Decorah-area residents can explore Norwegian-American decorative painting from home this fall when Vesterheim presents a free online rosemaling webinar focused on botanical art. The one-hour Cultural Connections program is scheduled for 3 to 4 p.m. Central Time on October 4, 2026, and will be held on Zoom.
Artist Tara will present 10 original rosemaling designs inspired by plants from the boreal ecosystem. The program will show how traditional brushwork can be reshaped to reflect the different forms and character of each plant while remaining connected to established rosemaling techniques.
Ten plants will inspire the designs
The featured botanical subjects are Trout Lily, Rowan Berry, Lady’s Slipper, Blue Flag Iris, Wild Rose, Coral Root, Arrowhead, Pipsissewa, Marsh Marigold and Maple Leaf.
During the live brushwork demonstration, attendees will see how the plants’ distinct shapes and characteristics can inform contemporary decorative painting. The session is intended for people interested in modern botanical design, traditional craft techniques and the established rosemaling tradition.
Registration is required for the free Zoom event
There is no charge to attend, but participants must register in advance to receive the Zoom connection information. Vesterheim’s event information also directs participants to the museum’s broader schedule of Cultural Connections programs.
Because the program is online, people in Decorah and participants elsewhere can attend without traveling to the museum or another venue. For local residents, that means the Vesterheim program can be accessed from home, although registration remains necessary before the event.
The webinar will go beyond a painting demonstration. Vesterheim plans to briefly connect contemporary botanical art with the history of plant classification, including background on Carl Linnaeus and his apprentice Anders Dahl. Dahl’s name continues in the word “dahlia.”
The October program may be especially relevant to people following Norwegian-American arts, rosemaling, botanical design or the development of traditional craft practices in contemporary art. Those who want to participate should complete Vesterheim’s advance registration process to obtain the Zoom link.