bit of history will be also shared. The design will be taught in a step-by-step format. There will be a materials fee.

Level of instruction: All levels.

Lois Mueller has been painting since 1977 and teaching since 1979. Since receiving a Gold Medal for Rosemaling from Vesterheim, she has written nine rosemaling instructional books and taped a DVD for beginners. She has taught in Canada, Taiwan, and throughout the United States, and the best part has been meeting many wonderful people with similar interests.

Explore the different ways Rococo has been painted by the old Norwegian rosemaling masters. You will spend some time in the museum and study center seeing first-hand the various examples of Rococo rosemaling. Pam will have many alternate design styles for you to paint, depending on your own stylistic preferences. Pam paints in oils, but acrylic painters with a good grasp of colors and mediums are also encouraged to join the class. There will be a minimal materials fee.

Level of instruction: All levels.

Pam Rucinski has been teaching all over the United States since 1982 and taken three trips to Japan to share her love of rosemaling. Pam has participated in the Midwest Folklife Festival, sponsored by the Wisconsin Arts Board. She also coauthored two rosemaling books in 2003 and 2004. An accomplished folk-art painter who has been studying rosemaling since 1974, she received her Gold Medal in 1995. Pam paints in many styles, but is most known for Hallingdal, Gudbrandsdal, and Valdres with Rococo. She was most influenced by Ragvald Frøysadal and has studied with many other American and Norwegian painters. She has also studied Swedish and Russian folk art painting.