Fellowships 2023

Happy are the painters for they shall not be lonely. Light and color, peace and hope, will keep them company to the end, or almost to the end of day.

—Winston Churchill

These wonderful words remind us of the joy of our art! Norwegian Rosemaling. How exciting each day can be and the wonderful experience awaiting each of us each time we return to our paining area. I am a person with a passion for Norwegian Rosemaling and a great love for young people, trying to bring the arts back into the school system here in Treasure Valley, Idaho.

My color palette, my use of color and embellishments reflect my personality. My vision is to lead by example, by showing what I do through my painting and how I teach. One beautiful piece at a time, one happy customer at a time, one student at a time. Norwegian Rosemaling is one of the most beautiful arts of the 18th or 19th Century.

I shall make a brief reference here to the pictorial world of Folk Art. Arts of all kinds have flourished side by side in the unique landscapes, valleys, mountains, forests and lakes in Norway. Rosemaling is an astonishingly sophisticated style of decorative painting. Rosemaling is a free and flexible art that allows for considerable individual expression. To paint simply and very expressively is a wonderful goal and it is one of the hardest things to accomplish.

My first teacher was a beautiful rosemaler from Wisconsin, my home state. Since I am Norwegian and Norwegian was my first language, I knew right away that this was for me.

I first started teaching in junior high and then I went to teach men and women from every walk of live. What a joy it has been! It is my passion to share by painting and teaching this beautiful cultural art form to all people. I have traveled to several states, painting and teaching Norwegian Rosemaling.

Painting from the heart – Develop your personal style. The way to get the most from living, is not by keeping, but by giving.

2022

Listen to an interview with Joanne on Boise State Public Radio and see more images of her work.