Telemark-Style Rosemaling Class with Nancy Odalen

The class will be working on a 16″ scooped bowl using a Telemark design that is inspired by a piece found in Norway at the Norske Folk Museum in Oslo. The piece pictured here is from the Vesterheim collection and similar to the piece found in Norway. Students will discuss rosemaling from the Telemark area of Norway and visit the collection at Vesterheim to uncover additional pieces that will inspire you for this and future classes. This class starts on Thursday evening to give you time to purchase your wooden wear and paint the background. The design you will be painting is mainly flowers and lacks the Telemark scrolls commonly found in many examples from this area of Norway. However, this design incorporates the lovely asymmetrical flow that typically represents Telemark. Rosemaling is part of Nancy’s heritage. Nancy is the granddaughter of an adventurous sailor who sailed around the world one and a half times before jumping ship in Australia. Also, her grandmother traveled to the United States, by herself, at the age of 23. Nancy’s rosemaling echos the colors of the west coast of Norway, and the movement of her rosemaling mirrors her families’ traditions and adventures. Nancy’s journey in the study of rosemaling began with her first Vesterheim rosemaling class in 2001. She has taken classes from instructors that have given generously of their time and talents.  She is humbled to have received a Gold Medal in 2022 after earning ribbons on five pieces, including one Best in Show at the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Folk Art Exhibition. Nancy has received grants from the Wisconsin Arts Board as a Master Artist to two apprentices, one in 2020-21 and the other in 2022-23. She is also a recipient of one of the 2022-23 Folk Artist Residency grant from Vesterheim.  Her journey continues as she learns from the old and create designs that come from her soul. It is Nancy’s true joy to share her passion, enthusiasm, and knowledge of rosemaling with others.  Vesterheim offers a 60% discount for in-person class tuition on a space-available standby basis to any year-round resident living within 50 miles of Vesterheim. Students will be notified about the availability of an opening in the class 21 days before the starting date of the class period. Discounts do not include materials fees. If local area residents want a guaranteed place in a class, they must pay regular class tuition. The local standby option is supported by Decorah’s Depot Outlet.