Rosemaling and Bauernmalerei

Artwork by Nyla Small.

Nyla Small is Hope Gallery’s featured artist in June. Small, a Door County native, has dabbled for years in arts and crafts.

Through the years she has taken many classes in folk art painting, rosemaling (Norwegian folk art) and bauernmalerei (German folk art). The last two are painted using stroke work. Rosemaling has the long flowing “c” and “s” strokes; bauernmalerei is basically all stroke work –flowers, leaves, birds, etc.

In this exhibit, Small shares some of the items she has created for her home. Many of the shaped Santas, bunnies, snowmen, etc., were cut out of wood by her husband, Bob. Small is a member of a group called the Folk Art Friends (previously known as the Decorative Artists).

Many of the pieces she is sharing in this exhibit are created from a pattern. Her heritage is Norwegian and some Swedish, but the bauernmalerei patterns allow her to be more creative and create her own style. From her Norwegian heritage she is sharing a couple pieces of her Hardanger embroidery.

Hope Church Gallery in Sturgeon Bay is open 9 am – 1 pm, Tuesday through Friday.