Christmas in July - Day Twenty-One

We were off again in 2014 - the biggest move so far of Vic's career, cross country from Virginia to Washington.  We were so excited as we had longed to be on the West Coast.  The weather was just for us me, with rainy days just like England and it was going to be so nice to finally be on the same coast as my sister and her family.  We settled in the little Norwegian town of Poulsbo and at the huge craft fair that holiday season, I picked up this ornament.  It's decorated in the rosemaling style.

Rosemaling is the decorative folk painting of Norway, and its history began in the low-land areas of Eastern Norway about 1750 inspired by upper-class artistic styles when Baroque, Regency and Rococo were introduced to Norway’s rural cultures. At first Norway’s painters followed these European styles closely.  The painters who rosemaled for their livelihood were trained within a “guild” and they traveled from county-to-county painting churches and/or the homes of the wealthy for a commission of either money or merely room and board. Thus, rosemaling was carried over the mountains and toward Norway’s western coast.  Norwegian rosemaling continued its westward migration all the way to America. Emigration was heavy from some of the areas where rosemaling was well established. Travelers packed beautifully rosemaled trunks to make their journey across the Atlantic. Well-known as well as lesser-known painters traveled to the New World.

From The Story of Norwegian Rosemaling, written by Tor Kjolberg

The vendor at the craft fair who paints these exquisite examples of rosemaling was there each year.  She makes round ornaments (like mine below), as well as flat tree, star, and round-shaped wooden ornaments.  She also has some stunning examples of rosemaling on wooden boxes, trays, and other home decor pieces.  The craft fair lasts three days - Friday, Saturday, and Sunday but by about mid-morning on Saturday, there is not much left.