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Idaho Matters

Keeping a Norwegian art alive in Idaho

The history and family story behind one woman's love of decorative painting.

Broadcast on:
06 Jul 2022

Rosemaling is a decorative painting that adds colorful embellishments to things like wooden platters, containers and furniture of Norwegian homes.

Immigrants came to the U.S. with their most precious possessions stored in hand-painted trunks. On this edition of Expressive Idaho, we hear from Joanne Hultstrand, a Rosmaler in Boise who's carrying on this painting tradition.

She received the 2020 governors awards in the arts by The Idaho Commission on the Arts, for excellence in folk and traditional arts. She has mentored five students through The Idaho Commission on the Arts Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program.

Producer Arlie Sommer brings us her story.