Decorah residents will be able to explore Norwegian-American rosemaling from home when Vesterheim presents a free online Cultural Connections webinar on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. The one-hour program is scheduled for 3 to 4 p.m. Central time and will be offered online rather than at Vesterheim or another in-person venue.
Because the event is virtual, local participants can watch the demonstration without traveling to the museum or another meeting site. The program is promoted for Decorah residents, although the online format may also allow people outside the area to attend.
Artist to demonstrate 10 plant-inspired designs
Artist Tara will demonstrate 10 rosemaling designs based on plant forms. The featured subjects are Trout Lily, Rowan Berry, Lady’s Slipper, Blue Flag Iris, Wild Rose, Coral Root, Arrowhead, Pipsissewa, Marsh Marigold and Maple Leaf.
The plants will provide the foundation for both the painting demonstration and a discussion of traditional and contemporary design. Viewers will see how established rosemaling techniques continue to develop and how historic craft methods can be adapted for modern botanical artwork.
For people interested in decorative painting, the presentation will connect Norwegian-American brushwork with contemporary botanical art. The demonstration will show how recognizable plant forms can be transformed into decorative designs while explaining how traditional methods relate to newer artistic interpretations.
Webinar links rosemaling with plant science
The program will also examine the history of scientific plant classification. The discussion will include Carl Linnaeus and his apprentice, Anders Dahl.
Dahl’s role provides an additional connection to plants because his name is part of the word “dahlia.” Vesterheim’s webinar will use that link to connect the history of scientific classification with the plant-centered artwork featured in the demonstration.
Registration required for Zoom access
Decorah residents who want to participate must register in advance to receive the Zoom link and other connection information. Vesterheim has not listed a separate registration deadline, so prospective attendees should complete registration before the webinar begins to obtain the meeting details needed to join.
Participants will need to be online during the scheduled 3-to-4 p.m. Central time window on Oct. 4. The free cultural program brings together rosemaling, botanical design and plant history in a format that can be watched from home.