Decorah residents can take part in a free Vesterheim art program from home this fall as the museum presents a live online demonstration connecting traditional Norwegian-American rosemaling with botanical design.
The one-hour Cultural Connections webinar is scheduled for 3 to 4 p.m. Central Time on October 4, 2026. The program will be held on Zoom, meaning participants will not need to travel to Vesterheim or another venue. Although the event is open to people outside Decorah as well, advance registration is required for everyone who plans to attend.
Ten boreal plants will shape the designs
Artist Tara will present 10 original rosemaling designs inspired by plants from the boreal ecosystem. During the live demonstration, participants will be able to watch how traditional brushwork can be adapted to reflect the individual form and character of each plant while remaining connected to established rosemaling techniques.
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.
Vesterheim says the session is intended for people interested in modern botanical art, traditional craft techniques and the established rosemaling tradition. Attendees will see how the plants’ shapes and characteristics influence contemporary decorative painting.
Registration is required for the free Zoom event
There is no charge to attend, but participants must complete Vesterheim’s advance registration process to receive the Zoom link. People who want to join should register before the October 4 program so the connection information arrives in time.
The online format gives Decorah participants the option of joining from home while also allowing people elsewhere to attend. Vesterheim’s event information directs participants to the museum’s broader schedule of Cultural Connections programs.
Webinar adds plant-history background
The program is planned as more than a painting demonstration. Vesterheim will briefly connect contemporary botanical art with the history of plant classification, including background on Carl Linnaeus and his apprentice Anders Dahl.
Dahl’s name remains part of the word “dahlia,” providing a historical link between the webinar’s plant-focused subject matter and the development of plant classification.
The October program may interest people following Norwegian-American arts, rosemaling, botanical design or the continuing development of traditional craft practices in contemporary art. Registration is the next step for anyone who wants to receive the Zoom information and attend.