Decorah residents interested in Norwegian-American art, botanical design or traditional craft techniques will be able to take part in a free Vesterheim program from home this fall. The one-hour Cultural Connections webinar is scheduled for Sunday, October 4, 2026, from 3 to 4 p.m. Central Time.
Artist Tara will lead the online demonstration, showing how 10 original rosemaling designs can be inspired by plants from the boreal ecosystem. The event is open to people outside Decorah as well, giving local participants an opportunity to connect with a broader audience without traveling to the museum or another venue.
Ten plants will shape the demonstration
The program will show how traditional brushwork can be adapted to reflect the distinctive form and character of each plant while remaining connected to established rosemaling techniques. The featured plants are:
- Trout Lily
- Rowan Berry
- Lady’s Slipper
- Blue Flag Iris
- Wild Rose
- Coral Root
- Arrowhead
- Pipsissewa
- Marsh Marigold
- Maple Leaf
Vesterheim’s session is intended for people interested in modern botanical art, traditional craft techniques and the established rosemaling tradition. The demonstration will examine how the shapes and characteristics of plants can influence contemporary decorative painting.
Registration is required for the Zoom link
There is no charge to attend, but advance registration is required for everyone planning to participate. Registered attendees will receive the Zoom link and other connection information before the October 4 session.
For residents of Decorah, the online format means the program can be watched from home. Participants will not need to travel to Vesterheim, and the event information directs viewers to the museum’s wider schedule of Cultural Connections programs.
The webinar also connects art with plant history
The presentation will go beyond the painting demonstration with a brief connection between contemporary botanical art and the history of plant classification. That background will include Carl Linnaeus and his apprentice Anders Dahl.
Dahl’s name remains part of the word “dahlia,” providing a historical link between the plant-focused artwork and the development of plant classification. By combining rosemaling, botanical design and Norwegian-American arts, the webinar will explore how traditional craft practices continue to develop in contemporary art.
Decorah residents who want to participate should complete Vesterheim’s registration process ahead of time. Registration is necessary to receive the Zoom information for the October 4 program.