Creating Something Beautiful - Using Rosemaling Outdoors

Rosemaling Outdoors!

Crafters, oftentimes myself included, have a set of beliefs about what designs, motifs, styles should go where. This was born out to me roaming the exhibit hall at the recent Society of Decorative Painters Convention in San Diego.

One of the things that struck me though was that there was't a single birdhouse, well one rather funky style, for sale. Would the bird have figured it out? Since birdhouses are my "thing" I was very disappointed.

I was though off of a both low and high, I have to admit, experience dealing with Rosemaling, the Norwegian traditional folk art that has captivated me.

Looking over packets for ideas that I could use, I was suddenly struck with the idea that no one, and I mean no one used these wonderful and fanciful designs outdoors. I envisioned a black birdhouse with the wonderful reds, greens, golds with splashes of white on three sides and top of some wonderful birdhouses I purchased from a wood worker in Mississippi. These things are strong and sturdy, heavy and would, it taken care of, last for years outdoors with or without the original design.

Using Americana and Traditions paints from DecoArt, I painted the birdhouse. Then I started drawing with a white pencil all over the face using "C's" and "S's" that I had learned from Gayle Oram. This time I wasn't intimidated. It would be my design and I had a pretty good idea of why I wanted to do. It was my design and I wasn't trying to blend hers and mine!

It was fun and instructive. I purchased a set of brushes for just Rosemaling. I made sure they were pliable, could hold enough paint as I made me swoops over the face of the project and was pleased that it went so well. Each time I get better at this and I think that this is, for now at least, my best piece yet! I will continue to work on Rosemaling on birdhouses. I still have more and have, what I hope is a ready source for the future.

If you have a motif, use it wherever you want. And who knows, in this case, the birds will have the best house in town!

Please visit KrugsStudio.etsy.com for more birdhouses, crafts and photography. I also have a fine art store at AlanKrugFineArt.etsy.com. Thank you for visit!