Decorah residents interested in Norwegian-American art, botanical design and traditional craft techniques will have a chance to watch 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. Rosemaling is a decorative painting tradition associated with Norwegian-American art, and the session will explore how its established brushwork can continue to develop through contemporary botanical design.

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 featured plant. The demonstration’s subjects 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. Rather than treating the plants only as subject matter, the presentation will examine how their shapes and characteristics can influence decorative painting.

Registration is required for the Zoom link

There is no charge to attend, but everyone planning to participate must register in advance. Registered attendees will receive the Zoom link and other connection information before the October 4 session.

For Decorah residents, the online format means the program can be watched from home without traveling to Vesterheim or another venue. The event is also open to people outside Decorah, allowing local participants to connect with a broader audience through the museum’s Cultural Connections program.

Webinar connects art with plant history

The presentation will include more than a painting demonstration. It will also make a brief connection between contemporary botanical art and the history of plant classification, including Carl Linnaeus and his apprentice Anders Dahl.

Dahl’s name remains part of the word “dahlia,” creating 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 consider how traditional craft practices continue to evolve in contemporary art.

Decorah residents who want to participate should complete Vesterheim’s registration process before the October 4 program. Registration is necessary to receive the Zoom information, so viewers should not wait until the session begins to sign up.