Deconstructed Rosemaling

2024-ongoing

Drawing from childhood memories and heritage, the Deconstructed Rosemaling series is an homage to the skillful and demanding centuries-old tradition of Norwegian Rosemaling. By “deconstructing” a traditional rosemaling pattern, I mirror the discipline of learning the craft through repetitive practice and bring the work into the ordered, organized biophilic patterns that anchor my work.

The series provides an opportunity to dive into the neuroscience behind the act of making and its implications on wellbeing. In the large-scale collaborative works, I invite others to contribute to the paintings as a means to honor the act of learning and sharing traditional craft practices. Participants experience the psychological and physiological qualities of the tedious, repetitive task and are invited to track their own “findings”. The collaborative and learning aspect of the process highlights the found connection between the act of teaching and learning crafts and the activation of brain regions associated with empathy.