Lyn Rein is an art enthusiast who takes her inspiration from her Norwegian heritage. She is a third generation rosemaler who enjoys learning new styles by taking classes with mom, Donna Johnson. Lyn applies motifs from rosemaling into the pottery studio where she transfers it to functional stoneware pottery items by carving designs and modifying wheel thrown pieces. These pieces allow for the addition of popular Norwegian sayings with the English translation on the other side.

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A love of Norwegian rosemaling and the desire to keep the artform vibrant and active in my family keeps me painting every day. My mother, also a rosemaler, inspired me to start rosemaling in back in 1980s. I started painting again, this time with my daughter, in 2009 when we began taking classes together locally at first and then our studies have taken us to neighboring states for more variety of styles and teachers.

In 2023, my love of dollhouses and rosemaling came together when I won the People’s choice award at Vesterheim’s Special Embellishment Exhibition.  Who says a 77 year old can’t play with dollhouses? I continue to learn from artists who are willing to share their enthusiasm and knowledge. 

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